The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-12-22
PLAYING SMALL POLITICS

| Evidence has leaked out disclosing /
little game of little politics clos
around johnson City, and in selec'
circles and among those who have
caught on there Is tone of criticism
little short of positive condemnation
There is sort of latent spirit of fail
dealing among most men, even when
their enemies and political opponent is
the object of their activities, thai
draws the line at conspiring and lying
in wait until an unguarded moment,
and then with rush and suddenness,
protesting friendship and urging &C.
tion of a certain nature as the advice
of friend to his face, and yet conceal
ing the plot, the conspiracy, behind
his back. The end does not Justify
the means, as it smacks of hitting be-
low the belt. 1t is fair in politics to
fight in the open, when your opponent
knows you are at war, when he knows
you seek to undo him and take his PC.
litical scalp, but 1t is unjustifiable to
slip upon him by the stealth of decep-
tion, by the tactics of wolf in sleeps
clothing, A victory won by the fruits
of a professed friendship deliberately
contrived as a weapon of offense and
false pretense with intent to reap a
traitors harvest, deserves unsparing
condemnation and rebuke to those
who would attempt such a dubious
game.
1t is not exactly understood why a
certain official near here was given on
ly an hour to decide by friends only
four days before the civil service would
have covered him up within its warm
embrace for life or during good be-
havior, while others who had sucked
for twenty times the time were left
alone in sweet repose to draw their
remunerative "per." And the public
will scrutinize any man slipped in at
the eleventh hour for the purpose of
letting the blanket fall upon him and
give him life's berth. Moreover,
this fact appearing will furnish
criterion by which to gauge and inter-
pref the purpose and intentions of
men, the motive behind the game and
where self interest and the interest of
kinship appears, it will discount every
plea of "for the good of the service"
1t exposes the foul play.
1t is also whispered around that |
there is something doing about the
matter, and that "the best laid plans
of mice and men oft gang a. glee."
A game is not out until it is
played out, and things are not always
what they seem. Some times man
by an exhibition of inordinate anxiety
Tor self and kinfolks furnishes the
powder with which his own kingdom
may be shattered. Haman played
game one day along the same line.
Relations are becoming strained and
here are rumors of things to be. Most
my sort of developments would not at
III surprise those who are in posi-
ion to know things. If a wrong has
'een perpetrated, in the name of JUS
ice it ought to be righted; and If an
injustice has been attempted, those
.uilty of the attempt should have Wis.
Ieu upon IueiH ncdSuTe vi TIE SAME f..
Medicine they would mete out to 9TH
RS. Even if a man be without de- {
enders or political backing, it furnish q
$ no justification for failing to remem-
er that old and oft forgotten rule, "Do
nto others as you would have them /;
o unto YOU" If it should appear '
nat an injustice has been done to any v
ian, and consequently to wife and
sveral little children, public mass
leeting would prove to be a mighty
leader for the right. o