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3 THE ATLANTIAN Etyt Atlantian Published Monthly by E. WALTER TRIPP Box 118, Atlanta, Georgia THB ATLANTIAN will give free space to all Secret Societies and Labor Or ganizations. On tHe other hand, we put everybody on notice when THE ATLANTIAN makes a statement which we believe to be true, and such statement goes uncontroverted, we shall insist that it is true Published Monthly by The Atlantian Publishing Co. « VOL. 3 NOVEMBER No. 34 Our Motto: “Pull for Atlanta, or Pull Out” H Editorial Etchings it Thanksgiving Day For what? Let us take stock for a moment and see. Four hun dred years ago religious liberty was unknown—civil liberty was a mockery—the law of the strong hand was the rule—the poor and humble had no rights which the rich and powerful were bound to respect. We have traveled quite away from those conditions. True, much is yet lacking, but also we have gained much. This is distinct cause for thankfulness. In material things—again much is lacking, but on the other hand the average man who reads these lines has in his home more com forts than did the belted earl of four centuries agone. Here again is distinct gain. Few men could then read, still fewer could write; there,was little learning and that mqgtly confined to convent or cloister. Now education is free to all who will partake and the sum of human knowledge surpasses all the bygone generations combined. Is not that cause for thankfulness ? And why these gains? Because in the distant hills of Galilee some nineteen centuries past appeared that Jesus, the Son of God, who gave mankind a new code, which propagated by zealous disci ples, overspread the then civilized world only to fall under priestly domination until men made merchandise of the word of God. But the seed had been sown, and God does not allow the labors of his true servants to be in vain. So in the fullness of time the good seed, which had been buried apparently out of sight by man’s selfishness and greed for power, began to show signs of life; and though it was fertilized in blood, the tree of religious and civil liberty grew until now its branches overspread all the earth. Cer tainly thjs is something to be thankful for. For men today have a juster appreciation of what the spirit of Christianity stands for than ever at any previous time in history. The Episcopal Prayer Book in one of its passages says: “Let us give thanks unto the Lord,” and the response of the congregation: “It is meet and right so to do.” So say we; for despite the selfish ness of man, the Word of the Lord is prevailing, and year by year, however little the gain may seem to us, there is a gain, and the onward march of righteousness will never be stopped until the earth has been conquered and justice shall prevail. Let us then give thanks—and take courage. Why Workingmen Should Support Pope Brown for Governor The working man has nothing to hope for from the mere politician, for the shifty politician will promise anything on earth before the election, and trust to the God of Luck to get out of it afterwards. On the other hand, the man who is not merely a politician, who has convictions and does not fear to stand by his convictions, may not promise forty acres and a mule; he may indeed sometimes radically differ with his constituents, but what he does promise lie will perform. The politician promises much; the statesman promises little, but the progress of the world is measured by the fulfillment of the statesman’s promises, and the road of progress is lined with the wrecks of politicians’promises. In the present campaign, Pope Brown has shown himself a broad, consistent man who fears only wrong. Joe Brown has paltered with the great issue and is trying to catch the whiskey vote by promising to defeat any strengthening of our present law, and to catch the Prohibition vote by proclaiming himself a good Prohibitionist. This is very small politics. Dick Bussell has gone even farther, for proclaiming himself a Prohibitionist, he has declared against the law and is yelling for local option, for in that direction is found a campaign treasury. The unbiased good citizen who would trust either Joe Brown or Dick Russell after the showing of their real natures, made in this campaign, is dull indeed. Working men, those who labor with their hands, are neither better nor worse than other men. Humanity is just an average. The average man honestly desires the best men and the best govern ment. He may vote wrong sometimes for lack of accurate informa tion, but he wants to do right and vote right. Whether we like it or not, prohibition is the central question of this campaign. Liquor is the deadliest enemy of the average man. The select few can go tc their clubs and tipple in genteel fashion, if there be such a thing as genteel tippling, but the average man must do his in the saloon joint, whether near-beer or whiskey, makes no difference. The average man knows that liquor has been outlawed by the railroads, by many manufacturers, by his fraternal societies, by the labor organizations, by the churches, by all those forces which work for the good of humanity. The average man, who is the working man, should be wise enough to grasp at any opportunity to put temptation out of his own reach. In this case Joe Brown and Dick Russell stand for liquor, for “by their fruits shall ye know them.” Pope Brown is for an altogether higher standard; he would destroy the infernal traffic root and branch. The working man who wants to protect himself, his wife, his children, will vote for that man who stands for the high moral standard. The working man who cares only to cater to a debased appetite, and who wants to spend his hard-earned dollars to give an easy living to “bum” liquor dealers, will vote for Joe Brown or Dick Russell. Which side are you on? Home and family, manhood, self-respect and honor, or: The saloon, empty pockets, degradation, a needy family, and in your own hearts a thorough contempt for yourselves ? Which side, men ? Which side ? Prohibition and the Negro In all the discussion of the prohibition question now going forward so actively in Georgia, not sufficient stress is given to one very important phase of it. We owe to the negro not only protection and justice, but a good example—for anything less than a good example would not be justice. We know the ill effect of alcohol on the negro. It operates with him just as it does with the Indian, and makes of him an insane beast more dangerous than the African lion. We have ONE MIL LION of these people in Georgia, a comparatively small percentage of them being abstainers from liquor. The vast majority will go their length to get it. Bad as the effects of intoxicating drinks are on white men, they are infinitely worse on negroes. It does seem that the white men of Georgia with this condition confronting them would take no chances whatever on the negro being placed in easy reach of liquor, and thus injured in his quality as a laborer, debased in his morals, and retarded for long years in his struggle for improvement. The natural instinct of self-preservation ought to tell us that we cannot afford to dally with the liquor question in view of this standing men ace. Gubernatorial Contest Three candidates are in the field, one of whom will be nominated to fill out the unexpired term of the present incumbent as Governor of Georgia. In Georgia, as elsewhere, it is a matter of first im portance to the people as to the quality of the men who shall fill the public offices. It is timely, therefore, to take a look at these three men who aspire to the honorable office of Governor. Richard B. Russell, Judge of the Court of Appeals, is one of these aspirants. All of use have heard of men who have an “itching palm for money.” Judge Russell has an “itching palm” for office.