The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1912-07-26
Ladies' and Gentlemen,

Ladies' and Gentlemen,
Two weeks ago / little thought
] would stand before this or any
other audience a candidate for
governor. Nothing would have
tempted me to enter this race ex-
sept the hope that if elected I
might be Of some little assistance
in helping Tennessee regain her
rightful position among the sis
terhood of states.
For twenty-four years have la
bored for myself. If | have as
sisted it has been only incidental,
and if I know my own mind and
heart, which ! believe ] do, when
/ reach by declining years I do
not want to reproach myself for
having possibly refused my only
real opportunity to do something
for others. This is my one con-.
trolling thought, and the real rea-
son / am here seeking the Demo-
cratic nomination for governor.
It is to this community / owe
all / have been able to accomplish.
Among you I have spent all the
mature years of my life, and now
to witness this splendid manifesto
ton Of your kindness and gener-
losity moves me beyond expression.
There are no honors quite like
those that come from home. How
ever, I take this demonstration
not so much as a personal tribute
as an expression of the hope you
have that / may be of some serv-
ice to our state, and if elected, !
will do the very best I can. Be-
yond that no man can promise.
Whether elected or defeated, this
expression Of your kindness will
never be effaced from my memory.
In this campaign / do not pro-
pose to enter into any personal
controversy with either of the ex-
celient gentlemen who are my OPP
ponnts. I am a friend of all OF
them Neither will | be drawn
from the real issues Of this cam
paign nor permit them to be be-
clouded by the discussions Of ir-
relevant subjects.
I,meant no reflection upon the
list of distinguished governors
when / said it had been forty
years since Tennessee has had
governor with extensive business
experience. Most Of them were
great lawyers. All of them had
extensive political experience. But
] ask you, were they men who
knew the teachings Of business, or
the inner workings Of commercial
lifeY Is it unfair to the public to
occasionally elect men to office
from other walks of lifeY would
not feel offended if reminded that
/ had neither political or legal
training. / make no pretense Of
being anything but plain man
of business.
For tie first time in the history
Of this country there is a wide
snread desire to place public af-
fairs upon sound, conservative.
economical, business basis. Nearly
all our great problems, both state
and national, are now purely eco
nomical or business problems, and
when they are correctly solved, it
must be done by men who have
been trained and grounded in the
great mass of fundamental prin-
ciples upon which our industrial
life rests. Until these great prob
lens are solved, we will still have
business disturbances, labor will
be without employment, as it has
been in the past, and the cry will
continue abroad in the land,
"Give us more business and less
politics"
What are the conditions in Ten
nesseef She is one of the richest
in natural resources and most IA
vored in location of all the states
In the Union. 1t would weary the
patience of any audience to listen
to an enumeration of one-half her
natural advantages. From the
f;oures given out by the Geological