Newspaper Page Text
Coffee ttotinfn IJrogreoa,
Vol I. No. 40
RINGING DENIAL IS
MADE BY J.R.WALKER
TO LETTER OF PURVIS
Congressman Denses Point Blank
Statement Made by Ocilla Man
and Claims Letter to Prove That
Reparte Remarks Were Not Made
Congressmean Walker has issued a
.statement branding as untrue a cer
tain statement made in a letter appear
ing over the signature of O. V. Purvis,
of Ocilia, in which it was stated that
Congressman Walker had stated
"that it did not matter about the one
horse farmer and laboring people.”
Mr. Walker declares that such a
statement is absolutely untrue, and
that he did not make such a state
ment, or any similar statement, to Mr.
Purvis, or any one else.
Mr. Walker’s Statement.
My attention has been called to a re
cent letter appearing over the signa
ture of 0. V. Purvis of Ocilla which
letter has*been published in most of
the Eleventh Congressional district
by my political opponents as paid ad
vertisement.
Mr. Purvis states that I told
"to go back and get the endorsement
of the business men. Don't matter
about the one-horse people; they cut
no figure with me.” This statement
as well as others made by Mr. Purvis
is untrue. I did not make this state
ment nor any similar statement,, to
Mr. Purvis or any one else. Mr Pur
vis contradicts himself. He states in
another paragraph of his published
letter that I told him that the one re
ceving the greatest number of endorse
ments would receive my recommenda
tion. These two statements are direc
tly in conflict. IC certainly could not
have made them both.
In a letter received by me from Mr.
Purvs, dated Ocilla, Ga., Feb. 7, 1914,
which letter was in reply to one I
had written Mr. Purvis, advising him
that I had recommended Mr. Colson
for the Ocilla postmastership, he stat
ed among other things, the following:
"You told me and urged me to get all
the recommendations I could, either
by personal letter or by petition.”
If this statement is true, then his
published statement about the one
horse farmers and laboring men can
not be true.
Purvis Letter Denied
I note that Mr. Purvis says if I de
ny his statement he will make oath to
it. Ido deny it If he swears to his
former statement, I should be glad if
he wiil include in his affidavit whether
Q}' not his statement to meof Febru
ary?, is also true.
lam a poor man myself. I have al
ways had, and have now, the deepest
respect and greatest consideration for
all classes of laboring people. I chal
lenge anyone to cite a single instance
where I have ever voted against the
interest of the toiling masses, either
as a member of the state legislature
or as a member of congres.
I was reared on a farm myself.
Practically all of my people are farm
ers today. I would be unworthy of
the blood of my sires if I should cast
reflection in any way on any class of
farmers or laborers. I have never
done so, but, on the contrary, I have
championed their cause wherever op
portunity was presented, both in pri
vate and public life, and shall con
tinue to do so.
(Signed) J- R- WALKER,
(adv.)
Hardwick Commended in Letter of President
President Woodrow Wilson has written a letter to the editor of the Savannah
Press in which he highly commends Congressman Thomas W. Hardwick as “an ardent
faithful friend of the administration from the outset. The presidents letter con
cludes with this reference to Congressman Hardwick. He has won admiration and
confidence.” The presidents letter was written in reply to a letter from the editor of
the Press.' The following relative to the correspondence was published in the Wed
nesday afternoon issue of the Press:
“On July the 20th the Savannan Press addressed a letter to Hon. Woodrow
Wilson, president of the United States, asking that if he could consistently do so he
o-ive to this newspaper his views upon the candidacy of Hon. Thomas V\ . Hardwick for
SeUnite<L3tate3 Senate to succeed the late Senator A. 0. Bacon.
“The president was asked if Mr. Hardwick’s nomination and election, judging
from his oast record would mean that the admidistration would ha\e in the senate a
Democrat who could be depended upon to support it.
President Wilson’s Letter
The president has sent the following reply:
‘‘The White House
‘‘Washington, Aug. 3, 1914.
‘‘To the Editor of The Press:
‘‘l am very glad to answer your letter of July 20th. Mr. Hard
wick has been an ardent and faithful friend of the administration
from the outset and I should be sorry to hear of anything being said
against him which would create a different impression.
* *pjg has won my admiration and confidence.
* ‘‘Sincerely yours,
WOODROW WILSON. *'
THOMAS W. HARDWIGK DELIVERED
A FORCEFUL AND WINNING SPEECH
Spoke Saturday Afternoon for Nearly Two Hours to a Court House
Full of Enthusiastic Listeners-—Jumped on Slaton Goad and
Hard—Made Many Friends Here.
Saturday was political day for this
city and county sure enough. From
arly morning people b. gar. to rcnic
into town from all sections of the
county and adjoining territory to hear
the various sneakers who were booked
to deliver addresses.
Hon. Tom Hardwick was advertised
to speak at 11 o’clock, but when he ar
rived here he discovered that Mr. Wal
ker was also advertised to speak at
the same hour. These two gentlemen
held a conference and after Mr. Hard
wick learned that Mr. Walker was to
deliver three other addresses that day,
he very graciously stepped aside and
postponed his own speaking until 1
o’clock.
A great crowd was on hand to hear
Mr. Hardwick who was introduced by
Col. Lawson Kelly, a schoolmate of Mr
Hardwick’s. Mr. Kelly spke eloquent
ly his erstwhile chum, and among
otlfer things said that Tom Hardwick
knew no such word as “defeat.” and
that he had been a winner from boy
hood, and Col. Kelly predicted that in
this race. Mr. Hardwick would come
out ahead of his opponents.
Mr. Hardwick was warmly received
when he arose to speak and through
out his address he brought forth much
hearty applause from the packed court
room.
Mr. Hardwick said that he believed
he was entitld to the place he was
striving for upon his record. He stated
that he had had many years of service
that peculiarly fitted him for the po
sition of senator, and pointed out the
necessity at this time of eleciing a
man who had the confidence of the ad
ministration and introduced into his
speech a letter from President Wilson
to the editor of the Savannah Press
commendatory of Mr. Hardwick.
Mr. Hardwick said that when a rail
road wanted a man for any position
the one was chosen who was host fit
ted for the work. This same thing was
true, he said, with banks, stores and
farm industry. *And, he said, that if
competency played an important part
with selecting men for places in the
commercial world, it should certainly
be an all important consideration in
the selection of a public servant.
He pointed out that the Unit'd State
today faced a crisis that was fue grav
est in the history of the country. That
the great powers of the old world were
at each others throats and that the
Uniteed States would have to be on her
guard at all times through the crisis.
He said that the President of this coun
try had chosen a corterie of advisers
and that these advisers had selected
others to advise them. That the ma
machinery of the government was a
wheel within a wheel and that at this
time perhaps mora than at any time in
the history of the country, the admin
istration should not be hampered with
untried and untrained men. He said
that he had had twelve years exper
ience in the halls of Congress and
that he knew how to do the work that
falls upon the shoulders of a senator.
Mr. Hardwick laid stress on the fact
that Mr. Slaton had had no experience
fitting him for the office and that Mr.
Slaton double crossed Joe Brown in
getting Mr. Brown to stay out of the
short term race and run against Hoke
Smith, as was originally intended with
Slaton as opponent of Smith instead
of Brown.
Mr. Hardwick thought that this sort
of scheming had hurt Slaton and that
Slaton had discovered it.
Douglas, Georgia, Wednesday, August 12th 1914
Mr. Hardwick has a very happy way
of illustrating his remarks and the
crowd was with him from the begin
ning. He added greatly to his strength
in Coffee County by his address.
He said in explanation of his stand
parcels post that he had worked and
and voted for the law all the way un
til they wanted to amend the law by
the weight limit. He said
he was opposed to this proposition
b cause it would burden the mails to
such an extent that the people would
be getting their freight by mail and
thir mail by freight.
Before closing his address, Mr. Hard
wick paid a splendid tribute to the
memory of Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, and
also to the President, whom he char
acterized as the gratest president the
United States had ever had. and whose
policies had proven to be the best for
the greatest number, and who, if giv
en the proper assistance would soon
be able to aid the farmers and others
who are now badly in need of federal
aid because of the war raging in Eu
rope.
From here Mr. Hardwick went to
Nicholls where he spoke late in the af
ternoon to a large and enthusiastic
audience.
BIG GAINS BEEN MADE
Plitics has crowded out much mat
ter this week and among other import
ant news items that we have had to
omit is the contest. But the primary
will son be over and we can then all
get back to living a normal life; that
is those of us who outlive the strenu
ous work of the campaign.
Some good gains have been made as
will be seen by the list:
Miss Lila Sapp 45,250
Mrs. J. B. Cooksey 19,250
Miss Ethel Tanner 63.000
Roy Vinson 34.925
Mrs. Velma Touchton 36,350
Miss Edna Moore 49,625
Horton Christopher 7,250
Miss Georgia Livingston 122,400
Miss Gukfeie Roberts 132,800
A. H. Huekabee 4,625
Miss Mary Annie Ferguson . 11,500
Sam T. Harrell, of Quitman, Refuses To
Discuss Publicly Charges He Has Pre
ferred In Open Letter Against Henderson
Sam T. Harrell is a lawyer in the
County of Brooks town of Quitman.
Some time last year Congressman Wai
ker had a brother of Sam T. appointed
Pstmaster at Quitman. When Farmer
Jim Henderson had the audacity to an
nounce for Congress against Mr. Wal
ker who had connected the brother of
the aforesaid Sam T. with the public
teat by making him a P. M. Sam T.
became indignant and prepared
and on August the sth had published
a letter reflecting on the business abil
ity and integrity of Mr. Henderson
which has been circulated over the
district for the purpose of trying to
defeat Mr. Henderson.
HON, C. E. STEWART
WRITES TO VOTERS
■ •
Gives Account of His Stewardship
and Reasons for Re-election.
To the citizens of Coffee County:
I am now finishing my first term!
as your Representative in the Legis-!
lature and I wish to give you a synop
sis of my stewardship as your public
srvant, and when you have looked yuo
same I think you can appreciate why
the Ringsters, are offering thousands
of dollars for my political "hide.”
When you elected me you were com
pletely disfranchised as to the selec
tion of the guardians of ycur finances,
roads, public property, etc., the most
important offees in our county. I im
mediately had enacted a lav which not
only placed the selection of these of
ficers back into the hands of our peo
ple but it places all the acts ofthese
officers squarely before our people.
Under this law every dollar expended
and received by the Board of Commis
sioners, must be made public. The
new Board recently elected will have
to furnish us a monthly itimized state
ment of all receipts and disbursments
and shall publish same in one of our
county papers. Their salaries shall be
•$3.00 per day and they cannot get pay
for more than 36 days iu a year. I
understand a County Commissioner,
living a few counties from us, a few
years ago, drew pay for 375 days in
one year and it was not leap year,
either. And for fear that this fellow
might move over and be elected as noe
of our commissioners, I thought it nec
essary to place a check on same. I
completely cut out the Chairman s sal
ary, which amounted to S9OO per year.
I also cut out the Attorney salary of
S3OO. I considered them unnecessary.
Each militia district elects their com
missioner, and they are all vested with
the same power and authority. It takes
a majority of the whole board to trans
act any business. All contracts for
supplies and work to be done on roads
and bridges must be handled by the
Board as a body and all supplies and
work amounting to over $25 shall be
let to the lowest bidder. It puts the
county’s matters on merit and compe
titionand not on pull and politics. As
an exemple, there is a bridge to be
built in the county according to cer
tain specifications, and A bids S4OO, B
SSOO and C S6OO, the work will go to
A because he is the lowest and best
bidder, and not to C because he is a
relative or friend of the Commissioner.
Thereby saving the county S2OO. If
(Continued from page 6)
This morning myself and other
friends of Mr. Henderson doubting the
truth of the charges made by Mr. Har
rell and knowing Mr. Harrell t be an
able, shrewd lawyer and feeling that
the people ought to know all the facts
sent Sam T. the following telegram:
Douglas, Ga., Aug. 11th, 1914.
Sam T. Harrell,
Attorney at Law,
Quitman, Ga.
Your letter of August sth at
tacking the business and personal
character of Jim Henderson can
didate for Congress is being cir
culated over the District. We,
the undersigned Citizens and vot
ers of Coffee County have investi
gated your charges and state
ments and find they are greatly ex
aggerated and not wholly true.
We believe the voters shuold
hear both sides of every issue
which concerns them as vitally as
does this.
Yqu are a lawyer and we hope
an honorable man and should be
able to sustain in public debate
such serious charges as you make
in your letter. We, therefore, in
the interest of truth and justice
and fair play ask you to meet a
representative of J. A. J. Hender
son in joint debate at either two,
four or six County sites of the
district between this and the pri
mary in order that the true facts
may be told as to the respective
records of Mr. Walker and Mr.
Henderson. Dates and places to
be agreed upon. We urge an im
mediate answer by wire.
J. H. DENT,
J. W. QUINCEY,
W. C. SMITH,
J. A. MOORE,
M. J. PEACE,
W. R. FRIER,
O. F. DEEN.
To this telegram he replied as fol
lows:
Quitman, Ga., Aug. 11, 1914.
J. W. Quincey.
Your wire reed. Walker has
challenged Henderson for public
debate, and Henderson declined.
If Henderson will meet Walker
wire me and then I will reply' to
your wire.
SAM T. HARRELL.
In answer to which the following
telegram was sent:
Douglas, Ga., 3-11-1914.
S. T. Harrell,
Quitman, Ga.
Henderson has made no charge
(Continued on page 8)
RANDALL WALKER DELIVERS A RING
ING ADDRESS TO VOTERS HERE
Denied in Toio That He Had Been False to Anyone When it Came to
Making Appointments—-Went Into Detail Regarding the Only
Opposition That Has Developed Against His Being Re-elected
CROWD WAS WITH HIM FROM START TO FINISH
Will Carry Coffee County and The District By Big Majorities—-Made
Many New Friends Here.
Spoke in Interest
Of Dr. Hardeman
Hon. R. L. J. Smith addressed a fair
ly good sized audience at the court
house Monday evening in the interest
of Dr. L. G. Hardeman’s campaign.
Mr. Smith's speaking here had but
little advance announcement, and at
the hour that he was booked to speak,
5 o’clock, a heavy downpour of rain
came along and it was necessary to
postpone his address until after the
supper hour.
Mr. Smith spke earnestly in behalf
of Dr. Hardeman, and at times he was
warmly applauded.
Dr. Hardeman has many ardent sup
porters in his race for governor in the
city and co una.yt ndeh bt- •
city and county and he will get a good
vote in the primary.
I SEED SELECTION DEMON
STRATION WILL BE HELD
There will be a gathering of farm
ers at the farm of Mr. John Peterson
Friday morning beginning at 10:00
o’clock, to hold a seed demonstration.
Mr. Cunningham, district agent, and
Prof. VanEttor, of the State College,
will be on hand to entertain those that
attend.
Edmondson Spoke For
Joseph M. Brown Here
Hon. Grover C. Edmondson spke at
the curt house Saturday at 10:30 in
the interest of Joe Brown’s candidacy
for senator. Mr. Edmondson had but
a handful of men to haer him, as he
proceeded Mr. Walker and Mr. Hard
wick and the crowd did not seem in
terested in tiie gentleman whom Mr.
Edmondson represented.
Mr. Edmondson spoke for about 10
minutes and was given good attention
by those in the audience. He is a good
speaker, but seemed to realize that he
had a hard subject to deal with in this
city and county.
— MR. JULE BOYD PASSES A\V A 1
Mr. Jule Boyd died at the home of
his brother, Mr. N. S. Boyd, in West
Green, Monday. He had recently re
returned from California where he had
been in hopes of restoring his health
The funeral took place at the family
burying ground in this county.
Mr. Boyd was a brother of Mrs. T. J.
Dickey and Mrs. Lon Dickey, of Fitz
gerald.
J. E. McLean (Colored) Dead.
J. E. McLean a highly respected ne
gro, died at his home here last Friday
after a lingering illness that exteded
over a period of several months. He
taught the negro school for some time
and had accumulated a good bit of
property.
DO YOU WANT TO BE A PARTY TO THIS ?
Mr. Voter of the 11th Congressional
District:
There are a few politicians in the
11th district who are very anxious to
go to Congress. They well know that
they can’t beat Mr. Walker themselves,
but they are now trying to deceive the
farmers by telling them what a won
derful man “Farmer Jim’’ is and what
a blessing it will be to them if they
will only send "Farmer Jim” to Con
gress. These politicians are keen fel
lows and will deceive the very elect
if possible. They know that “Farmer
Jim” will make a complete failure as
a Congressman, and in the windup two
years hence they are hoping that the
political lightning will strike them
and in this round about way get to
Congress. These politicians are too
cwardly to attack Mr. Walker upon
their own ability but by placing “Far
mer Jim” between themselves and Mr.
Walker, they hope that in some way
they will be able to waken the
strength of Mr. Walker and win at last
upon the failure of “Farmer Jim.”
“Farmer Jim” may be all that his
friends say he is, his success as a
farmer, saw mill man, turpentine op
erator and all of these may have been
all that his friends could ask fr, but
does it follow that he would be pre
pared to meet statesmanship in the
halls of Congress, just because he has
made a bale of cotton to the acre on
some of his farms? Then, too, Mr.
Editor, do please look at the “lineup.”
When and where has any one candi
date ever had as many professional
politicians tied to his coat tail as this
same “Farmer Jim” has tied to his?
Read the list of those whom he car
ries around with him on his special
train. Go into any of the little towns
$1 Per Annum
The doubting Thomases had their
eyes opened Saturday morning when
Hon. J. Randall Walker made his ap
pearance at the court house to fill an
engagement to address the voters here
for from the trae he set foot on the
steps of the bulding until he was well
out of sight of the crowd after the
speaking, there was no room for doubt
but that Randall Walker had the peo
ple of Coffee County with him.
Mr. Walker was booked to speak at
11 o’clock and a great crowd, one of
the largest ever seen in the Coffee
County court house was on hand to
hear him.
Mr. Melvin Tanner introduced the
speaker in his usual timely and gra
cious manner and when Mr. Walker
arose to take the stand a mighty shout
went up that could be heard for a long
distance away, and the shout was a
spontaneous and hearty one, not the
sort that is bought and paid for.
Mr. Walker spoke for only thirty
minutes/ but in that time said many
things and explained many things that
the people wanted him to say and ex
plain. He handled his subject with
out gloves, but not one word left hia
lips that attacked the character of any
man. His freedom from mud slinging
was remarkable and many have re
ferred to this fact who heard the able
speech of Mr. Walker's.
Denied Belittling Small Farmer
Mr. Walker said in part that he had
been too busy at Washington to pay
much attention to his interests here in
the district, but that his friends had
taken a deep interest in his welfare
and he believed that the people were
going to recognize the work that he
had been doing for them and that they
were going to return him to Congress
so that he could finish what he had
started. He said that the claim that
one Purvis of Ocilla had made that he
(Walker) had belittled the small farm
er was untrue absolutely. That he had
never had it in his heart to say any
thing against the working man or the
small farmer. He stated that he had
been born on a small farm and had
had to work hard to get enough to en
able him to get an education. That his
father was a farmer, and that his kin
folks were at this time, most of them,
farmers, and that he would not be
worthy a place in the respect of the
people were he to go against his kin,
especially.
He referred to a letter that he had
received from Mr. Purvis which con
tradicts the published statements (The
letter in question and Mr. Walker’s
answer to Mr. Purvis appear in an
other column.)
Dwelt on PostofHee Matters.
Mr. Walker said that it seemed that
the opposition to him could find noth
ing to attack in his record at Washing
ton except the fact that he could not
appoint more than one man to a post
office. He said that if he had been
able to appoint several men to each
offide, maybe, there would have been
peace in the district. But. he said,
he could only appoint one man, and
that he had treated each and every ap
plicant with courtesy and due consid
eration, and that the appointments he
had recommended seemed to the
people at large, for he had tried to
(fr a3ed no panai}ao3)
and take a look at the “lineup” follow
ing "Farmer Jim” and see hw many
you will find to be farmers. Take the
town of Douglas, and take a peep at
the list. On which side do you find the
politicians? Do you find those politici
ans supporting "Farmer Jim” or Con
gressman Walker? Without any fear
of truthful contradiction we assert
boldly that nine out of every ten of the
politicians are for “Farmer Jin ”
When in the history of the worih has
it ever occurred before that all the pol
iticians were out in the interest of a
farmer? This is enough to make any
reasonable man stop and look for the
cause. We know that there is always
a cause if we can only find it, and we
think we located it in the beginning of
this article when we said that the pol
iticians desired to kill Mr. Walker,
politically, with a farmer, hoping
thereby to be able to defeat “Farmer
Jim” on his own weakness two years
hence. We venture the assertion now
that this is the only campaign that
our neighbor over in Irwun County will
be known as ‘F“armer Jim.” Two years
from now these politicians now whoop
ing him up as the leader of the farm
ers w'ill be calling him “Failure Jim”
or the man who “thought he was a
farmer.”
If we could we wuld like to liye un
til the next Congressional election
just to see what our friends name
would then be.
Let us now give our friend a little
advice: “Be careful how you deal with
these professional politicians. They
are now making up your record upon
which to fight you two years hence,
should you be so unfortunate as to de
feat a good man now.”
OLD FARMER.