The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-07-17

LeWisburg. Ne know Il none Of the
Governors family who have taken
their epaulettes so seriously as has
the Banners Colonel on the Cover
nor's stan And so 1t seems that in
order 10 cure Franks ITS the Major
has consented 10 open his columns 10
an illogical discussion Of a subject
which should be handed seriously
and with some sense
In the first place il is a violent
assumption 10 say that if Mr.. Car
mack had owned or controlled the
committee he would have proceeded
70 steal the convention as Patterson
and his committee have done. There
is nothing in Mr. Carmack's past
which justifes any such inference. He
had the committee in his race with
Senator Taylor two years ago. and
gave his opponent an absolutely
square deal; and when he was defeat
ed he never whimpered or suggested
any contest or recount.
Again he had the committees which
appointed delegates to the recent
state convention in Nashville, and his
friends had absolute control over that
convention. They could have done
anything they pleased at that conven-
ton; and they did do anything and
everything they pleased. They could
have elected new state executive
committee, if they had seen fit to do
so, and thereby reclaimed the state
and the party from the present in
cubus and disgrace that doth now so
heavily Cypress them. But they did
nothing of the kind; though to our
mind it is pity they did not They
simply gave out a few complimentary
seats in the Denver convention TO
some of their number, and not even
allowed the mention of Mr. Carmack's
name; for fear the burst of applause
might offend the brethren who diff
fered with them. The only unfair
ness of which they have been or can
be accused, is an overweening mod
esty and unfairness to themselves.
And so. we submit. there is nothing
in Mr.. Carmack's past record that
justifies the aspersion that he would
use the machinery if he had it, to
steal an advantage he was not right !
fully entitled to.
But suppose he would suppose for
the sake of argument, that Mr.. Car |
mack and his friends were a like set |
of freebooters and political pirates |!
as the Patterson machine is, would /
that justify either set in robbing the
people of fair exercise of their fran
chise? Would Carmack doing it make
it right? Have the people who do
the voting no rights? Do their bal
lots belong absolutely to the machine,
to be counted and tossed about and
thown out, by either side or both
sides; and is it sufficient justification,
in morals or logic or law, to excuse
the robbery simply upon the assump-
ton that the other side would also
rob and steal if they had the chance?
We are really surprise at the Ban
ner, that for even the praiseworthy
purpose of stopping fits in some of it's
family, it would permit such puerile
stuff to degrade its editorial columns.
But 1t is not the making of the plat
'orm simply, that has occasioned all
his change of program. A state-l
vide prohibition plank would no doubt
,mbarrass the Governor. We cannot
imagine more palpable misfit. But
here are other matters of quite as
much moment to this machine; chief
lmong which is the matter of per-
themselves in power. But }
or their new ruling they were down
nd out, and they knew it. Their
life was spent; their day was done.
dr. Patterson was to have been given
campaign committee of his own
hoosing; and, a consideration he did
ot deserve, he was to be allowed to 3
ame the chairman and secretary of Il
be regular state committee. But "
his campaign committee would have u
led on election day, and the new
tate committee, which would have d
the election machinery .
vo years hence, was to have been Il
AIMED by the congressional delega- 81
ons, as has been the custom from a.
me immemorial; and that meant the IL
cath of this committee; and so, not q
lily to write platform upon which W
e Governor could stand with some ~
egree of ease and grace, however ~
'ntrary to the peoples will, they SOL al
nnly assemble and with pious mien ''
SOlva and cOnstrI.o for marty bor