The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1908-05-07
1t Cuts Both Ways.

IL OutS DUH ways
Mr.. Carmack charges Gov. Patterson
with being absent from the house most
of the last session of congress of which
he was a member. This is true. The
governor was in Washington only
comparativelysmall part of the session.
He was in Tennessee looking after his
interests as a candidate for governor.
They were pulling off snap conventions
on him in 1905 for a state convention
that was not to be held until nearly the
middle of 1906. He was forced to re-
main away from Washington or with
draw from the race for governor. There
were no important votes to be cast in
the house, and the vote of democrat
amounted to little.
When Mr.. Carmack first ran for SEN
ator he was member of the house, and
he was absent during large part of the
session. There were no snap conven-
tons employed to head him off or drive
him out of the race, and he managed to
run up to Washington occasionally and
spend few days, but he was there
only small part of the time, and it is
not recorded that he left his impress on
the legislation of that session. Again,
while he was a candidate to succeed
himself as senator, urging his election
on the plea that he had served only one
term and was fairly entitled to an in
dorsement, he was absent from his post
in Washington large part of the ses-
sion, being on the stump with Bob
Taylor for months while congress was
in session.
Being so long an absent member OF
the house, and again of the senate, it
would seem that MIR. Carmack would be
the last man to call attention to Mr..
Patterson's absence from his post. II
requires man with great assurance to
make such criticism against another
in the face of his own record.
Gov. Patterson was forced to cam
pMgn for eight months before his nom
ination. AS the nominee he actively
canvassed the state for more than two
months before the election. He was
therefore in the campaign for nearly 6
year before his election. He took the
oath of office January II, 1907 He haC
been in office hardly six months before
Mr.. Carmack became an announced
candidate against him. For months
Mr.. Carmack has maintained campaign
headquarters and actively campaigneC
through literature, letters, interviews
organization, etc. He urged that thu
state committee meet at an early day
and fix a time for the state primary
and that an early joint discussion b.
arranged for. That discussion is nov
on. For nearly three months the gov
ernor will be kept away from his dutie
in the office of governor. Mr.. Carmacl
is the cause of this, although the duties
of governor are as important as the du
ties either Patterson or Carmack hat
to perform in Washington. Anothe
reason why sense of propriety ant
fairness should cause Mr.. Carmack t,
refrain from such criticism.
The governor has been in office abou
fifteen months. He has nine month
more to serve OF this he must spent
two and half months in debate wit
Mr.. Carmack. If he is renominated b
will have to spend hardly less than tw
and half months on the stump as tn
democratic nominee. This makes fv
of the nine months he has yet to serv
as governor that he must spend on tn
stump instead of in his office.
Thus Mr.. -Carmack in two instances
and Gov. Patterson in two instances
have had to spend large part of thei
time away from their. official duties G
withdraw from the contest for the pos
. ton to which they aspire. 1t is an in
position that is not for the good of til
public service and is hardship on th
Il aspirants. The physical strain and |,
Dor is something terrific. Nashvil
: American.