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

weeks past, and would be for man
weeks yet to come, engaged in tn
preparation of the naval appropris
ton bill, carrying $125,000,000; an
in addition, had before my committee
more than $50 bills relating to legis
lation for the navy. said to the com
.nittee, and ] now reaffirm, that
will not desert my post of duty no
voluntarily be false to the trust con
fiied in me, and that in choice be
tween being false to my present out,
or sacrificing my personal ambitions
for future preferment, I shall remain
at my place of duty.
But the committee ignored the
fixed and uniform custom of the past
and brushed aside every consi1era
zion which l had suggested, and sci
the primary for April II, at a time
when they knew l could not and
would not have opportunity to appear
before the people and render to them
face to face, an account of my stew.
ardship
Heretofore. it has been the un.
broken custom to keep state and ma
tional politics separate, and while we
have in Tennessee an unhappy divi-
sion over state matters, which has
torn the party asunder, we have hap
lily UP to the present time kept these
local divisions and strife out of ma
tional politics. But the committee ig-
roring the consideration of the main
tenance of harmony in national poll
tics, tied the congressional primary
olto the state primary and requires
that every voter in the congressional
primary shall obligate himself to sup,
port all the nominees OF the state
primary. when the committee well
knew that there were many thous-
lnds of democrats who, because of
.ne division ever state and local pol
tics, would not participate in the con-
sressional primary; and by this ac-
lion the committee has DISTINGUISHED
tnou"ands of democrats from partici-
patton in the congressional primary.
instead of promoting harmony, the
committee, by its action, has Infused
he discord and turmoil existing in
state politics into congressional poll
les, which ] sincerely believe is very
Unfortunate all is to be deplored.
In the last congressional primary
his very committee, by two resolu-
ions, expressly declared that the
,nly pledge to be required of voter
II the congressional primary was to
support the nominee of that primary,
md such has been the unbroken GUS
ON supported by the wisdom of the
party in the past, but by it's action
he committee debars from participa-
ion IN the congressional primary
many thousands of democrats simply
)aceuse there may be a difference up-
IN questions of local and state poll
les. This acton of the committee is
contrary to the customs of the past
md is unfair, unjust, undemocratic,
md revolutionary, and is destructive
# the best interests of the democrat
C party and subversive of harmony
n the party, which we so much de-
lire; and was an improper injection
If disturbances into congressional
,olitics.
Il canot better express the situa-
ion than to use the language of the
Times, one OF the strong
'st regular democratic papers ia the
state, in speaking Of this action of
ne committee. which says that It is
Undertaking to force the people to a
and the candidates to sub
'cribe to pledges, action both Unfair,
lndemocratic and destructive of that
harmony which all true American and
Inselflsh democrats are striving to
'ring about In this distraught state.
Committees are necessary to par
' success. ana are entitled to the Al