The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1910-10-13


of the party, indicate that a ma
jority of the party favors the new
committee. Now, what constitutes
the Democratic party in Tennessee?
is the important question.
Urey Woodson has undertaken to
answer 1t by advising the Patterson
committee to select a new national
committeeman, promising it the
ratification of the national Demo-
cratic committee. of which he is
secretary. Who is Urey Woodson?
! A politician, who regards as dearer
| to his own heart the control of the
Tennessee delegation in the national
Democratic convention and its sup
port on the national committee.
that he does the harmony of the
party in that state and the well
being of the commonwealth. OF
course. he does; because he makes
his living by politics. lie is the
close personal and political friend
lof Tom Taggart, proprietor of the
/ French Lick Springs resort, and the
coadjutor of "Fingy" Corners, late
of the Buffalo docks. who gave voice
to that classic expression that he
i"likes peas. but don't ate 'em: cause
dey won't stay on me knife" Wood
son belongs to a gang in Kentucky,
that matches well with Pattersonism
in Tennessee. and he could hardly
be expected TO sympathize with the
majority of the voters In their
efforts to unload their burden OF
corruption.
: But. II Bob Taylor is beaten. as
he evidently must be, and a legisla-
ture of non-partisan character like
the last one is elected. as IL seems
likely, and the Democratic party, as
recognized by Urey Woodson and
"Fingy" Corners, remains Patterson
and Patterson's committee. when
will harmony be restored in Ten
nessee? The very next contest for
nominations will be conducted by
the Patterson committee, under cir
cumstances that must arouse the
suspicious of the voters; for IN
doubtedly the committee will at
tempt to rehabilitate itself as il did
when Patterson and his repudiated
judiciary ticket we're nominated. IL
is too much to expect that the COM
mittee will be reformed and sobered
by its experience this year. 1t was
selected in a manner that bore the
brand OF fraud; il was responsible
for the Patterson nomination, and
when the voters OF the party re-
pudiated everything II did, had the
committee been composed of men,
who had any regard for their party
or any self-respect. they would have
resigned. There is no financial re-
muneration connected with the Office
of state ommitteemen--at least, no
legitimate remuneration-and there
can be no honor attached to IL, ifI
the committees action is repudiated
by the voters at an election and a
majority of the party expresses it's
disapproval by naming a new COM
mittee.
Then why do the committeeman
hold on? There must be some
of saving the party; because one
election has already shown the COM
mitteemen what chance they stand
of saving the party. Why does Urey
Woodson, the coadjutor OF "Fingy"
Corners, take an interest In secur-
ing a new committeeman for Ten
nessee? Where is all this to end
anyway? Who compose a party, a
majority of its voters? Or a little
gang Of corrupt politicians? II the
voters do. why doesn't the expressed
will Of a majority OF the voters con-
troll?
One answer is plain: II the voters
Of the Democratic party OF Tonnes
see had been given a chance to Sc
lect their committeeman by secret
ballot in a popular primary under
control OF the state election board |
the services of Urey Woodson would
not have been required in Ten
nessee.