The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-11-05
AGED ALF TAYLOR
COMES FROM FARM
RETIREMENT OF QUARTER CEN
TURY F DED.
Republican Apparently Elected Gov
ernor of Tennessee Seventy
two Years Of Age.

with more than a third Of century
between his first and second races
for governor, Alfred Alexander Tay-
lor, familiarly known as calf Tay-
lor, after a vigorous campaign has
apparently been elected governor of
Tennessee.
Mr.. Taylor was past the three
score and ten mark when he entered
the race for the Republican nomina-
ton in the primary Of August last.
In the beginning many Tennesseans
who knew him simply as the brother
of "Our Bob," late Democratic gov
ernor and senator from Tennessee,
looked upon his campaign as hardly
a matter for serious consideration.
This view underwent a change when
Colonel Taylor took the stump and
began an active campaign. It be-
came evident that it was one man
race practically all over the state.
So calf" Taylor woke up on his 72nd
birthday to find himself the Repub-
lican nominee for governor of Ten
nessee for the second time in his life.
Tayior's first race for governor
was the most famous affair of the
kind in the history of the state. On
June 1S, 1886, the Republican state
convention met in Nashville, and the
late Richard W. Austin, for several
terms congressman from the Second
Tennessee district, nominated Taylor
for governor.
The Democratic state convention
met on August II. 1885, and after
considerable jockeying nominated
Robert L. Taylor, "Our Bob," for
governor on the 18th ballot. Thus it
was that Tennessee's "War of Roses"
was set going. The two TayEors
made tour Of the state, speaking to
immense crowds. They hammered
the opposition party and poked fun
at one another, but wound up each
day with bro.herly affection unim-
paired. After tour Of the Sequathi
valley in the course Of the campaign
the two stopped at Bridgeport, Ala,
for the night Jas guests of a Mrs.
Jones, who had heard them speak
that afternoon at Jasper. The good
woman was greatly impressed with
the, consideration the brothers
showed each other, not only in de-
bate<at Jasper, but about the hos.
pitssle freside~ Of her home. The,
next morning she gathered from her
garden two bouquets of roses, one
white and the other red. Returning
she found Alf and Bob waiting to
say goodbye. To each she present.
ed one bouquet, 81 want you to ac-
cept these flowers, gentlemen" said
the warm hearted hostess, "for the
sake of your mother. I know that
she must be proud Of her boys, who
can be politicians and still be broth
ers. 1 know that her heart is with
YOU and that her blessings follow
you"
Bob Taylor received the white
rose and Alf the red. Thereafter
during the campaign Bob Taylor was
known to newspaper fame as knight
Of the White Rose" and Alf as
knight of the Red Rose," and Rob-
e-t still was known as the knight
of the White Rose" when he defeat
ed Edward W. Carmack for re-
nomination as United States senator
in 106. The "War of the Roses be-
tween the Taylor brothers ended IN
the November election Of 1886 with
Robert the victor. Alf Taylor be-
came a member of congress from the
First district on March 4, 1889, and
served for three terms, declining
further nomination and taking up
the practice of law in Johnson City.
His home is at Milligan College,
Tenn, where he is extensively IN
terested in farming. He is the father
of several sons, ore CT whom, 1ol-
lowing the family bent for political
division, is a Democrat.
Memphis, Nov. Sin the face OF
ircimplete returns from 20 out tt
95 counties in Tennessee Alf Taylor,
Republican candidate for governor, IS
leading Gov. A. H. Roberts, his
Democratic opponent: in the race Tor
governor by over $4,000 votes.
A number of the counties not
heard from are in East Tennessee
and normally Republican. These are
expected to increase Taylor's lead.
The returns compiled by The Com
mercial-Appeal give Taylor 123,329
and Roberts 11O,241. The presiceh-