The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1911-12-08
TIE HARMONY FIGHT.

About the most ludicious auu al
together Imaginable comedy tina, tae
people Of Tennessee have known in
recent years is the yigoo Gus fish be
ing vaged between the factions OF
the Democratic party over "har-
mon That term, which has hith-
erto .JOoa rs the synonym for peace
and tranquility will assume new
phase in Tennessee. 1t is the first
time TO our knowledge that there Las
ever been a political battle about
peace.
The truth about the whole matter
is that politicians on both sides
are inclined to play for advantage.
They are after tactical position. They
are not greatly concerned about har-
mony in the Democratic party I'M
less their personal interests are con-
served thereby. And this is parti-
cularly true of so-called regulars"
They would rather see the party
hopelessly beaten in the State than
jeopardise the interests OF the liquor
trust from which they draw the
sinews Of war.
The whole situation is farcical.
Fortunately, however, the war over
harmony does not extend to the
frank and file of the contending ar
mics. 1t is purely mimic battle
between the officers of both sides.
The men in the ranks generally
speaking are caring more about the
kind of government that they receive
than they are about the party label
which the officials who administer
1t wear.
1t is too late in the twentieth cent
ury of progress and enlightenment
to talk to Tennesseans about their
"duty to a party" or their obligation
to the organization" Those terms
are worn thread bare. They have
most happily lost their potency.
People the country over are more
inclined to vote for themselves than
they are to vote for the organization
They are more vitality interested in
the kind of government which they
obtain than they are in success of the
party. Presenv day problems are
more important than the attitude or
candidates upon the declaration of in
dependence, the constitution or JEFF
ferson's inaugural.
The time has passed in a majority
of the States of this Union when
campaigns can be won alone on flap
doodle and tommyrot about the
"grand old party" and duty to sup
port the nominees" That cry has
lost The magic of its power. Candi-
dates Insult the intelligence of the
American electorate when they pitch
their campaigns upon such low
planes. What does any voter care
about the success of the Democratic
party or the Republican party or the
Socialist party unless the present at
titude of that party and the character
of it's candidates now are such as to
entitle it to respect and considera-
ton?
What difference does it make to
the average voter in Tennessee what
party is in power so long as his gov
eminent is honestly, faithfully and
efficiently administered? We refer
to the plain, average every day vot-
er, the patriot who cheerfully sup
ports his country in time of peace
and defends it in time of war, who
seeks no special favors from govern
ment and who asks only that all may
have an equal opportunity under the
law to the enjoyment "of life, lib
erty and the pursuit of happiness"
1t is the politicians, the place hunt
ers, the representatives Of favor
seeking interests, who are concerned
about the organization They give
vent to loud eulogies about the i'm
mortal principles of the fathers" It
is anything with them to concea1
there attitude upon present day aues-
lions. They are interested in gov
eminent for purely selfish reasons.
hence their anxiety about the sue
cess of the party and the triumph OF
the organization.
The people are refusing, however,
to be bamboozeled and hoodwinked
with such patent sophistry. They
have discovered the rat in the meal