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THE ATLANTIAN
Samuel Gompers Democratic National Convention
The veteran labor leader was in Atlanta on the 27th of last month,
and delivered an address to a large audience at the Auditorium
along the usual lines.
Gompers has stood for almost a generation as one of the represen
tative men of the labor interests of the country. In this long period
of time he perhaps has not always been wise, any more than any
other man would have been under the same conditions, but it cannot
be questioned that he has always been sincerely loyal to the in
terests which he represents.
He is a strong and interesting talker, but his best things are said
in a casual sort of way—somewhat in the nature of interpolations
into his regular argument. For example, in discussing labor organi
zations in his speech here, he made substantially this remark: “One
will kick a small mongrel dog on the street without a thought of it—
but he won’t kick a bulldog!” Of course, the mongrel is unorgan
ized labor, the bulldog stands for Organized Labor.
There can be no question of the good work that has been done
by Organized Labor. It has its failures like every other human in
stitution—but its work has been in the main for the betterment
of conditions in this country. Unless we can maintain our laboring
people in comfort and give to them that degree of leisure which
will enable them to constantly improve along intellectual and moral
lines, we cannot hope to sustain Democratic government. The work
ers represent the majority of- our people, and if that majority is
not kept sound and healthy and wholesome, disaster will overtake
us. The men who would exploit labor for personal profit are the
greatest enemies of the Republic.
*»— m
There is a good deal of talk in the town about securing the next
National Democratic Convention for Atlanta. Well, why not ? There
has not one come this way for fifty years. It s about time!
We have got the building to house it in. We have got the hotels
to put the delegates in. We have the best town, (with all its fail
ings), of its size in America. And as Champ Clark said about nom
inating him for President, the men having the selection of the place
in charge “might do much worse.”
Soberly speaking, there is every reason in the world why the
Convention should come to Atlanta. There would today be in this
Republic no Democratic party but for the votes of the cotton belt.
It would have been buried so long ago that big oak trees would have
been growing over its grave if we hadn’t stayed with it and kept
it alive!
We haven’t asked much—and we haven’t had much. Isn’t it
about time for us to be asking for something, and asking so loud
that we’ll get something?
Without entering into any argument in the matter, the reasons
are obvious why the Democratic Convention should come to Atlan
ta. One point only we want to make. The Convention has been
held many times in places where there was no especially strong
Democratic sentiment. It has been held at times in places where the
people didn’t even know what real Democracy meant. As we see
it, it would be a good thing for the Convention to come one time into
a friendly atmosphere—into a place where the masses of the people
are Democrats because they believe in Democratic government. Of
course, we have got our place-seeking politicians who are Demo
crats for revenue. Rut the masses of the Southern people are really
and truly Democrats.
CURRENT COMMENT.
The Richmond News Leader says:
“Ever since the split in the Demo
cratic caucus we have been reading
in the newspapers of statesmen in the
lower house of Congress almost at
W. W. ORR.
Prominent Business Man and
Secretary Geo. Muse Clothing
Company.
the point ,of blows. The country is
becoming a little weary of the ‘almost’ f
business. Statesmen should keep the
peace or go to war. The attitude of
battle without its action is disquiet
ing and gets on the public’s nerves.”
The Philadelphia Record says:
“Great news comes from the Minne
sota College of Chemistry, where a pro
fessor, after twelve years of experi
mentation, has discovered how to get
$41 worth of turpentine and $39
worth of wood pulp out of one cord
of Norway pine worth $7.50. This is
fine. It is great. The only lame ele
ment in the announcement is the fail
ure of the professor to give the cost
of his new process of distillation.”
The Baltimore Age-Herald (Dem.)
says: "A tariff bill will be passed
before mid-summer, and if we have
normal crops the railroads will pros
per, and that will certainly mean a
new era of solid thrift. In the mean
time, the iron market, which is a re
liable business barometer, is begin
ning to move, and indications point
to a steady improvement; and with
a brisk iron movement this district,
at any rate, is never dull.”
The Charleston Post (Dem.) says:
“The East and West are badly tied
up over the tariff on lumber and hides,
and it may come to the representa
tives of the South in Congress to de
cide the issue. We fear the decision
will be something of a shock to those
who are persuaded from the way the
South votes that it is wholly and un-
J alterably Democratic in its princi
ples—that is if tariff for revenue only
is still regarded as a Democratic prin
ciple.”
LAWYER LOST A FEE.
According to old-timers, relates the
Dallas News, the late Col. Bob Taylor,
of Bonham, once met a woman in the
road as he was riding on horseback
to hold court in Delta county, he be-
DR. ED BROWN.
Prominent Whitehall Druggist.
lng then district judge. The woman
had a jug of water and the judge was
thirsty.
Being a man with a cheery word
for every one, the colonel stopped her.
“My dear madam,” he said, smiling,
“if you will give me a drink of cool
water from yonder jug, when you want
a divorce from your husband I will
see that it costs you nothing.”
“Are you a lawyer?” inquired the
woman handling the jug.
The colonel explained who he was,
and waving a farewell, departed, leav
ing the woman gazing after him.
The very next morning the woman
showed up in the court room and
asked for him. She explained that
she wanted a divorce. She had been
separated from her husband for a long
while, and the colonel had put an idea
into her head.
The colonel was game, however,. He
procured a lawyer at his own expense
and in due course of law the woman
was given a divorce, and Col. Taylor
would tell the joke on himself often.
SAFE ENOUGH.
Pat got a job moving some kegs of
powder, and, to the alarm of the fore
man, was discovered smoking at his
work, says Tit-Bits.
"Gracious!” exclaimed the foreman.
"Do you know what happened when a
man smoked at this job some years
ago? There was an explosion, which
blew up a dozen men.”
“That couldn’t happen here,” re
turned Pat calmly.
“Why not?”
“ ’Cos there’s only me and you!”
was the reply.