The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1911-09-21
SENATOR SoEIN l. cox.

It is wholly unnecessary for The
Comet to say that it holds no brief to
represent Senator John l. Cox, and to
most of its readers it is well known
fact that the course OF their political
friendship has encountered winter and
rough weather. We have had our diff
ferences, our antagOnisms and our
fierce animosities. To be candid and
fair we have disagreed widely and rad
ically along certain lines in politics,
but personally our relations have been
less strained. This much said, we pro-
pose to say q few words about the
speech delivered by Senator Cox over
at Blountville a week or SO ago, and
to speak plainly, without reference to
our previous relations from political
standpoint.
No matter whether we admire Sena-
tor Cox or not, candor and sense of
fairness and justice compels us to say
that the speech delivered at Blountville
under the guise Of "giving an account
of his stewardship as representative
in the last general assembly from that
senatorial district was q strong effort,
a detailed exposition Of his acts in be-
half of regular democracy as against
fusionism. 1t was logical, chronology
ically arranged, and possessed the mer-
it of first setting forth the claims made
by his enemies, following with state
ment of the facts which refuted the
charges and forced his assailants to the
defensive. His ticks fell like blows
from the sledge hammer, and the best
proof that they were felt was the dis
play of iritability and bad temper by
those upon whom they descended.
The man who has the art of answer
ing critics and his enemies in snch way
that not only is the answer complete
but shifts the burden Of proof to the
other side, forcing them to make de-
Tense from the very force Of the answer
to the charges against him, gives evil
dence of being an artist in that line.
But few men are endowed with this
peculiar ability.
If the facts set forth by Senator Cox
be true, they constitute q terrible i'm
parchment of fusionism, and tear away
the mask from the faces of yelled play
ers in dark and dubious game. The
senator makes the charge, throws down
the gauntlet, and challenges a contest
on the truth or falsity Of the charges
made If the charges be not true, they
can be answered from the record. The
fusionists have the records, and If they
fail to produce, the presumption arises
that it would be against them, else
they would do SO. What is not denied
stands admitted, and up to date there
has been no denial, except an appeal
to prejudice, the last weapon used by
demagogues when forced to the wall
and their iniquity exposed.
Is 1t fact, as charged by Senator
Cox, that that "fellow servant" law,
after being passed by democratic
Senate went to its death in the House |
at the hands of fusionists, when the |
fusionist platform pledged its enact |
ment? Was there deal made with |
that man Crump, for political purpose
and to serve the personal ends Of GER
tain fusion favorites, one of the consi-
derations of which was turn over to
Crump full power in Memphis and
give him an unrestrained baud to con-
tinue as high preast over sixteen hun
dred open saloons, the beau ideal of |
tribute paying brothels, the bully boy
Of gambling Mlls galore. This is a
charge which cannot be answered by
mere attempt to discredit Cox. The
people remember that last campaign a
cry went up that Memphis vas a
modern Sodom, operating in open dis.
regard Of law, and this man Crump
was the evil genius at the helm. The
charge was made that Memphis was
open because the officials were In league
with wide open crime, even charging
hat that the Governor was particeps
,riminis. Now the delib rate charge
$ made that contract was made with
crump by the fusionosss, giving him
free hand. only demanding that he
upport the pet measures of certain
'ertain fusionist leaders farming out
he very souls Of their followers to
'uild up machine for personal ends.
), the name Of real temner.noa IA, the