The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1910-09-09
THE FIRES OF DEMOCRACY.


Never in the history of Tennessee
have the fires of Democracy burned
brighter upon the altar of patriotism
than they did Monday. From the
mountains of East Tennessee to the
Great Father of Waters the people
moved with common purpose, the
redemption of this State. All ether
issues were obscured or avoided.
That was the dominant note of $4,000
Democrats who met in mass conven-
lions to send delegates to the great
meeting at Nashville next week.
PattersoDism must go. That is the
supreme issue in Tennessee. By its
side all others are as chat before the
winds. It was a great revolt Thous-
ands OF freemen have resolved that
they will not be the servile tools OF
a conscienceless machine drunk with
power and deaf to all appeals for de-
cency. Assassination is not Demo
cratic and lawlessness is not patriot
ism. II the Democratic party in Ten
nessee is to survive the movement for
independence from political thraldom
inaugurated on Monday must succeed.
Patterson is responsible for this
great revolution that has determin-
ed a majority Of his party to support
the nominee Of another political party
for the States highest ONCE. Patter.
son and Patterson alone must share
all responsibility. He must bear the
burden. He placed his selfish ambi-
ton above the rights Of the people
and the interests of his party and he
must suffer the consequences. He il
going to be beaten and by majority
that will prove crushing and humilt-
ating to any man with a sense Of
shame.
The great convention at Nashville
on September IA will mark an ep-
och in Tennessee. It will be the sec
ond great step in the movement to re-
deem the commonwealth. 1t will be
of tremendous import There should
be no wrangling over non-essentials,
no strife nor discord over the d;stri-
button of offices. All members Of that
should be animated with
the one purpose to forever smash the
Patterson machine and end the rule
of Patterson. He must go.
The singleness of purpose, the one
ness of mind, the common cause OF
all the great army of Independents in
Tennessee should be most gratifying
to the friends of good government ev-
erywhere A new day has dawned in
Tennessee. For once in its history
patriotism has triumphed over Par
tisanship Truth has risen above
the fog of factionalism.
The local convention was all that
the most sanguine supporters OF the
in this county had hoped
for. The Old Guard in Maury was In.
action and when it really got the deck
cleaned for battle its report is heard
around the State. The Democrats OF
this county spoke with no uncertain, ?
voice. Deliberately, solemnly, deep
ly deploring conditions. they have
served notice that NO longer will they I
be blind followers Of a baseless ma
chine. They are freemen.
Chairman Dining sounded the ley
note when he said that no matter how
expensive or how troublesome the ex'
pertinent might be the people OF Maui
~ county were resolved to attend to
their own governmental affairs; TO no
man or set OF men would they abdi-
cate the God given right to govern
That is the question In
Tennessee. Shall this State be con-
stitutional government Of. for and by
the people or shall it be a political
oligarchy?
The spirit of our fallen leader lives
among his people. 1t moved the con-
vention of Monday. It guided AMI d.
rected the counsels Of the men. brave
and true, who dared to defy the ty-
rant and spurn usurpations. Maury
county had a glorious part In the vic
tory of August 4. 1t must share IN
the nobler achievement Of November
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