The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-10-16

In his opening speech al Nashville
on Thursday night Gov. Patterson
said in part:
owing TO the fact that so many
misstatements and erroneous impress
sions have been current with refer
ence to the democratic platform, feel
it incumbent upon me, first, 10 make
a statement of the facts, and then TO
discuss the liquor question, which is
the only plank that has provoked crit
icism from any quarter.
1T was prepared just as all platforms
are, by several gentlemen, including
myself, who had to stand upon it and
defend it, and was submitted to the
convention for its ratification or re-
lection. It was referred TO a commit
tee fully discussed and amended in
several particulars, and reported in
regular form 10 the convention and
adopted by that body. There was
never q platform written by any po-
litical party that was more regular or
more accurately embodied the views
of the majority The minority offered
a platform to the committee, which
was also fully considered and every
opportunity afforded for any gentle
man to come before the committee
and to offer his views. and the ma
jority of the committee, after full
hearing, rejected this platform, and 1t
was thereupon reported to the conven-
ton and rejected by that body. But
1t has been said that a rule of the |
state executive committee was
changed to bring about this result !
If this is true, the committee was
acting in the scope of its authority for !;
the democratic party and, whether !
right or wrong, it is now too late to
question the binding effect of this
action, as there is no other platform
for the guidance of the party than the
one promulgated, and there was no
other democratic convention than the
one which approved it. But the ac-
tion of the committee was not wrong.
1t was eminently fair and just. A
reading of the original primary plan
will convince fair-minded men that 1t
was the purpose of the committee to
have the convention controlled by the
friends of the successful candidate,
and not by those who were not in /.
accord with him or his views on pub ;
lie questions. Had there been no
plan at all, this would have been the
ogical fair and natural conclusion to i,
De drawn; but when it was apparent !,
hat | had been nominated it was
boldly proclaimed that the counties !,
which had been carried by me were :,
o have their will thwarted by delega- :
ions which were not In accord with =
he expressed will of the people, and !,
nd it was its plain duty, to prevent 9.
he discord and confusion which would :,
rise from such contingency, and to >,
ee that the voice Of the people had +,
IS legitimate expression in the con- :,
ention. Any other course would
ave been unfair and revolutionary. ~
he fault was not in the action of the 70
Ommittee, but in the open threat of m
fraction of a minority to set aside q
lie popular will and to write a plat n
,rm for a candidate who had fairly IN
,ceived a majority OF the popular or
otes, a majority of the counties and n
majority of the delegates. Had this m
ot been prevented, the humiliating III
nd undemocratic spectacle would Ell
ave been witnessed of nomination
; a candidate by his opponents and an
lie making of platform to which he oh
d not subscribe nor a majority of D.
Ie people endorse. of
81 put 1t to the intelligence and con- "
,ience of every democrat in Tennes- ~
,e, if it was not fair and right in the IL.
,unties carried by my competitor for al,
s friends to be returned as delegates, w
I'd in the counties carried by me, for