The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1922-07-20
TAYLORS OF TENNESSEE;
THE WAR OF THE ROSES
(By John T. Hearn)

che uemocratlc state OF tennessee Tor
more than year. This statement of
remarkable fact brings to mind the !
famous campaign of 1884, in which !
Bob and Alf Taylor were candidates
for governor, the political struggle,
being dubbed "The War of the
Roses." During the campaign a lady |
mad presented each of the two candi- !
dates with bouquet of roses, one
white, the other red. Bob took the
white bouquet and Alf the red and
The War of the Roses" began. Many
incidents of this remarkable political
campaign are recalled that throw a
pleasant sidelight upon the famous
contention. That two young men
should go out from the parental home
as candidates for the governorship Of
great state, one democrat, the 9TH
er republican, was a strange depar-
ture from the trodden paths of politi-
clans. The state of Tennessee was
wrought up with excitement and the
whole country watched with interest
this brotherly rivalry.
When starting out on the
| campaign the mother of the
Taylor boys made them promise
, brothers, and that they would always
treat each other with courtesy and
| kindness 1t is related that at one of
| the early meetings Alf warmed up po-
litically and hotly scored the Demo
| cratic party severely, but criticized
| Bob for belonging to such a party. AT
| their hotel that night Bob announced
that he was going home and would not
speak any more, asked for an eXpla-
| nation, he reminded Alf of the prom
| ise made to their mother. Alf ac
| knowledged his dereliction and prom
ised that he would not again violate
! their agreement, and the campaign
was conducted with due regard to the
| pledge made to their mother.
Upon one occasion some boisterous
| young democrat began heckling Alf,
| using rude expressions. Bob advanced
to the front of the platform and said:
| The man who insults my brother in
| suits me-" There was no more trouble
| after that.
Robert Love Taylor, who was appro-
| priately born in Happy Valley, Tenn,
by his personal magnetism and his po-
litical sagacity won more honors than
| usually fall to the lot of most aspiring
| politician. Elected to congress in 1878
| he was three times elected governor
and closed his political career and his
| life in the United States Senate.
| The third time Bob Taylor ran for
| governor, it was over his protest. He
was making more money on the lee
ture platform than would come to
MIN from the governors salary. Be
| sides, the applause of delighted audi
| ences was more grateful than the rou-
| tine drudgery incident to the office of
the states chief executive. He yield
ed reluctantly to the urgent argu
ments of his friends, who claimed that
| Our Bob was the only democrat
| who could be elected at that time, the
| democratic candidate of the last elcc-
| ton having won by a very narrow
margin.
Governor Alfred Taylor in his in
augural address paid this appreciative
and touching tribute to his democrat
c brother:
81 cherish no higher ambition than
that by your sympathetic coopcra-
ton, | may become as acceptable a
governor as brother predecessor
whose face | looked on for the last
| time in this very hall and whose spir-
it worked so effectively to aid in Sc
curing my elevation to this exalted
position"
Although not as noted a platform
speaker as his brother, Alf Taylor's
addresses were characterized by both
eloquence and wisdom.
A lifelong republican elected gov
crnor of a democratic state-what
higher honor could come to mortal
man?
Happy Vale is happy indeed in Civ
ing to the Volunteer state these two
notable brothers, Bob and Alf Taylor.