The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1912-03-01

| WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 90
Representative Padgett has issued the
following statement to the Democrats
I, of the seventh congressional district
Of Tennessee, in announcing his
withdrawal from the congressional
primary:
You have honored me in the past
with your confidence and support,
which deeply appreciate and for
which | am profoundly grateful. 1t
has been my constant aim to render
you faithful and efficient service and
| am content TO lay my record as your
servant before you for inspection and
approval.
1.-THE congressional executive COM
mittee met at Franklin on the 9th for
the purpose of naming a day and pre-
scribing rules for the congressional
primary election. | appeared before
this committee and called their atten-
lion that it had been the custom to
have the primary on the day of the
August election, and that it had never
been held sooner than that date.
also called their attention that my du-
ties as member of congress and as
chairman of the great committee on
naval affairs, imperatively demanded
my constant presence in Washington
and constant attention to the dis
charge of the duties, and that my du-
Ties we're such that l could not post
pone them nor neglect them without
being false to the congress AMI to
my people and recreant to my official
position.
Il told them that the democratic
party was now for the first time in
sixteen years in control of the lower
house of congress and was on trial
before the country, and upon the rec
ord made by the democrats in con-
gress was dependent the election of
a democratic president and a demo-
cratic house in the next election;
that had been unanimously selected
by the democrats as chairman of the
great committee, who had placed up
ON me the duties, obligations and re-
Of the position, and if
! failed to give proper attention to
the duties OF the position and failed |
to properly discharge the obligation
mus placed upon me by the demo
cratic party, and made failure in my
duties pertaining to this great COM
rnittee, that the democratic party in
congress would be held responsible
therefor and would be charged with
Icing incapable of a wide and eff
cient administration of public affairs,
and that I could not and would not
desert my post of duty and be false
10 the obligations placed upon me,
Il said to them that the proposed |
action was an injustice to me per
sonally because it denied me opportu-
nifty 20 appear before the people and |
present my claims, and that it was |
IN injustice to the people of the dis
trict, because they had right to ex.
pect and demand OF me as their SER
want that should appear before them |
face to face, and render TO them an &C
count of my stewardship, as has been |
the unbroken custom of the country |
since the organization OF our govern
ment; and that it was an injustice |
to the democratic party in congress
10 demand o, me that should leave |
my post of duty or that / should be
to the trust which the party |
mad imposed upon me, or that dem
ocratic committee should seek direct
" or indirectly to embarrass me so |
that l could not devote my time and |
talents to the discharge of my duties |
10 reflect credit upon the democratic |
administration in congress and help |
secure for the democratic party the
approval of the country for . wise
md efficient administration of public |
Affairs.