The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1914-09-24

and want the vote of every citizel
who believes that Tennessee is enti
tied to a democratic governor, VIII,
belives in democratic principles ant
the right of the majority to rule.
want all good democrats to sup
port me for the sake of democracy anC
the perpetuity of its principles; no
for my sake, because am and expec
to be, simply the representative o.
that party endeavoring to execute th'
peoples will. Neither Mr.. Lea, Mr.
Howse, Mr.. Crump nor even Major
Stahlman thinks or believes for 8
moment that can be coerced, threat
ened, persuaded or bullied into vic,
lating my oath of Office and disre-
garding my pledges to the people; ant
neither of the gentlemen first mem
toned would expect it of me or would
attempt to do SO; and no one would
thus accuse me who had not had some
iexperience in controlling governors by
virtue of fayors rendered and obliga-
tions created on account of support
given
Rye as Governor.
II elected, l expect to be the gov
ernor of Tennessee, ever keeping be-
fore me the declaration of principles
embodied in my platform as guide,
while honestly endeavoring to dis
charge my duty to all the people Of
the state.
| earnestly beg that the people in
the selection of representatives who
shall compose the legislature. will Sc
lect men of known integrity of char
acter-men who stand squarely upon
the platform adopted by our conven-
ton, and who may be relied upon to
execute the will of their constituency,
for | swear to you that as governor
shall not use the patronage of that
Office to hire men to do their duty or
to swerve representatives from doing
that for which they were elected by
the people.
1t is not my purpose or desire to
rob Governor Hooper of any honor he
may have won as governor of Tennes-
see; nor do l desire to take from
him any credit which he can rightfully
claim for himself or party in the ad-
ministration of the affairs of the
state. Some think he has made good
governor; one thinks he has made a
"devilish good governor and if we
concede this to be true, still it would
be no argument for violating the we'll
established, sound and sane custom of
retiring our "devilish" good governors
at the end of four. years service. A
young man not strictly up to date on
rules of society said to a friend of
more experience: II want to ask you
this question: Suppose take a young
lady to the theatre; / furnish good
seats, carriage and flowers. and aft
er the show take her for supper to
some up-to-date restaurant, after
which | take her home. Ought / to
kiss her good night?" NO" said
the young man of modern ideas, "cer-
tainly not. You have done enough for
her and she ought not to expect ii"
If we concede that Governor Hooper
has made a good governor, has served
the great state of Tennessee for two
successive terms, and has all the hon
or that the position can give him; il he
has endeavored honestly and consci-
entiously to discharge the duties of
the position as best he could, and has
not allowed his ambition for power to
control his better Judgment, he should
feel and know that the people of Ten
nessee have done enough for him and
that he ought not to expect more.
For every act and every effort in
behalf of the people of this state made
by Governor Hooper in the enacting
of laws and the enforcing of laws, he
has the gratitude and profound thanks
of every good citizen, no matter to
what party he belongs. But he should
not, in my humble judgment, claim all
the honor, all the credit for laws he
did not pass, but which were passed
long before he was elected governor,
and to the enactment of wkict he con-
tributed nothing. either BY voice or by
vote.
did vote for Bob Taylor-"Our
apostle of sunshine, the
biggest hearted man who ever lived.
the most lovable character that 1t has
ever been my privilege to know, and
the most loved citizen the state has
ever produced.
For the votes cast for this man
have no apology to offer to any living
human being; but deny that when
cast vote for Bob Taylor as the
democratic nominee that voted eth
sr for liquor or the open saloon.
There is no temperance question to
II