Newspaper Page Text
July, 1917
THE ATLANTIAN
The Atlantian
Box 118, Atlanta, Georgia
TUB ATLANTIAN will kIto free space to all Secret Societies and Labor
Organization*.
On the other band, we pat everybody on notice when THE ATLANTIAN
makes a statement which we believe to be trne, and such statement goes
■incontroverted, we shall insist that It is true.
Published Monthly bv The Atlantian Publishing Co.
VoUX. JULY 100
Our Motto: “Pull for Atlanta, or Pull Out. 1 ’
Editorial Etchings
July 4, 1917
One hundred and forty-one years ago today the
Declaration of Independence was given to the world. In
human history it) ranks) with) Magna Charta and the
Reformation in its influence upon the world.
It was a declaration so momentous, so radical, so
democratic that it staggered many men even of liberal
tendencies.
No sooner, however, was that immortal declaration
made, than men who believed in humanity, who believed
in government only by consent of and partnership with
the governed, rallied to its support with a zeal and self-
sacrificing spirit so great as to make it impossible for
the forces of reaction to prevail.
We have not lived up to the ideals of that great
declaration, we have blundered stupidly and outrageously,
we have allowed greed and reaction to have such controll
ing influences in our national life as to reduce opportunity
and promote a plutocracy. Naturally, all this has result
ed in making of the great republic a Colossus with feet
of clay.
But, after we admit all our shortcomings we can
justly claim as belonging to the credit side of the ledger
the facts that we have given men an individual liberty
previously unknown; that our consistently non-aggres
sive position has given us a commanding moral force in
the world and contributed greatly to the spread of demo
cratic ideas.
Today, Democracy stands arrayed against Autocracy
for the final test of strength. The battle-field must de
cide whether the world shall go forward to a purer and
better democracy, or whether it shall go back to a mediae
val autocracy, and all the gain of the last thousand years
be utterly lost.
The issue is largely and mainly in our hands. If on
this historic day we reconsecrate ourselves to human
liberty and decide that whatever the cost in blood and
treasure we will not lay aside the sword until the forces
of despotic power have been utterly defeated, then those
who survive will see a world well worth living in.
If, on the contrary, we are of faint heart and unwill
ing to make the sacrifices necessary to save a world for
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democracy, we must expunge the Declaration of Inde
pendence, abolish the 4th of July, accept meekly out lot
as serfs of a military despotism, and teach our children
the meaning of “Ichabod,” which will be written over
the doors of the capitol at Washington.
James R. Gray
In the sudden passing away of James R. Gray, Presi
dent and Editor of The Atlanta Journal, this city loses
one of its commanding figures. Known of by everybody,
it was given to comparatively few to know the real
James R. Gray. His position in the community was won
by sheer ability and force of character. No man made
less effort to get into the limelight. No man less sought
public favor. Honest in his convictions, those of us
who at times disagreed with him had to admit that he
fought always a good battle and fought like a gentleman.
He was a modest, a kindly, and a tolerant man, though
in the face of things which he thought would work evil
he could strike hard blows.
His life was constructive and useful. Cut down sud
denly in the fullness of his sertngth, Atlanta will greatly
miss him, and to those most closely associated with him
his loss is irreparable.
Governor Dorsey
Hugh M. Dorsey is Governor of Georgia. He comes
into office with a huge majority behind him which en
hances his responsibility to the people who have given
him such emphatic endorsement.
Mr. Dorsey has proven himself a good lawyer. He
must now prove himself a good executive. He is con
fronted with many difficulties and he will without doubt
have generous support in his efforts to solve our govern
mental problems in a way that will redound to the gen
eral welfare. In the prime of his years and strength, he
has an opportunity to render great and lasting public
service, and certainly none will be so unpatriotic as to
wish him failure in any honest effort to serve the people
of Georgia.
If there be those who cannot forget the acerbities of
the past, it would be well for them to discard old feelings
and judge Governor Dorsey by what he does as Governor.
Southern Railway and Confeder
ate Reunion
Not in many years, if ever, has a great crowd been
handled by any railroad as well as the Southern handled
the monstrous crowds which traveled over its lines, going
and coming.
Though we have not the exact figures, well informed
persons have told us that the Southern handled 25,000
extra people each way.
Considering the limitations of time and the extra
ordinary demand for equipment, the ease and prompt
ness with which these great crowds were handled was