The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1922-10-06

/ stand today upon al these quss
tons where / stood two years ago
/ am asking you for q friendly Leg
islature 80 that all such policies cal
be fashioned into law. These are 10
cal questions, and it Ia not q mat
ter of partisan policies. Politica
parties and public officials are at las
only instrumentalities and agencies
of public service, and the people,
love for them is measured alone BY
the character of the service rendered
Send me broad-visioned, tolerant, pa
triotic and upright men, who are II
sympathy with these policies, wheth
er Democrats or Republicans, and
promise you that such policies vii
lind expression in public laws. The
fact is that majority Of those who
have been nominated for the nexi
Legislature have adopted and pledged
themselves to support these measures
of relief which | have preached and
practlced and upon which l wai
elected two years ago.
1t is begging the question to argue
that | should not receive your sup
port because of the likelihood of the
Legislature being composed, in large
part, of men of opposite political
faith. If they stand upon the same
platform, of what material conse-
quencs is their party label, in these
matters of local concern? Because
was the first to champion these poll
cies and because my loyalty to them
has been tested, Is 1t too much to say
that have superior claim to your
endorsement for a second term?
My record as Governor of Ten
nessee is an open book and Is gen.
orally known to the citizenship Of the
State.
have sought to be Governor Of
all the people and endeavored In my
heart to give thoughtful and impair
tial consideration to all the difficult
questions that have arisen. No par
tisan bias and personal prejudice has
swerved me In acting upon public
question. ! have not been, and will
never BIO, a Governor of any particu-
lar group, in antagonism to the basic
rights and interests Of our citizenship
as a whole. We must not allow this
idea to gain substantial foothold
in our midst, because Its growth and
increase spells destruction to all gov
eminent.
In the matter Of the few appoint
ments accorded to me no particular
class has been favored, except that in
recognition of the immortal services
rendered by the soldiery Of our State
l have never yet turned down an ex-
service man or member Of the
American Legion, regardless Of his
politics.
The hours through which I have
passed during these troublous times
have been testing hours. The supe-
riority of right over wrong has
seemed to be challenged. It is not
a record which the State should be
proud of that during the last twenty
months sixteen men have gone to the
electric chair. Eight white men and
eight colored men have paid the price
of murder since I have been Gov
ernor. Amid scenes Of trying sorrow
I have given a listening ear to all
the friends and relatives Of those
whom the law had doomed to die. I
have exercised or refused to exercise
executive clemency as my Judgment
and conscience dictated, in the light
of the facts before me. Unless the
laws Of the land are respected our
civilization cannot endure, and the
quicker men are made to realize that
there are laws and that such laws
will be enforced, the safer and more
secure will be society. Neither the
pressure of power nor the compelling
force Of sympathy has or can swerve
me in the performance Of my duty,
acting always in such matters with
the welfare and safety Of the gen.
sral public In view.
Ours is q government Of law and
true patriotism is exemplified through
allegiance to our government. The
least and weakest Of It's citizens en-
Joy its care and the greatest are not
exempt from its power. To maintain
and preserve It In its original excel
lence Is the immediate task at hand.
Here in Tennessee where Liberty
was first Graded and where God and
Nature have so richly blessed US, the
call to high and unselfish service IL
made anew and the future history Of
the State must not record that there
was no responsei ADV.