Newspaper Page Text
the JEFFERSONIAN
, N ao'
A Weekly Paper Edited by THOS. E. WATSON and J. D. WATSO’ W
<»o QP
Vol. 111. No. 14.
JOS. 71. BROWN IN RACE FOR GOVERNOR
Hon. Joseph M. Brown, of Marietta, former
railroad commissioner, has issued an an
nouncement to the people of Georgia of his
candidacy for governor, subject to the demo
cratic primary of June 4.
Mr. Brown’s announcement of his candi
dacy and outline of his platform are as fol
lows :
“To the People of Georgia: Although I
have unexpectedly received a great number of
letters, petitions and spoken requests, repre
senting many thousands of people, a large ma
jority of whom are farmers, laboring men,
manufacturers and business men, to allow the
use of my name as a candidate for governoi’
of Georgia, subject to the primary June 4,
as compliance involves possibly a change in
the practices and plans of a lifetime, I have
refrained from announcing a decision, hoping
that some other candidate would come to the
front. But as that hope has not been realized,
I have been forced to the conclusion that it
is my duty to obey the call which my fellow
citizens have made.
“In determining the question of the advis
ability of making the race, I carefully consid
ered the claim of certain adherents of the
present administration that the fixed policy
of the state is to give the incumbent of the
governor’s office a second term as a matter
of course since the adoption of the constitu
tion of 1877. That instrument limits the
term to two years, and precedent cannot amend
it so as to stretch a term into four years. And
if it could, the best interests of the people
demand its revocation where the administra
tion involved, either through design or lack
of knowledge, has wrought disaster to the
prosperity of the people. Government should
not only be ‘of the people,’ but ‘for the peo
ple. ’
As to Second Term Precedent.
“Furthermore, in his published statement
that he would not enter the race for United
States Senator, the present governor did not
base his declination on the ground that he
was under an obligation of honor to serve the
second term. That declination was upon en
tirely other reasons. Hence, if he be free
to ignore it, how can it be binding on the
democratic party as to him? If he has the
option to accept it or not the party has the
option to tender it or not.
“But in his speech at Decatur, March 9, he
enumerated among the official plans he has for
the future the enactment of the so-called
‘port rates.’ These rates, if made effective, .
mean the ruin of the industries of Georgia,
and, as a corollary, the destruction of the
nearby markets for farmers of our own state.
It is therefore imperative to Georgia that this
plan should be made impossible of fulfillment,
since the mere threat of it and kindred declar-
Atlanta, Ga., Thursday, April 2, 1908.
ations has wrought serious disaster to our peo
ple.
Mr. Brown’s Platform.
“If elected, I shall give the people an
administration characterized by the strictest
economy, and shall favor the following meas
ures :
“1. A return to the payment in one sum
of Confederate pensions, such as prevailed be
fore the advent of the present state adminis
tration.
“2. The reduction of taxation as quickly
and to as great an extent as can be made
practicable.
“3. The regulation of the railroads. This
should be done with firmness, but with judg
ment, holding equally in mind the rights of
the public who travel and ship, of the stock
holders who own the properties and of the
lives and fair wages of the employes.
“4. The proper support of all public in
stitutions.
“5. As liberal appropriations for the com
mon schools as the public finances will al
low.
The Railroad Commission.
“6. Changes in the railroad commission
law, viz.: First, the repeal of those parts
which give the commission jurisdiction over
such local institutions as telephones, gas and
electric lighting plants, cotton compresses and
street railways. Secondly, to insert the re
quirement that one of the commissioners shall
be a rate expert, and to repeal that section
providing for a rate expert not a commis
sioner, thus saving $4,000 per annum in that
office. Thirdly, to compel railroads to proper
ly light and heat passenger stations and to
require equitable demurrage rules.
“7. The establishment of a department of
labor.
As to Prohibition.
“8. The. strict enforcement of the present
prohibition law. If the people in the coming
election choose members of the general as
sembly who, in accordance with the will of
their constituents, make any changes in the
present law, I will sign the bill thus ordered
by the people.
“9. The enactment of a law against lob
bying, so as to preserve the purity of our
legislative system, the same as the purity of
our jury system.
“10. The encouragement, by a proper ad
ministration of the laws, of the agricultural,
mercantile and manufacturing industries of
the state. The assurance, not only to citizens
of this state, but to citizens of other states,
that all capital invested in legitimate enter
prises in Georgia shall have the equal pro
tection of the laws and the equal friendly
consideration of those who administer the
laws of Georgia.
Against Undesirable Immigration.
“11. The discouragement by all legal meth
ods of undesirable immigration.
“I make no promise that I individually, or
in my official capacity, will accomplish any
of the results above indicated, for, while one
man, if he be governor, may cripple and pos
sibly wreck the prosperity of the state, it
requires the co-operation of the people and
the executive to restore confidence and upbuild
that which has been prostrated. Hence I
should ask your earnest co-operation. I con
fess that I have none of the arts of the poli
tician, and no great newspaper to urge my
candidacy, but I have faith in the people.
“In conclusion, let us unite to prove that
Georgia will be just to all whose citizenship,
or investments, are within her borders. Let
us unite to restore employment, with good
wages, to those who are now the unmerited
victims of an unnecessary panic. Let us unite
to prevent cotton from falling to an unprofit
able price. Let us unite to bring back pros
perity to Georgia. Respectfully, your fellow
citizen, JOSEPH M. BROWN.
“Marietta, Ga., March 18, 1908.”
—Atlanta Constitution.
PROHIBITION PARTY WIDE AWAKE IN
EVERY SECTION OF THE COUNTRY.
New Jersey Prohibitionists Organize for
Battle.—Passaic county prohibitionists have
organized the Passaic County Prohibition
League to push the battle against the liquor
traffic. Secretary Ralph W. Rowland of Clif
ton, N. J., writes: “This is a veritable li
quor stronghold and a difficult place to make
progress, but even here ripples of the prohibi
tion w r ave are felt. The state senator from
this county is the president of the Brewing
Company which owns most of the 700 saloons
in Paterson. One-third of the members of
Passaic City Council are engaged in the liquor
business and two of the three members of the
license committee are saloon keepers. Per
haps you can imagine how the liquor laws are
enforced.” That is the proposition which the
prohibitionists propose to tackle hard during
the next few months.
Want Seaborn Wright for President.—“l
would like to nominate Hon. Seaborn Wright
of Georgia for prohibition candidate for Pres
ident,” writes Mr. H. B. Bishop of Southamp
ton, N. Y. “Let him go around the country
with the slogan. ‘Our governments, neither
national, state or municipal, shall license any
evil destructive of the manhood and the wom
anhood of our country. Nor shall our govern
ment permit any individual or corporation to
capitalize the vices of the people.’ And the
people will be aroused as never before. To
(Continued on Page Twelve.
-e Five Cents.