The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1908-04-30
From the Memphis Commereial-Appeal

For some inscrutable reason Mr.. Car
mack has been entertaining the people
of Chattanooga, Knoxville and Bristol
with the total depravity of the commits
sion form OF government broached by
the Shelby county delegation before
the last session of the legislature. II
the people of these cities believe what
has been told them about the Memphis
charter bill, they have been deceived,
ss we propose to show to the entire sat-
isfaction of all who doubt.
The people Of Memphis were dissatis-
fed with the charter act of 1905 and the
government that operated under it. The
question of repeating that act was sub.
mitted to the democratic party of Shell
by, Upton and Fayette counties and it
was imporsed by three conventions
The Malone faction here put out an in,
dependent legislative ticket to fight the
democratic ticket on the distinct ground
that il the democratic platform was car
ried into effect it would legislate Mr..
Malone and his associates out Of Office.
That became the issue before the peo-
pie. Should Malone and his associates
be retained in Office or not? No matter
what we may think of the justice of the
issue, the people here elected the DEM
ocratic ticket with the distinct under
standing that the present government
would be ousted.
Galveston, Houston, Des Moines and
some other cities had foun the COM
mission form of government very salts
factory. This was simplification of
the old taxing district government Of
| Memphis. 1t was thought advisable to
adopt the more modern form of gov
ernment, and the Shelby county dele
cation, with the hoaters from Upton
and Fayette county, joined in indors-
ing the bill TO establish the commission
form of government. Mr.. Carmack
opened headquarters in Nashville and
lined up with the independents in
fighting the program OF the democratic
party. Gov. Patterson took the other
side and lined up with the democratic
delegation and the people of Memphis.
The bill passed the legislature and was
declared unconstitutional in the su-
preme court.
In Mr.. Carmsck's painful and pathet'
ic campaign, nothing has been more
discreditable to him than his assault
upon the governor for signing the
Memphis charter bill. He declares in
the first place that Patterson was the
father of that bill. We have every as
surance that this is not fact, from thu
real authors OF the bill. But Mr.. Car
mack's misrepresentation of the terms
of the bill, even though it has the quas
sanction of Judge Neal of the suprem,
court, is entirely indefensible. Th'
best evidence OF what the charter &C
contains is the charter act itself. Mr.
Carmack, among other things, say
this about it:
II charge him Gov. Patterson will
having made personal appeals aud 80
: licitations to members of the legislator
to procure the passage of bill whicl
, the supreme court of Tennessee say
violated the constitution of the stat
seventeen times, which gave to his hiv
of appointees the right to go out an,
destroy the property OF the farmers Q
Shelby county, and to levy taxes an
impose burdensome and oppressiv
: taxes on them TO be spent inside of th
city. =.
] mot content with establishing hi
, machine over the city itself, the bi
extended all the powers of the govern
ment, including the power of taxation
0 over all the people within two miles {
: the city limits. These people were nc
taken into the orporation-they wer
kept out so that they could have n
| NOlC6 tObO W hOb no y IOobAhtAu uPO
their governors. Yet these five al
pointees of Gov. Patterson were en-
powered to go out into the country dit
Q tricts and levy the most burdensom
and oppressive taxes upon the farmer
. OF Shelby county, not one dollar {
which was to be expended for the
t benefit, but every dollar raked into th
r Golfers of this Memphis machine TO b
y expended according to its will and fC
its purposes alone.
); "To clothe any body Of men with th
II power to levy the most burdensom
8 taxes upon people who have no shal
!. in the government that taxes them, an
who derive no benefit whatever fro
the taxes, is not this the old politics
g crime of taxation without represents
l. tion which caused our forefathers
!. rise in armed rebellion against Kin
! George?"
Il Here is q distinct charge that Il
). new charter authorized the commissiC
4 to go outside of the city limits and
:. levy burdensome and oppressive tax
y upon the farmers of Shelby county, N
q one dollar OF which was to be expend,
4 for their benefit, but every dollar
which was to be spent inside the cit
It is q pretty grave charge, and if
"a were true We would agree with Mr.. Ca
q. mack in denouncing it as an iniquit
But We can not find q single line in &