Newspaper Page Text
November, 1916
THE ATLANTIAN
3
The Atlantian
Box 118, Atlanta, Georgia
THE ATLANTIAN will give free space to all Secret Societies and Labor
Organizations.
On the other hand, we pnt everybody on notice when THE ATLANTIAN
makes a statement which we believe to be true, and snch statement goes
uncontroverted, we shall insist that it Is true.
Published Monthly by The Atlantian Publishing Co.«zC58a»
Vol. 8. NOVEMBER 2
Our Motto: “Pull for Atlanta, or Pull Out * *
Editorial Etchings
Thanksgiving Day 1916
On the last day of this month we keep our annual day
.of thanks. In this year of 1916 we have a long list
of things of which to be thankful, with Europe a bloody
shumbles, in which the blood of its men is poured out
like water. With great areas devastated, hunger every
where, starvation in many places, grief and despair, are
the predominant notes.
To the south of us our neighbor Mexico is another
bloody wreck, barbarism, cruelty, anarchy, hunger and
despair prevails as in Europe. The young men of our
northern neighbor Canada, to the number of 300,000
have been fed into bloody Europe’s hopper. We on the
contrary are enduring only the ordinary ills of normal
living conditions. If prices are monstrously high and
they are, on the other hand, work is plentiful and all of
us, can get a moderate living even if we have to dispense
with luxuries. Our young men are going about their
work 'and business subject to no unusual calamity, we
do not see our streets crowded black-robed, restricken
women, nor yet with maimed and blinded men, we have
something to spare to the afflicted of the blood drenched
country, we men and women who today can be thankful
for in our present conditions, here in this favored coun
try is without vision or human feeling he to whom much
is given, owes much and so we owe it to ourselves to all
humanity and to the Giver of all good to show our thanks
and gratitude by good deeds and by righteous livings and
- by building up here a peaceful nation, which shall be a
blessing to all mankind.
The Presidential Election
At this writing President Wilson’s re-election is conr
ceded, his known electoral vote being placed at 272 or 6
more than a majority. To this may be added the 3 votes
of New Mexico and the 12 votes of Minnesota, both of
which are yet in doubt.
Owing to the Republican split four years ago Mr. Wil
son was elected by an immense electoral majority
though in a minority of nearly one and one-half million
popular votes.
When the Progressives, under the leadership of Per
kins and Roosevelt disbanded in the summer and when
the leaders tried to deliver the Progressive vote to the
Republican candidate the Democrats confronted a most
dangerous situation. .
Ae the result has proven the delivery of the. Pro
gressive vote to the Republicans was a success in the
vw. and Middle West (Ohio executed) but elsewhere
was a complete failure.
Numerous factors have contributed to the result..
Mr. Hughes, though a man of character and ability,
was a failure as a campaigner. .
Lacking real issues he based his campaign on Knock
ing” the administration. That will work sometimes but
not always.
Mr. Wilson’s internal policies had won the merited
support of a large majority of the American people and
while his foreign policies were more criticised it is a fair
statement that more than half the people were and are
in sympathy with him on that head also. Mr. Hughes
was so unwise as to declaring in favor of abrogating all
the measures of the present administration. That lost
him votes because many people did not believe it a sin
cere statement. Then Mr. Wilson was a known quan
tity and Mr. Hughes was not.
One thing that carried great weight was the character
of the chief support behind Mr. Hughes. The. two big
features of that support were the men who believe that
this country should be run for the benefit of the few, and
the hyphenated vote.
The women cut a large figure. Mr. Wilson carried
every one of the women suffrage states except Illinois.
The women love peace.
The “plunderbund” dragged out the old “tariff doll”
dresed it up and paraded it with the old cry about pro
tecting the American working man.. But. the people are
growing wise to that old fraud. It is noticeable that the
men who put up that plea want free trade in labor and
free trade in raw material. So that plea failed the
“plunderbund.’'
The outstanding feature of the election is the govern
ing independence of the great West. The exploiters
were able to control the east but west of the Mississippi
they were able to round up but three states. These
Western men and women have shown in this election
that they belong only to themselves, that no party owns
them, and that in the same minute they will vote for a
Democratic president, a Republican governor, and an
independent Congressman. That means much for our
future welfare, for it spells freedom from hidebound
partisanship which has so often worked harm.
It means that hereafter President who would be re
elected must govern for all the people and not in the
interest of the elect few.
All of which brings us to the great lesson of this elec
tion: Woodrow Wilson has gained the confidence of the
more independent and free thinking part of the Ameri
can people, and this is his victory. For, however much
the Democratic party organization may have contri
buted,- its efforts wouid have failed but for the personal
ity of this man, who in the judgment of the majority of
our people has made good under most trying conditions,
and we congratulate the country and President Wood-
row Wilson.