The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-07-07
THE RoLTERS, MANAGER

Mr.. Gates, i'm addition to being attor-
ney general, is also the editor of an
anu-Patterson supplement that goes
out to all papers willing to distribute
blackguardism TO their readers. 1t is a
nameless sheet, this thing that Gates
issues, 1t is a product Of Gates mind,
along with editorials from the Tennes
sean. Other editorials sufficiently vul-
! gar, coarse, virulent in abuse and mis-
representative Of facts are clipped and
also printed in this supplement.
No decent editor, trained in his pro-
fessiOn, would have hand or direction
in the publication of pamphlets such
as these anti-democratic supplements.
If Gates had had a schooling in the
ethics of journalism he would have
scoFned this sort of journalistic work
probably.
With q hatred in his nature born OF
the environments of his rearing, moth
ing would please Gates better than t.
destroy the democracy of Tennessee,
and, after destroying the democracy OF
Tennessee, what would personally
crafty Gates most would be the elimi-
nation of Patterson from Tennessee
politics.
The reasons of Gates attitude to-
| ward Patterson have been developed.
Gates TRADE of abuse toward the gov
ernor, in a speech he recently made,
drew return fire.
In speech made in Dover, tht
home of the late Bill Brandon an,
Il here never was better democrat an,
better man in Tennessee, Patterson
said, "Cates is the law partner of .
brother of Judge Shields, and practice
law while acting in the capacity of al
torney-general OF the state"
He and his firm represent corpora.
lions and other interests" says III,
governor, ''ani receive large fees
while General Gates, as attorney.gen
eral, is required to pass upon questions
that may arise between his clients and
the state"
'In this dual and incomprehensible
capacity he stands unworthy OF
credit
General Gates represents the state OF
Tennessee as attorney general, and his
law firm represents corporations hav-
ing business with the state. Most
serious charge this is. If it is true, is
it not up to General Gates Immediately
to resign as the encouragement? II
it is true he ought to be removed as
attorney general.
Here is the statement that the gov
ernor makes that is Of peculiar impor-
lance. II places the attorney general
in the attitude of a thwarted fee-grab-
Der. Regarding, up until Governor
Patterson came into office, was one OF
the big curses OF Tennessee. Jimmy
Harris built up his machine on fee
grabbing and through his fee-grabbers
he controlled the politics of this state,
and some of these fee-grabbers almost
wrecked the treasury of the state OF
Tennessee.
Governor Patterson says that he is
the same Gen. Gates that proposed and
attempted to pass bill in the legisla
ture of 1907 giving him special fees for
work which he was always required
to do, and for which the state already
paid him. Patterson vetoed that bill.
Then Patterson charges that Cate,
attempted to pass another bill, which
would have placed all corporate inter
ests ia the state within Gates power.
Governor Patterson says that he oppos-
ed and beat this bill
Is il possible that the attorney-gen
eral would have control of the corpora.
tons in his hands as the attorney gen
eral of the state, and that his law firm
at the same time would represent b
number of these corporations?
Or, 20 put ii another way, should
Mr.. Gates represent the state of Ten
nessee as encouragement when his
firm represents corporations that may
have, that did have and do have bust
ness with the state of Tennessee.
A brother lawyer, Judge Floyd Es
till, charged il to be fact. Gates sen:
hot telegram of denial and denunci
alton.
Judge Estill made some investiga
tions. The judges story we print il
another column. He finds that lii,
Cumberland Telephone Company con
trolls the East Tennessee Telephone
Company. He charges that the firm
Of Shields, Gates & Mountcastle repre-.
sent the East Tennessee Telephone
Company in the courts, and that the
firm of Shields, Gates Il Mountcastle
appeared as solicitors Of record.
Estill further charges that when
Gates, as attorney general. advised the
comptroller that the stock OF the Cum
berland Telephone Company in the
hands of the owners WAS not subject to
taxation, that the firm Of Shields, Gates
e. Mountcastle, OF which Attorney
General Gates is member, were the
solicitors Of record of the East Tennes-
see Telephone Company in the case of
the East Tennessee Telephone Compa-
ny VS.. J. A. Grigsby, then pending and