Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-22

| leicSIS on 10 luHHI uptloIl NI1tloIHl. NJ
and carmack canVassed the state In
q spectacular Joint debate and ON in
dvidual speaking tours. Patterson
go. the nomination for second term
IN the parry primary.
Luke Lea then made Carmack eds
tor Of Ills newspaper Carmack con-
tinued his war on the hquor interests
land on Patterson through the editorial
yolumns OF The Tennessean.
| Within a week after the November
1905 election that returned Patterson
to the Governors chair Carmack was
assassinated on the streets Of Nash
vile. Duncan Il. Cooper, a Patterson
leader, his son, Robin Cooper, and
John Sharp, an intimate friend Of
Patterson and the CoOpers, were ar
rested as tho assassins. The murder
was the direct outgrowth OF scathing
editorial criticism Of the elder Cooper
for bringing about a reconciliation be-
tween Patterson and Cox, whereby
Cox became a Patterson champion.
Prohibition an Issue.
| Carmacks supporters J sed a cry
for State wide prohibition as VEN
geAnce for his death. II became such
a formidable issue between November
and January that the Carmack Dem
ocrats, aided by Republicans passed
a Statewide prohibition law before
the legislative session was more than
a week old Patterson vetoed 1t, and
his veto was oVerridden. There was
the beginning of the Independent
| Democratic Republican fusion thot
the President and Administration
leaders now seek to end
The Coopers and Sharp were tried
soon after the prohibition law was
| enacted The Coopers were cOnvicts !,
Sharp being acquitted. They APP
pealed TO the Tennessee Supreme
| Court which granted Robin Cooper
a new trial but affirmed the sentence
Of his father. Patterson, as Govern
or pardoned Duncan Cooper the same
| day the 5 ipreme Court announced It's
decision. This pardon added fuel 10
| the flame OF hatred and cemented the
| Independent Democratic Republican
| coalition. Down with Patterson"
was the cry. Luke Lea, with his news
paper, was leading the fusionists.
Wars on Supreme Court.
Patterson opened war on the Su
preme Court for its Cooper decisiol.
A new Supreme Court WAS to be elect
ed in the summer of 1910 The fu-
sionists nominated a ticket OF Car
mack bsmocrats. including those
| judges who had voted to affirm Dun
| can Cooper's sentence. The fight was
carried into the general election and
the fusion court was elected. Judge
Shields, now Senator. was made chief
justice.
Patterson at this time had an
nounced for a third term as Governor
in the November election As q re-
ward for the Republican support IN
the judicial election, the fusionists In
dorsed Hooper, the Republican Guber-
Material nominee The situation was
| desperate for the Patterson forces. |
They forced him to Withdraw and |
brought Bob Taylor home from Wash !
ington IN an effort to stem the tide !
and save the Governorship. Senator |
Taylor took tho nomination, but even
his popularity could not save the day. |
Hooper was elected by good major |
ity.
The fusion compact was continued |
through the 1871 legislative session, |
and additional prohibition laws and |
new election laws were enacted
Senator Frazier's term expired dur |
ing this session Patterson was !
among the candidates for his seat. /
Frazier sought reelection Neither |
showed any appreciable strength. The |
Legislature was deadlocked for weeks, |
with numerous candidates in the run |
ming. Finally the fusionists centerei
on Luke Lea and he was elected
Bob Taylor Dies.
Bob TaylurS death, in 1912, was the |
next development His term wound |
have expired in March 1914. Govern- |
or Hooper appointed Newell Sanders, |
Republican national committeeman, /
To the vacancy pending the 1918 Les
islative session.
The fusionists renominated Hoop
err for Governor in 1912. The Demo |
Gratis had tired Of Patterson aad |
dropped him the year before T. r. |
Preston, a Chattanooga banker and !
Benton McMillu, former Governor
and Congressman, sought the uomiua- |
ton. McNilhn won and went against !
Hooper who defeated him worse than !
he had TAYLOR two years before
The fusion combination still held in |
the 1913 Legislature. passing more |
prohibition and election laws
W. r. Webb. an Independent Demo |
crat head OF a boys school at Bell |
buckle. was sent TO the Senate 90 !
serve until March A free for all fight |
for the ful-term Senatorship was |
precipitated chief Justice Shields |
was one OF the many candidates. His |
candidacy displcased some Of the fn- |
sion leaders He retaNated by cast |
4AlA NNA AfIh tiIlts ltAll'f . 10 AlAf Au1tAiA |
movement The regular Democra S |
then supported him. He carried |
enough OF the Independents ia win !
the election after a long deadlock
Agree on Patronage.
Senator Lea fought Shields cleo |
ton, but after the Wilson admins /
tration went ia 40 Washington thoy
roCunciled am differences and began |
go work I'm harmony In the distribution !
of Federal patronage IN Tennessee |
This reconciliation and other events /
turned the more NindictiVe fusion /
leaders. headed by Major h. n. Stahl- /
man publisher of Tho Nashville BAN |
uer against senator Lea. with the re-
suit chat for months there has been
AN almost daily editorial combat re-
plrte with personal spleen, carried on
between the Lea and Stahlman pa
pors.
Now that Senators Lea ana shields
have drawn the Administration az
Washington into the Tennessee fight. |
there promises this year to be NJ great
political sensations lon the State as