The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-01-24
PATTERSON CROWD THROWN
INTOA STATE OF FRENZY
continued from First Page.

nounce Carmack for having demanded
this and let Patterson go without al
least a mild tap Of pretended disap-
prevail
Now what was the real purpose be
hind this great act Of the Governors?
II was plainly an attempt TO forestall
the contemplated action OF the com.
mission as outlined by them in q
public statement on the 9th day Of
last September, and which they were
about to consummate a. shown In
publication in the Nashville papers
just the day before the governors
abortive coup. 1t has all along been
fact that has caused much wonder.
ment that the Governor had absolute
ly ignored the existence Of the Rail-
road Commission. His speech at Un.
ion City came several weeks after
Mr.. Carmacks labor Day speech and
several weeks after the commission
had set out its purpose to do just
what it has done when existing condi-
lions should arise.
In that speech the governor made
the significant statement that he had
received assurances from the rail-
roads that they would reduce passen-
ger fares in Tennessee whenever like
reductions should become effective In
other states, and he said that If they |
did not do so he would call an extra |
session of the Legislature Now, IN
view of the fact that the Railroad
Commission is armed with ample pow
er toNact in this matter and had an
nounced its purpose to do so, people |
wondered why the commission should !,
have been entirely ignored and why
the governor preferred to appeal to
the Legislature to do what it had ex-
pressly refused to do at its regular
session Again, why did he take his
recent action without any conference
whatever with the railroad commits
sion, and why did he again threaten
to call the Legislature in extra SEES
sion to do what he knew the commits
sion had at that time determined to
do?
There is but one ineligible ex-
PLANTATION: The railroads wanted to
keep this matter of rate reduction en-.
tirely IN their own hands to concede
just as much and just as little as they ,
thought proper and upon such terms
and conditions as they chose to make. ,
The Governors statement that he had
no doubt of reaching a satisfactory .
with the railroads was ,
not without Justification, because he
was ready to give the stamp of his
sanction and approval to whatever
the railroads were ready
10 make. The threat Of an extra SEES
sion was mere buncomb, and the
whole scheme OF the meeting of the
abroad presidents an empty form {
The railroads were entirely willing
hat the governor should have all the
glory of bringing about whatever adj
ustment they were willing to make
n exchange for the advantage of hav- p
ng the governors sanction to be @
played against any further action on C
he part Of the commission. 1t is not r
believed that all the railroads de- t,
iberately entered into this game of s.
mall politics to glorify the governor "
md disgrace the commission. 1t was fl
imply piece of shallow smartness II
N the part of Lewis, Bradford and 81
Iooper to use them for this purpose. al
Naturally, there could be no defense n
or leaving the commission entirely Ii
ut of the game, except by represent. 81
ng it to the people as an entirely
seless concern. 8
Whether Gov. Patterson had said so
r nor, in so many words, the very fact
( his proposal to call the Legislature
JS6LuST III 6AIrd bSSSIOu CdIIISO Will ST
the implication that the commission HI
yas so utterly beneath contempt that W
Q would not stoop even to ask 1t to III
erform its sworn and legal duty. US
The Commission would have been Ga
tterly despicable and without yes
ge of self respect II it had abandoned on
he line Of action 1t had already de- OF
upon simply that the Gov OF
rnor and Mr.. Lewis might play out
heir little game of railroad politics. m
simply proceeded to complete the So
ction that had already begun, and as in
lie governor had never consulted its
lembers they did not consult the 81
overnor. G,
And now what is going to happenf er
IT. Lewis RACES through the columns