The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-01-17
THAT IA FoLLETTE VETO.


the people we're not for It. And ne
ouotes from the democratic platform
and his campaign speeches to sustain
his position
So far as the platform is concerned
il was written by Patterson and MS
chief lieutenants. and was intended 70
mean anything or nothing. 1t was
cupningly devised and adroitly worded
so as to give Mr.. Patterson the
chance to do jast as he is doing; that
IS play both sides and the middle Oh
the temperance question. To TAX
one way with his mouth, and write
another way with his fist. The liquor
dealers. who have no respect for ana
never obey the law, are the quickest
of all people to appeal to the law II
they are caught in any tight place.
And Patterson, like the liquor men,
with whom he has always trained
has shown no regard FOR the PLATFORM
even though he wrote or dictated It,
except to appeal to it as his defense
when he finds himself in the middle OF
had fix. So much for his meaning
less platform.
Now as to his promises. He told
us lust how we might, with his con-
sent. abolish saloons. BY voting
them out, was one way. Another way
was to send a united delegation to the
legislature. And yet another way
was. to instruct the representatives
For he DISTINCTLY said, that II the
representatives had been instructed
and violated their instructions, and
the bill should be passed despite their
opposition. he would favor and sign
the bill. His organs of course Will not
admit that he said that; but even the
most partisan ones Of them will not
deny it. For he said 1t, and said 1t 90
often, that it would be foolhardy ana
ridiculous for them to deny 1t. other
wise of course they would deny it.
Now that is exactly the condition
that confronted Mr.. Patterson when
the legislature put the LaFollette bill
up to him, and he deliberately broke
his promise to the people when he We
toed that bill The facts are these;
and we challenge any man or newspa-
per in Tennessee to join issue with us
upon the facts.
Potter, the Senator, and York,
the Representative, were both
instructed by the convention
which nominated them, to abol
ish saloons In LaFollette. The
temperance people being trifie sus-
picious of Potter, went even further
than that, and instructed him to vote
for statewide prohibition. He &C.
cepted the nomination on that plat
form. But still there were many VINO
were doubtful of him, and he was not
having very smooth sailing, and so, to
make his election sure he signed
written pledge, that II elected he
would put saloons out of his entire
district" In the argument OF the
case In the Senate this written pledge
was made profert of, and Potter, old
Potter" as everybody contemptuous-
" called him. hung his head in shame
and did not deny 1t. Not only had he
signed that pledge, but he was such
an enthusiastic temperance candidate,
and so proud of the good company hed
was keeping at that time, that be
himself issued and had scattered over
mis- district, thousands of cards call
ng the attention of the voters to his
and to his promises.
And yet this same Potter, after he
rot to Nashville, and got real chummy
With the whiskey lobby and found
What jolly, good fellows they were,
lishonored his district, disgraced him
self and violated his platform and /!
pledges by opposing the bill to abolish
he saloons in LaFollette.
And Mr.. Patterson knew all this;
every bit OF it; and more. He knew
hat the good people of that district,
hearing of Potter's peridy and be-
soming uneasy, signed petition,
nearly 5000 of them, reciting what
lad been done by the nominating con-
,entions, and petitioning the legisla-
ure to relieve them of the curse of
he open saloon. And hearing and
all the facts of the
ase, the legislature granted their pc
ition, both Houses passing the. bill
" overwhelming majorities.
But here is another fact, and here
s where the fine hand of the tricky
politician is seen, After the bill abol-
shing the saloons in LaFollette had
,assed both houses and was waiting