The weekly soliphone., 1915-09-10
MR.. PATTERsoN's ANNOUNCEMENT.

ING throng how one who but few years ago preached
local self-govemment and the rule OF the saloon from
every platform in Tennessee today proclaim lmseIf
the champion of national worldwide prOmbltlon-
q really brilliant and useful mind has been turned from
corruption to moral upft-these things are all brought
home to our neghbors east of the river in the announce
ment contained in Yesterdays papers. NJ. H. Patterson
once arch defender of Johnbarleycon; whose friends
were the enemies of good government; whose enenles
poticav were they who for 20 years had been fight
inc desperately to stay the liquor traft1cM ~ Paer-
son is to become candidate for United States senator
from the Volunteer state to succeed Luxe Lea OF NASH
vile.
Around this announcement mi ht be woven a story
pregnant with political interest," for it Luke Lea
then beardless youth just out of college, who In the
memorable convention in the capital city in 1906 headed
boiling delegation from Davidson county when John
l. Cox then governor by virtue of his position as speak
er of the state senate when Gov James B. Frazier resign
ed to take the place in the upper house of congress made
vacant by the death of Senator Bate and M R. Pater
son were fighting titanic struggle for possession of
the democratic organization Upon the recognition OF
Davidson county, with II votes in the convention, de-
pended the result If the Cox faction should be seated
Cox won if the Patterson delegation, then Patterson
Gov. Cox represented by Maj. Vertrees and when
the clerk of the convention called Davidson on the roll
of countless Lea and Vertrees both responded. The
convention hall packed with perhaps eight thousand
people, Excitement intense. Political hatred ran
high Murder written upon more faces than one and
determination to carry the battle to any extreme was
predominant. When Lea and Vertees mounted the
platform there intense silence. And then pande
monium of applause broke forth Amid this tumut this
shouting of partisan voices this of wild disorder
at time while pistols being drawn and seats
being broken both Lea and Vertrees stood calmly look
ing toward w. K, Alternately the presiding officer
Alternately had been told that failure to recognize Lea
meant deat-and at the time the Vertrees faction
and Vertrees cool polar bears Alaskan
iceberg 'Mr. President said each calmy-but Mr.
President remained quiet Vertrees calmly reached in
his pocket for cigar, lit match on the heel of shoe
and began smoking. Then Lea, with of his arm,
made dash for Speaker Alternately, and the show was
A Memphis delegation, with banners streaming,
hurled itself upon the platform and took bodily control
of the deliberations"
Late that night Patterson was nominated And from
that hour party lines forgotten Independents pro-
gressives, mugwumps nondescrpts and what-nos were
to be found in the camp. Patterson however,
elected Luke Lea his right-hand man. Then Lea,
who possessed much wealth in his and whose
father-n-law, Percy Warner, owned large block of
stock in the Nashville street railway launched new
daily newspaper-The Tennessean. For time this pub
ication, controlled entirely by Lea supported Patterson
Then there break Entered Senator Carmack-.
who had just been defeated by Rob L. Taylor for the
u S. senateas candidate upon an anti-liquor plat
form for governor in opposition to Patterson Lea and
the Tennessean supported Carmack. Patterson won but
the defeated senator declared he would carry his fight
into the legislature He employd by Lea to edit the
Tennessean. Then Camack was killed by the Coopers
Later Patterson who avowed candidate for gov
third time, forced to retire from the race
when candidates for judicial positions whom he had
slated were defeated by almost forty thousand votes Bob
Taylor then u s. SENATOR to Nashville and agreed
to take the office of governor if elected He canvassed
the state, spoke many times aroused some enthusiasm
but the hatred of Patterson too intense Tavlors
republican opponent B. W. Hooper, won by several