The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1920-03-12
HON. AUSTIN PEAY.

In declining to enter the contest
for governor the Hon. Austin Peay,
of Clarksville, acted wisely and In
a accordance with the advice Of The
4 Herald 1t is exceedingly doubtful II
any democrat In Tennessee is strong
enough to deafeat Roberts for sec
j ond term. The late Senator Carmack,
z who had a personal following larger
4 than any democrat in the state, could
4 not overcome the second term prece-
4 dent. Mr.. Peay is an exceedingly
4 able man, exceptionally we'll qualified
: for governor and would make the
4 state really fine executive. He would
not indulge in machine building and
he has loftier conception of public
A duty that the great majority of pub
lie men possess, He is both a good
lawyer and successful business man.
b He is in close touch with the agri-
cultural interests also. But this Is not
/ q propitious time for an attempt to re-
alize his very laudable ambition to
\ be governor.
In pointing out the pitfalls ahead
/, of the democratic party Mr.. Peay has
undertaken to do that organization a
real favor. 1t is not going to serve
any useful purpose to indulge in so.
phistries or attempt to blind ones
eyes to the conditions that exist to-
day in Tennessee. The prospect at
this time is not an alluring one for the
democratic party either state or ma
tional. In the coming election large
number Of old fashioned democrats,
thoroughly disguised with the con-
slant pandering Of the administration
to special interest, are going to cast
their first vote for q republican for
president. The newspaper that will
I deny this statement either is not ac-
] quainted with the sentiment of the
voters or for partisan purposes at
tempts to deceive the public. When
many of these voters cast their ballots
for the republican candidate for Pres
ident they will go little further and
vote for the whole republican ticket.
II would be idle to deny the dissat-
isfaction that exists among democrats
in Tennessee over state issues. There
are scores and scores of democrats in
Maury, Bedford, Marshall and Giles
counties that in their present frame of
i mind will not vote for Governor Rob-
erts next November They may
/. change in the meantime. Party spirit
may revive and doubtless will in the
breasts of many of these disgruntled
\ democrats. But they are not going
4 to be brought to the support of their
party's nominee by telling them that
/ the are not disgruntled, any more than
many who are told that they are tax
dodgers by the raft of legislators go
lib ONCl INC otdIS uAii6 FoiuCo, arc
! going to feel friendly toward the ad-
ministration. In sense every tax
payer in Tennessee is now and has
!. been for generations a tax dodger, be-
cause no property has been assessed
! at its actual cash value. Under exist
ing rates an assessment at actual cash
/. value would be confiscatory of the
J income of the property.
\ Gov. Roberts is in many respects a
strong executive. He has endeared
himself to many people who other
wise would have opposed him by his
bold and incorporating stand for
law and order, but it is not going to
serve any good purpose to say that
every democrat in Tennessee is shout
ing his praises and waiting with impa-
thence the opportunity to vote for
him.