The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-12-01
AN APPREC|AT|VE
AUDIENCE AT
MEMORIAL HALL
WELL RECEIVED
Well Rounded Periods and Flo
quent Flights of Oratory Capt.
Yates Governors Audience

Gov. Malcolm Il. Patterson delivered
his lecture, "True Reforms and False
Reformers," at Memorial Hall last
night to an appreciative audience.
Seated on the stage with the governor
were Rev. w. H. Osborne, George l..
Garter, J. Fred johnson, Maj. p. f.
Divine, Mayor q. l.. Smith, DR.. HI. H.
Carr, Robt. Vestal, j. s. Pritchett,
Maj. G. T. Lee, E. j. Baxter, r. G.
Warren and others. The governor
was introduced by Maj, Paul E. Divine
in a short and appropriate speech.
Among other things he said
The worlds advancement has not
been along straight lines like some spa
cious boulevard laid out by the art of
civil engineering, but tortuous trail
winding by buried cities and ruined
flames. The bones that bleach in the
wilderness or sodden in the sun across
the deserts dusty face are but mile
stones along the march.
Strange as it may seem, the most
transient nations have reached the
highest SUBMITS of splendor and fame,
while persisted races have left indie
structible heritages to posterity of far
greater worth and meaning than those
that endured it because they did not
progress. Out of the very things
which hurried material extinction and
death came Immortality. Lethargy
and stagnation may mean life in the
sense of continuing without change,
but it is also death in larger sense.
The struggle out of which comes our
civilization has been conflict of mind
against mind, a war for the mastery
between unyielding and irreeoncilable
schools of thought. Force has been
the ally of logic and reason that did
not satisfy, and revolution quite often
the weapon of conscious wrong, beaten
on the Field of the Cloth of Gold. Phi
losophers have said that when people |
could calmly withstand a public dis.
cussion of their most fundamental in
situations and the vital issue and poll
cies of their existence, then and then
only could it be said their liberties and |
rights were secure, for out of such a |
conflict the truth must always arise. |
This is one of the boosted heritages of |
Anglo Saxon civilization, and yet in
latter times have we seen the NANTES |
tation of self satisfied spirit that re-
fuses TO hear.
We may disagree with men most
may resist and even re-
ject the processes of other minds, but
security alone rests in the willingness
and the ability to patiently hear and
consider the theories and
arguments of conflicting and contend
ing thought. Without such a spirit
there is but little room for development
and only slight hope for material and
progress. The contrary
precludes investigation and stiles in
lividuai thought. 1t causes the null
,itude to accept the edict of the indi-
vidual, the wide open door of tempta-
ion. 1t contravenes fundamental
aw that guards the progress of the
human race. 1t was known 10 the
Jewish ruler whose inquiring soul led
1im to the Master by night, and con-
rolled the action of the visiting king
1t Cesarea. Grotius, the great German
aw giver, nodded the principle into
maxim of law which the years have
lot essayed to challenge. He said,
8 Whoever decides case without first
having heard both parties, though his
iecision be just, is himself unjust"
Let us hear, let us calmly consider,
md then with firmness of purpose and
IN unselfish will let us pass in judg-
nent on the case
/ come now to introduce to you
citizen of Tennessee, one
who has compelled uncharitable adver-
aries to acknowledge his intellectual
orowess. He never gave to any subject
he strong energies of robust mind that
lie did not draw blood. If we do not
always agree, we at least admire his
,andor and the courage with which he
I ri IL xn 10 of nj tr0 We
We are charmed with a captivating
and power of eloquence
quite unsurpassed. He may be wrong,
,ut he does not deceive, he does not
lodge. | have the pleasure of intro
lucing to you as the speaker for the
vening Gov, Malcolm r. Patterson,
Who will entertain you on the subject
MnMEN tn InANI