The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1909-10-07
GOV. PATTERSON
FOR REELECTION
N'MILLIN FOR SENATE.
Statewide Prohibition and New
Election Laws as Continued
Issues IN Tennessee.

Little doubt is expressed in Tennes-
see political circles that Gov. M. II.
Patterson will be candidate for a
third term.
The opinion is general, too, that for
mer Gov. Benton McMillin will seek
election as United States senator to
succeed Senator J. B. Frazier.
While there have been no public
movements on the political checker
board of the state of late months, with
the exception of the announcements
some weeks ago of Gen. Jeff McCarn
and Gen. H. H. Hannah as candidates
for the democratic gubernatorial nomi-
nation, and the recent state DEM
ocratic conference, there has been
much doing from time to time in the
way of informal conferences when two
or more politicians of like mind con-
cerning the issues before the people of
the state got together by chance or
otherwise. AT those little confabula-
tions " men, measures and means have
been considered and plans have been
quietly laid for future action.
1t has been an open secret for some
time that Gov. Patterson does not de-
sire, if his personal preferences are
alone to be considered, to occupy the
gernatorial chair for a third term. 1t
is also well known fact that the gov
ernor has an ambition to go to the
United States senate. While this is
true, it is also known that the close
political friends of the governor are,
and have been, for sometime urging
him to again be candidate for the Of
flee which he now holds. This pressure
has been of such a character that it is
thought the governor feels he can not
ignore the solicitations of his friends
and supporters and will therefore prob
ably yield to their earnest desire that
he seek another term as chief executive
of the state.
Some months ago the Banner stated
that former Gov. Benton McMillin had
said to friend or to friends that he
intended becoming candidate for the
United States senate Irrespective of
the candidacy of any other man or
men," Coy. McMillin himself has re-
Trained up to this time from announc-
ing his political plans and several days
ago the report gained circulation that
he would not seek senatorial toga. The
report that he had ever made such an
assertion was promptly denied by the
former governor himself This denial
leaves him in the attitude of strong
probability for the senate, to say the
least of it.
For time the politicians, knowing
of the governors personal ambition to
go to the senate, talked freely of a con-
test for this honor between the present
and the former governor 1t was ad
mitted that political complications
would follow the announcement of
both Gov. Patterson and former Gov.
McMillin for the senate, for the polite
al friendship that has existed between
these two men and the fact that the
following of each had been standing
together in the past two contests OF
| Gov. Patterson for governor was known
to all who were in any way familiar
with the political situation in the state.
1t was admitted that their dual an
nouncement for the senate would
weaken the chances of both, and make
it more possible for a third party to
step in and capture the office, thus
leaving both Gov. Patterson and FORM
er GOV. McMillin entirely out of it.
AT the time it was thought probable
that the present governor would seek
the senatorship, the gossips were en-
deavoring to pick the man who would
likely be selected as the administration
candidate for the gubernatorial nomi-
nation, and the names of several prom
inent supporters of the governor were
mentioned as possibilities. Some OF
these gentlemen when approached on
the subject, gave evidence of The fact
by what they did not say more than
by what they did say, that while they
were not avowed candidates for gov.
ernor, circumstances might be such rs
to cause them to at least consider the
matter. Now, however, since it is ad