The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1915-10-01
SENATORIAL RACE.

0ENH ShlHG hNN@'
In attacking Patterson's unsavory
career in the politics of this state
Senatr Lea has simply brought to pub
lie attention matters that have been
uppermost in the minds Of thousands
Of democrats of Tennessee since Pat.
terson announced his re-entry in poll
tics. These matters should have been
sufficient to have deferred any man
who had a proper regard for the peace
and welfare of the state and an unset
fish interest in the democratic par
ty from seeking Office. They would
have kept genuinely reformed man
whose heart was really filled with the
love of God and Christian charity
from taking a course for selfish pur'
poses that could but arouse passions
and stir up animosities that will do
much evil.
Because of Patterson's pardon of
the murderer of the late Senator Car.
mack and the insult that he offered
the memory OF that martyred states.
man when he issued the pardon,
there are a great many, probably
thousands Of democrats In Tennessee
who will never vote for him no mat
ter If he were literally covered with
party labels and buried hundred
feet with certificates of party nomina-
tons. With these earnest and law
abiding men who justly regard with
horror the murder of Senator Car
mack and who righteously resented
the brazen pardon Of his murderer,
no party nomination can remove the
guilt from Patterson's hands. There
are large number who believe that
the ex-governor had guilty knowledge
Of the murder Of the great temperance
leader. 1t is not necessary to say
that no party nomination or primary
label would so far remove this sus-
picion that those men would vote for
him.
Pattersons nomination in the pri-
mary will not insure his election TO
the senate. p would not make GER
tain the success Of any other under
the same circumstances. There are
thousands OF democrats in the state
who believe that Patterso0's opposi.
fion to prohibition was the smallest OF
mis- offenses. His spectacular CONVEX
sion to the cause Of temperance after
its complete triumph in the state will
not be to them SUFFICIENT atonemsnt |
for other offenses and they will not, |
nnder any circumstances, vote foY
him. For these reasons there are I
thousands of democrats who will not |
enter the primary. The possibility OF
Patterson's nomination will deter
them Most OF them, the large major
ity. would vote for any other man
whom the democrats might nominate
In one way the opposition to Lea
acted shrewdly in bringing Patter-
son into this contest. His entry wi
doubtless keep many out Of the pr.
mary, who, had they entered 1t, would
have voted for Lea. In so far as this
1s the result Lea will be the loser. It
is equally true that there are many in
che state, with less reason, however,
who declare that they will not vote
for Lea If he is the nominee. Some
Of these voters will probably stay
Of the primary. But there is NOTHING
IN LEAFS record comparable to the
pardon Of the murderer of Carmack
hence there cannot be, except among
enemies, that bitter feeling
against him that exists against Pat
terson.
1t is by no means assured that the
nominee in November will be the next
senator from Tennessee. Patterson
twice before by foisting his candi-
dacy upon the democratic party caus-
ed its defeat He may again bring
about the same result. We would not
ha at all surnrised