The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1909-08-12
LITTLE GIANT OF
EAST TENNESSEE
RISES TO THE OCCASION
And Puts Spell on Georgia Audi
ence of Two Thousand
People at Gainesville.

When the Hon. Alfred A. Taylor
was at Gainesville, Ca, recently to fill
a date at the chautauqua there for his
brother, Senator Bob Taylor, who was
unable to attend, he observed in ad-
vance of his appearance upon the plat
form apparent disappointment in the
audience of 1000, and the disappoint-
ment was clearly explained to him
when he was introduced by the master
of ceremonies. This gentleman was
very kind in his remarks about the ell
oquent East Tennessean, but took oc-
casion TO refer to the war of roses, as it
was fought between the Taylor broth
ers, when the two ran for governor, in
a way to give the lecturer to under
stand that the Georgians had no use
for his politics and spurned the idea
that the senator's brother, himself of
southern birth, should have espoused
the cause of the red rose of republican
ism at any time. So severe was the
introduction in this respect that even
an audience of democratic sentiments
seemed to regret that Alfred had been
placed in such an embarrassing posi-
ton. But the "Little Giant was equal
to the occasion, and as prelude to his
lecture, he indulged in the following
bit of spontaneous eloquence, which
was adjudged by many scholarly hear
ers as classic, and which set the au-
dience in perfect harmony with the
lecturer, so that he went away from
Gainesville with the heart of the COM
munity completely in his possession:
Ladies and Gentlemen: lnasmuch
as my friend has given the occasion
something of political flavor, and
awakened slumbering prejndices, by
introducing me as republican, though
a son of DiXie-once designated as the
red rose of a political battle long since
fought and forgotten, wherein my bro
ther, Senator Taylor, the victor, was
the white rose. l beg leave to say that
| believe there lies in both political
parties broad zone of respectability,
decency, reason and patriotism, where
in honest men may stand in mutual
respect and esteem, rivaling each other
in their efforts to promote the general
welfare, differing only in their choice
of measures and policies looking to this
great end. And he who abides moi
within this zone, but strays into the
region of blind passion and unreason.
ing prejudice, is dangerous fanatic
an undesirable citizen, unworthy to bt
callod either republican or democrat.
81 beg further to say that my affilia
ton with no political party can evel
sever the ties of natural affection which
bind me to the bosom of DiXie-my
, DeauCl1ui MOtnerIanu!
"You applaud vociferously at The
mention of the name of Dixie; and yet
we are told there is nothing in name
whats in a name? A rose by any
other name would smell as sweet,
saith the prince of poets. But the pro
| verb fails when applied to Dixie!
"There is a hidden power and subtle
magic in great names, that thrills thu
hearts of men and arouses in their inn
: aginations the loftiest ideals of charac
; ter The name of Dixie stirs the harp
strings of histhoric memory, anC
awalles into life and action a new epic
more glorious than the Iliad of Homer
. of men as knightly as Lancelot o
4 Henry of Navarro; of women as beau
tiful as Helen of Troy; ms heroic as Joar
of Are; of battles as celebrated as Mar
athon or Thermopylae: of soldiers a
$ illustriOus as Miltiades or Leonidas; o
t statesmen as renowned as Pericles; o
orators as brilliant and powerful a
Demosthenes; of poets as sweet ant
: meodious and as passionate as Sapp'
: or Alcaeus; as weird and as tragic a
Euripides! That name calls into beinl
! new epic of valor and patience; o
: hope and despair; of prosperity ant
+ adversity; of success and failure; o
victory and defeat; of dauntless courag
in the face of Overwhelming cataclysm
of love and hate; of poetry, song an,
+. romance; of the joy and gladness ant
! triumph of Bethany.
. "Through such vicisSitudes no peo
3 pie, in all the history of the race, ha