The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-09-22
Major w. 0. Vertrees States the
Issue Clearly.

''To the Democrats of Tennessee:
SIN view of existing political condi-
tions in this state and the necessity for
prompt action, as one of those demo-
Gratis connected with the late judicial
contest, | presume to approach you in
this address.
"For about forty years the demo-
Gratis of Tennessee have controlled the
state and administered its affairs, and
upon the whole they have done we'll.
'In recent times two disagreements
which grew TO be dissensions arose.
Statewide prohibition is one. Cover
nor Patterson was the other Our peo-
pie differed as to the wisdom and ad-
visibility of Statewide prohibition,
and that difference has been marked
by great bitterness. Our people diff
fered as to Governor Patterson. 1t is
not my purpose TO relate these differ
encos nor examine into their merits,
nor determine now how far opposition
was justified, nor how just was his
claim to the support he has received.
We now recall merely the fact that the
Patterson and anti, Patterson feel
ing was apparently unalterable and
certainly intense.
"The election of our highest judicial
officers came on while this was the
condition of political affairs. 1t was
charged, and many believed, that Gov
ernor Patterson had attempted to CO.
cree or control the supreme court, and
dictate the selection of the new men,
bers. This was denied, and, of course,
his friends rallied with great resolution
to his support.
GAS will be observed, the issues were
peculiar-almost impossible to recon-
cile or to be determined otherwise than
by the people themselves. The cleo
ton was held. 1t would benefit no
one for us to attempt to state what
either faction claimed was the result
and significance of that election, since
disagreements would surely arise. Ger
tain it is that so far as the independent
committee and its chairman (the un.
designed, William 0. Vertrees) are
concerned there was no compact or
bargain, express or implied, with the
republicans of Tennessee. Mr.. Hoop
er, the republican nominee for COVER
nor, voluntarily testified to this when
he said to the convention, which in
dorsed him on Sept. IA, that:
Cites Hooper to Prove There Was
No Bargain.
"When | introduced to the people
of my countryjust prior to the Au-
gust election that eloquent East Ten
nessean, Gen. Harvey Hannah, made
the statement that / would feel it my
duty to vote the independent judiciary
ticket if l knew that the republican
candidate for governor would not get
one single democratic vote in Novem-
Der. Many thousands of republicans
shared with me this sentiment and
voted for free and untrammeled judi
ciary, without price or promise, and
we are not insisting today that any
body owes US anything for that per-
Torrance of duty.
"The issue upon which you as demo
Gratis had differed was as to the judges
and the courts, or as to what the indie
pendents believed was in issue as to
them, and was stated by the independ-
ents to be what they called Patterson
ISM and nti-Pattersonism. The elec-
ton resulted in pronounced victory
for the independent nominees. There
fore, Governor Patterson publicly an
nounced his retirement from the race