Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-22
TENNESSEE DEMOCRATS
ENLIST PRESIDENT AID
Situation Regarded AS Grave, Since State Must
Present Solid Front i'll National Elections
Two Years Since-Liquor War Over.
Continued From Page !.

Benton McMIllfn, now United States
Minister to Peru. who had served two
terms as Governor. after many years
n Congress where he WAS Demo
cratic leader during the last Cleve-
land administration. Bob Taylor
who had been three times Governor
and was the idol Of Tennessee Demo-
Gratis, stumped the state for Bate
and won his election when the Legis-
lature convened In January, 1905.
Never Took Office.
Before March 4, when he was to
have begun his new term, Bate died.
bob Tayior's friends thought he
should have been elected as Bates
successor, as a reward for party serv-
ice and for his fight in Bates behalf.
But Taylor had fought the late Ed
ward w Carmack and kept him out
of the Senate for a time after the
death OF Isham G. Harris In 1897 and
Carmack remembered Il. lie had
gone TO the Senate in 1901, two years
after Taylor had caused his defeat by
supporting Thomas J. Turiey, of
Memphis, whom he had appointed
temporarily to succeed Harris.
Carmack and his supporters con-
trolled the 1905 Legislature. Almost
1fuUtuldNtlN rAAfi iSAAt . AAAAi'hsA inv
Democrats in the Legislature eau
rused and agreed to send James B.
Frazier. who was Just beginning a
second term as Governor. to the Sen
ate TO succeed Bate, This elevated
John /. Cox, Speaker of the Senate,
10 Governor, for practically a full
term.
The friends Of Taylor and Bate and
the enemies of Carmack, Frazier ana
Cox then and there declared war on
the triumvirate. The war thus be-
gun has never ceased.
Patterson's Role.
NJ. r. Patterson in 1905 was in
Congress from the Memphis district.
lie hated Carmack because Carmack
mad brought about the political down
fall Of HIS father, Josiah Patterson.
when Caunack on a free silver plat
form defeated the elder Patterson. on
a gold platform, for Congress
IN 1905 NJ. r. Patterson announced
FOR Governor against Cox and Sc
cured the nomination In spectacu-
lar convention. in which politicians.
police, pistols and profanity freely
mixed That convention by the way,
saw the beginning Of Luke Lea's po-
litical career. Lea led the Patterson
delegation and was In tho thick Of all
the riotous scenes. Cox went back
home and was again elected TO the
state Senate.
That same year Bob TAYLOR op-
posed Carmack for the Senate in
Statewide primary Taylor won,
While the Legislature was in ses-
sion in 1907 the Republican delega
ton from Knoxville secured the pass
age as a local bill OF an enabling act
20 permit thst city to vote on the
liquor question. The city voted dry.
That result gave the incentive to the
State wide prohibition moVemen'
Knoxville was the first and only one
of the four big cities Of Tennessee 10
vote liquor out. II was legislated GU
OF the other ree--Memphis. Nash
vile and Chattanooga,
Lea Starts Newspaper.
Luke Les broke with Patterson
about the time he established his
Nashville Tennessean. lie turned 10
Carnack and In the fan OF 1907
brought him out as a candidate for
Governor against Patterson for the
1898 campaign. Carmaok accused the
liquor interests Of bringing about his
defeat for the Senate IN 1906 through
corruption I'm the primary.
The saloons of Tennessee have
sinned away their day OF grace. was
Carmack's slogan in demanding
State wide prohibition.
Patterson defended the liquor in