The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1910-04-29
coEacrEe the COURT.


The exposure Of Patterson's Efforts
10 cOerce and intimidate the Supreme
Court made By three members Of the
bench. will cause very little surprise.
A Governor who has been so forgetful
Of his oath to support the constitution
ana 40 determined to vest all power In
his ONCE. will not hesitate to threaten
the highest court in the land with ven
geance unless its members consent to
do his bidding
From the hour that he was inau-
gurated Governor Of Tennessee Pat
terson has been bent upon the des-
truction of all who dared to oppose
his imperial will He absolutely DOM
mated the first Legislature OF his
term as Governor He usurped in his
Office all of the powers and duties OF
! what the constitution had made two
separate and independent branches OF
Government. The Supreme Court
alone stood in his pathway, a bar to
his ambitions. 1t was the Supreme
Court that prevented the accomplish
ment of the Memphis charter iniquity.
From the time that decision was
rendered the Governor determined
that he would rid the State Of court
that refused to be pawns upon his poll
teal checker board.
Never before in the history OF Ten
nessee, has the State had Governor
whose disregard Of his oath OF ONCE
was so fragrant that the constitution
became a by-word and reproacn.
To such pass have politics come In
Tennessee under the blighting in
fluence of Patterson that candidates
for seats in the Legislature have so
low and base a conception Of their du-
ties and obligations az legislators that
they boldly announce a determination
if elected, to register the will OF the
Governor. For the first time in the
history of this once independent and
proud commonwealth we have admin
istration" candidates for the Senate
and House. In other words fealty to
Patterson. a willingness to protitute
an independent branch of the govern
ment to serve his ambition, is now
made the test of election to the Leg
islature.
Having laid his foul hands upon the
Legislature, the Governor is determin-
ed to control the Judiciary; to make
the highest court in the State an au-
tomatom to register his will. II the
people shall in August elect the Pat
terson candidates for the bench and in
November re-elect Patterson and with
him a Legislature of his pawns and
nlaythings, which God forbid, the con-
stitution should be consigned to the
flames and representative constitution
al government pronounced an ever
lasting failure in Tennessee. II Pat
terson is the be Governor, Legislature
and judiciary, why go to the trouble
and expense of electing and maintain
ing the legislative and judicial
branches of government? Why not
abolish empty forms and vest all pow
err in Patterson? Why do by indirec-
ton and by force and fraud and In
timidation what could be more easily
and more quickly accomplished oy
omen and direct methods?
Will the people of Tennessee stand
for this assault upon the integrity OF
the judiciary? Two years ago they
rose in their might and elected a Leg
islature that refused to be coerced by
the Governor, that proved faithful to
its trust and true to the constitution.
Will they not rebuke this attack upon
the courts, which if they are to serve
the purpose for which they were in
stituted. must stand as the surest
guarantee of constitutional rights and
the bulwalk of the peoples liberties
We summon the manhood OF Tennes-
see ia answer Patterson's threat.