The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1917-19??, 1918-07-27
SHIELDS AND HIS CRITICS

Our neighbor The Staff, under the
title "a Campaign Of Deception" has
a column attack upon Senator Shields
The article starts off with this declar-
alton: s.
1.-THE campaign of Senator John X
Shields for the democratic nomination
for United States senator has been a
campaign of adious and dangerous de-
ception."
We deny that there is any founda-
ton for this statement. There is moth
ing in the life or character of Senator
Shields that warrants it. He has never
deceived the people as to his views on
any public question, but has always
been open and frank.
The whole diatribe in question con-
sists of rague and flamboyant general
tiles. Fraud turks in generalities'
Not single charge, not distinct act
of Senator Shields has been pointed
out as tending 10 show that he had
deceived or attempted to deceive any
body. For instance it is said that the
Senator has sought diligently and un-
ceasingly to keep the minds of voters
in far off France in the hope that
they might not study his public rec
ord etc. That is to stay, Senator
Shields, when he has helped to legis
late in the interest of the American
soldier, when he has tried to aid oul
boys in France, has not acted from
lofty motives as other senator's have
done, but has sought to divert at
tention away from his own short com
ings. With one breath they, say ht
has not backed up the President and
with the next breath say that when
he did support the President he was
actuated by unpatriotic and selfish
motives. Nothing Senator Shields
could do would please his grouchy
critics. They are against him ana
their. reasons are like woman's
reasons, think so because think So
1t is too late to try to stir up
prejudice on account of the free
and untrammeled" prediciary contest
of 1910. Democrats have long since
gotten together, have buried the hatch
ct, and only enemies of the Democratic
party now seek to re-vamp that issue.
Il is said Senator Shields pussy
footed" over Tennessee to defeat an
unfriendly colleague. Senator Shields
had determined to take no part in the
election of senator, but Senator Lea
and his newspaper, which were con-
cededly "unfriendly", attacked him
persistently and bitterly, until man
hood and patience exhausted, he came
out in the open and opposed LEAFS re-
election. There was no pussy footed
ness" about it.
That Senator Shields has "still
hunted played politics, written let
tiers" pulled wires" been to Ten
nessee to look after his political fen
ces," no one has ever denied-but to
say that he has done anything unfair
unmanly or deceptive, is to make an
inconsiderate and gratnitous mis-
statement.
Senator Shields did not hold up the
confirmation of Louis d. Brandies, as
a justice of the Supreme Court. Charg
es were preferred against Mr.. Bran
dies, and a senate committee made
a thorough investigation. Sending the
report of the committee Senator
Shields maintained dignified silence.
When the report came in he examined
it carefully and critically and reached
The conclusion that the charges were
not sustained; he then voted for the
confirmation of Mr.. Brandies. Who
does not honor him for the course he
pursued? In the Senate Mr.. Shields
has shown, what the people of Ten
nessee already knew, that he is big
Drained, courageous democrat, who
thinks and acts for himself upon his
conscience as a man and his oath as
q senator.
If Roberts don't come off the track