The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1915-12-10
PATTERSON'S INTERVIEW
PROHIBITION A FAILURE

FhUflblllUN A fAlLUkl
Extracts From Mr.. McKellar's Speech
at Tiptonville.
The Commercial reproduces few
extracts from the speech, which was
an exceedingly lengthy one. 1t was
we'll delivered and well received.
Congressman K. d. Mcclellan, Of
Memphis, began his campaign before
the runoff primary for~the Senatorial
nomination at Tiptonville. Much
new matter was introduced into
his speech, most of the new matter
bearing upon Prohibition and the
charges of his competitor, former
Gov. Patterson, as to the speakers
stand upon that principle. He criti-
cized vigorously various charges
made by his competitor and also his
opponents record in public Office.
PARTY UNITY.
sit concerns party harmony and
party unity, and / put these above
the inclination of any candidate, or
above my own inclination. Gov. Pat
terson intimates that I am afraid to
meet him in joint debate. Upon
what meat has this our Caesar fed,
that he is become SO great?' The
people Of Tennessee have heard us
both all this fall, and am willing
to leave it to them whether am ca
pable Of dealing with him on the
stump or elsewhere.
Further than that, and above all
that, Gov Patterson has announced
no issue that he and l could legiti-
mately debate. We agree on all es-
sential details of the temperance
question, and why undertake to de-
bate a question that has already been
settled, even though it was settled
over Gov. Pattersoh's protest, and
though his record on the subject is
worse than that of any public man
in the State. However, he claims to
be temperance man now, and 1 am
willing for him to be one. am per-
fectly willing for Gov. Patterson to
get on the bandwagon. 1 have no
objection whatsoever about his doing
so; but / have no notion of letting
him push me off from where have
had a seat all the time.
''In addition to this, / have re-
ceived hundreds of kilograms and let
ters from Democrats all over the
State demanding, in the interest of
party peace and harmony, that there
should be no joint debate, and I put
the demands of Democrats over and
above any demand of Governor Pat
terson.
"Gov. Patterson recently gave out
an article printed in the Nashville
Tennessean on November rs, casting
many aspersions upon me, and these
/ now desire to mention:
"Gov. Patterson says I spoke of
him in my speech as reformed
I do not recall ever hav-
ing used such an expression, and l
am sure have not. have frequent
ly spoken of Gov Patterson as re-
former and, as ] understand it, that
is what he claims about himself. He
certainly was a reform candidate for
Governor in 1906 against Gov. John
[. Cox and as I understand it, he
claims to be reform candidate for
Senator now, and I surely have the
right to speak of him in an imper-
sonal sense as 'reformer.' In this
/ might add that Gov. |
Patterson is violently opposed to any
one's mentioning him in a personal
sense as reformer. He claims that
LII these matters have been settled
between him and his God But his
'orever and eternally engaging in
about others is not very
good evidence of a complete settle
nent.
NUISANCE AND CUSTER BILLS.
Gov. Patterson says l opposed the
of the nuisance and custer
,ills. This is untrue. A committee
invited me to come to Nashville to
Idvise with it about the nuisance bill
n 1918. The committee that called
IN me was as follows: Senator
Elkins, Senator Fisher, Senator Max
veil, Senator Pope and Senator Nc
Ulster. talked to these gentlemen
bout the nuisance bill. AS / recall
had never seen it before that time.
made number of suggestions,
ONE of which were taken and some
+ which were not, and the bill as
nally prepared and passed met my ]
pproval Gov. Patterson charges
hat left my seat in Washington to
ONE to Nashville and oppose the
assage of the nuisance and custer
ills This charge is untrue. II
LAS to the custer bill, was not in 6
'ennessee when it was passed and, Il
D far as now remember or believe, t
- - = Il.