The Reform world. (Winder, Ga.) 189?-????, September 30, 1896, Image 1
VOL. 1.
SAfl JONES AGAIN.
He Writes a Strong Letter to the Jour
nal and Constitution. His Tell
ing Licks.
Cartersvii!e, Ga , Sept. 25th, 1806.
To the Editors of the Atlanta Journal
and Constitution: —NT t that you two
gentlemen are any kin or that your
views are together on any question
specially, ‘except, I believe, you are both
in favor of local option at this time, and
you both are agreed that there is no
corruption in the politics of this state,
or words to that effect.
First, I have to do with you two gen
tlemen; for you were occupying exactly
the same positions two year3 ago as E li
tors of the Atlanta Journal and the
Constitution when you wrote the fol
lowing which I clip from your editorial
colums of 1894
Just after the state election two years
ago in Georgia the editor of the Atlanta
Journal vaporized thus in his editorial
columns:
“We do not hesitate to say that the
throwing out of votes in several caun
ties iu the recent state election because
of piu'elv technical imperfections in the
returns is utterly indefensible. If elec
tion managers anywhere violate the
law they should be iudicted and punish
ed. We believe that the people of Geor
gia have made up their minds that no
tampering or trickery at elections shall
be tolerated, afid the man or gang which
attempts to do so is iu danger of heavy
but just retribution.
Closing the editorial with the still
unanswered prayer: “Give us an hon
est incorruptible ballot !”
The editor of the Constitution just
after the same election on November the
9th, ytOi. iu a 'j -.ding editc/rial headed
“An honest Ballot a Necessity*,” says:
“All over the country there is a grow
ing and imperatve demand for fair elec
tious. The voters of all parties are
sickand tired of bulldozing and corrupt
methods In the old days
when the South was under bayonet rule
and so long as the South had reason to
fear Federal interference at the polls,
many of her people were disposed to
•look with itidiffereuce upon the qut-s
tionable methods by which ome states
saved themselves from the blight o” ne
gro denomination. Self preservation
then forced our people to maintain
white supremacy at any cost . . . .
We must have a law thaewiil stamp
out corruption in every voting precinct
in this state. The safety of society and
the maintenance of good government
depend upon the purity of the bailor. .
. . . The people of all parties arc
'united in demanding this great retorni
and the democratic party has taken the
lead in pushing it through”
The Oousticutipn of November the
Bth, in another editorial headed “Cor
ruptiou Run Riot," said:
“The less said about the Congressional
election in the 10th District the better
for tho good name of the state. The
methods which characterized that elec
tion reproached the civilization of the
day and stigmatized the fair fame of
Georgia as the most advanced in senti
ment ot all the Southern ‘States Such
an election calls for plain talk, and if
tile Cous.itntion offend in condemning
aud denouncing it, let the man who be
lieves aud who is ready and willing to
defend this carousal of corruption make
the most of it. . . . We protest the
name of the honesty of our people and
the civilization of our state.
And if the Legislature of Georgia
doss not pass an election law which will
guarantee honest elections in every
county in Georgia, those who are re
sponsible for such failure will have upon
their hands the blood of those who
might hereafter bo sacrificed at the
ballot box as in Augusta, as victims of
an incompetent inadequate election
system. . . . Both sides are respou
sible for tho Tenth District affair by
courtesy called an election. The demo
crats not more so than the pops unless
it be that they were better at counting.
. . . Richmond county polled nearly
16,000 votes. The census staatistics o'
voting population counting every man
The inform World.
more than twenty-one years of age,
without reference to registration or
qualifications, is one to five of a full
population, The census of 1890 gives
Richmond county a full population of
45,194. . . . Hence the question is
uot one of politics but purely of honesty
aud it should not be looked upon with
partisan bias. Public sentiment will
not tolerate any more elections like that
in the Tenth District.
On Juno 6th, 1894, the Constitution
had another editorial headed “Not FiF
to be Governor,” which reads as fol
lows:
“Mr. Atkiusou is daily emphasizing
h s unfitness for the officer of Governor.
Asa member of the Legislature his offi
cial functions were such that he could do
but little harm to the state, but during
his services ho demonstrated conclu
sively that he is not the man to merit
gubernatorial honors. He was active in
his fight against the Twitty bill because
perhaps it might effect his fees . . .
In a public speech at Columbus, Judge
J. H. Martin, an honest and as upright
a judge as ever sat on the bench in Geor
gia, declared on his word as a man that
Mr. Atkinson sought a trade by which
to exchange his vote as a member of the
Legislature and that he (Judge Martin)
nothing willing to meet Mr. Atkiuson’s
terms, the latter voted against him.
This is the so'emu assertion of an hon
est aud upright man, and if Mr. Atkin
son has denied it we have not heard
of it. . . . Mr. Atkinson uot only
traded votes for the election of Judges
and solicitor generals, but virtually
uouita oTTf. ; x, He Kt >, a fen—wo
might say fees—while a member of the
Legislature notwuhstaudingjthe crude
constitutional inhibition against one
of the man receiving doable pay from
the state. Iu the special matter re
ferred to there was so much doubt about
tke propriety of excepting the fee refer
red to that two lawyers had to be con
sulted before he was satisfied of its legal
ity. The question as to whether it was
right or wrong lor him to deprive the
Governor of Georgia ot his information
and assistance to the state in the matter
of vital importance which as member of
ihe Legislature came under his official
observation never entered his head
What he wanted was the SI,OOO fee and
the Constitution of the State wes no
consideration so long as lie got it. Kor
lie knew lie-would not have to pay it,
bulk on demand, and the moral aspect;
of the question has never to this day
dawned upon him. It was no doubt tile
biggest fee he ever got—probaiy more
in cash than he had ever made in one
year practicing law. We make no
vague statement on the subject, for
what wo say is bused upon information
of his former law partner. Mr P. S.
Whatley of Newnan says so, and he
ought to know. ”
Now, gentlemen,if I were the author of
the editorials as given above then sure
ly I would not be the author of your
editorials of last Saturday evening aud
last Sunday morning in the Journal aud
Constitution.
I quote from other good authority—
W. H Fleming, speaker of the House
of Representatives of Georgia two yours
ago. from right out of the midst of the
infamies of the Tenth District left the
speaker’s chair ami walk down on the
floor of the house and uttered these
words as reported by tho daily press
previous to putting the election bill
upon its passage for the new registra
tion law. Mr. Fleming, of Richmond,
spoke tan minutes in favor of the bill,
saying:
It, may not be perfect but is the best
bill yet drawn upon the subject. The
bill is non-partisan. It will be fair for
both sides and will insure an honest
election. Fair elections and honest
counts are more desirable than democrat
ic success. The bill will be.fairly tes
ted in the Tenth District before the
session and amendments desirable can
then be ascertained. The people of
Georgia want to make anew law, aud
WINDER, GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER CO, ISJG.
God knows- they need it in the lace oi
the frauds in the last election. 1 chal-
I ieuge any m-mber to name a newspaper
iu Georgia, tie the politics what it may
that has not editorially demanded fair
election and a stoppage to the frauds
which have been perpetrated. The pas
sage of the law which will insure hon
est elections to thestate in all future
contests, will do more good than the ex
position to invite immigrants to come
to Georgia to settle. The fraudu- ;
lent elections in Georgia is a scandal
from one end of the continent to the
other, audit must be purged of the stig
ma iu order to resume its rightful place
among the states of tlyi South.”
Again I quote from Governor Atkin
son himself. Iu his message to the
same L gis'ature he said on this ques
tir :
“I therefore urge upon yon the necess- j
ity of changing our election laws and
providing a system wherein any unfair j
or fraudulent practices may be easily
detected aud effectually prevented.”
These are the delivers aces of the St. I
Bernard’s and the Newfoundlands. I
have not had time to look upon the va
porings of the bench-legged flee, water
spauieis aud rat terriers o the editorials
and politicals tribes on mis subject. 1
suppose that two years ago they were
all iu the procession after the elections
were over. The public can now readily
see that I have simply been saying be
l ore the elections what you good fellows
have said after the elections, aud I be
lieve vou will all join my procession af
ter the present election is over when it
is too late to prevent the rascality, that j
you will be sure to denounce after it |
has been perpetrated. Yet you two
editors iu your leading editorials of Sat- j
urday and Sundav last were replying
to my letter to the “Honest Men of
Georgia,” saying that I was dealing in
nebulous generalities and that the elec
tions iu Georgia were as fair as any
; elections iii the Union, all calling cn
me for specific evidence on the charges |
I had made. You say lam howiiug and
growing more virulent as I progress,
•and von demand of me t> bring foward
my proof of the assertion that -here had
; been unfair elections iu Georgia. If I
h ive lied on [the people aud politicians
of this state I have but followed, in yonr
! foot steps, for you both !old a lie before
I did, and so far as X have known noither
qjf you repented until yin saw what a
lie it was after a preacher told it. You
both knew I had the proof. You know
me well enough to know that Idon’t gooff
half-cccked. Don’t yom- editorial de
liverances of two years ago road very
much like my articles of last week and
week before? You may charge m-- with
pdagairism for aught I know There is
! quite a similarity of both thought cud
: aud expression, and yet you gentlemen
demand of me to bring toward my proof
of the ass- rtion that there had b e:i un
fa'r elections mG- orgia."
(Here Mr. Joues gives a number
of congested election cases in the
last legislature, which were clinch
ers.)
First of all, I simply demand .a free
ballot and a fair count iu Georgia this
year, let the r. suits be what they may.
Secondly, that one of the candidates iu
the field champions the prineiplss-of pro
hibition, which is as sacred to my heart
as any principle bene.it the stars.
The reason 1 have written as 1 have
written is because I learn that two years
ago Mr. Watsou appealed to the Chair
man of tlieSta'e Democratic Committee
Mr. Clay, just as the Chairman of the
State Populist executive committee ap-
I pealed to him a few weeks ago. Mr.
1 Clay disclaimed authority then as be
does now, and because he had no nu
! tkority lit would uot sign an obligation
| to do his best for a fair election aud get
the County Democratic Executive Com
mittee to do the same. 1 have always
j heard it said that a bird that can sing ,
and won’t sing ought to bo made to
sing. The Chairman of the State Ex- j
ecutive Committee not only refused to i
sign a written agreement to bring about
a fair election, but he positively refuses
to answer questions put to him by Ins
fellow citizens. In the posteript of my !
letter last Saturday I called the chair
man’s attention to his circular to the
colored people and asked him did he
have anything to do with its origin or
circulation. I was writing from high
moral ground and would have been
greatly pleased and relieved in my mind
if he had made a manly disclaimer for
for the honor and credit of my state.
Surely he would have relieved a great
burden from my heart and the hearts
of ail the intelligent, virtuous people oi
th-state. No more incendiary iitera
ture was ever circulated from the hot
beds of abolitionism or the fury of re
construction politics than that rape cir
cular.; aud the fearful outrages upon
Georgia women in the past three or four
days must make the hearts of the Cam
paign Executive Committee tremble
with horror.
I notice in yesterday’s Constiiutiou
that Gov. Atkinson in a letter said that
as he was attending to the duties of his
office and making speeches over the
state he could not possibly revise the
literature sent out from the democratic
headquarters, and that even Mr. Clay
himself did u"t know of the contents of
that circular until he, Gov. Atkinson,,
called his attention to it. If you will
notice the letters below from the Chair
man of the Democratic state executive
Committee of the State of Georgia,dated
September 9tb, 1896, and September
11th, 1896, you will sap surely Governor
Atkinson is as ignorant of the existence
of these letters as Mr. Clay profesfesses
obe of the colored brethren’s litera
ture; and you cau rely on these letters
as genuine. They are as follows:
Atlanta, Ga., Sept. 9th, 18&6. .
“State Democratic Headquarters, Kim
ball House, Rooms 154-156. A. S. Ci.ay,
Chasrman- Democratic Execuiive Com
mittee.
Mr. E. L. Rainey, Dawson, Ga.
Dear Sir: —I mail you today some lit.
erature for the colored people—“ What
Governor Atkinson has done,” etc.
Very truly,
A. S Clay, Chairman State Executive
Crmmittee. ”
Atlanta, Ga., Sept. 14th, 1896.
“State Democratic Headquarters, Kim- j
ball House, Rooms 151-156. A. S. Clay,
Chairman Democratic Executive Com- I
mittee.
Mr. J. A. McCrary, Geneva, Ga.
Dear Sir:—Yours to hand. The cir
cular you refer to, I have not =eem I
uado'.staudthat sui-h a ciic ’ar £~s beexi
issued by the colored people here in Ar- |
lanta. The Governor is not responsible
—neither are his friends. The pardon
referred to was recommended by the
' Supremo Court and the Solicitor Gener
al who pirosecuted the case, and the
Governor satisfied himself that he
ought to have beeu pardoned, aud lie
pardoned him. I trust this explanation
will be satisfactory to all.
Yours very truly,
A. S. Clay,
Chairman State Commit tee.*’
Now, gentlemen, ta.k to rue al ut
helping io turn this state over into ijie
hands of the pops. Evi—- honest ui.m
hi this state knows that whatever may
be the criticisms upon .lie honest yeo
manry of tin- stat’, i.i y ice as far
above procedures like tint as the heav
ens are above tne ear.fc. No, gentle
men, I hav- found the mother of that
circular whether its daddy shai.l i-ver
be discovered or not. The whole thing
reminds me of what a drummer told me
sometime ago. Ho said ho got home
from a louu trip and walked in the
family room after breakfast and found
his little girl sitting on the fir or •play
ing with her kitten and fondling it.
saying: “Kune, kitiie, you are the
sweetest little kittie I ever sw. And
kiltie 1 know wno year : uua is. Old
Puss is your mania Oiu Puss is a sweet
old cat, too. bnt. kittle, I never saw your
papa I 'speet your papa is a traveling
man ” The Democratic headquarters
is tho mother of that circular. I ex
peet its papa is u traveling man.
No. gentlemen, nothing shall bear,
prohibition in Georgia that does uot beat
it fairly without a protest from me in
volving all my ransomed powers. lam
not an editor an! I have not died with
consumption, but 1 am a Methodist
preacher having but little to say about
the sweet by-aud-by. but occupy most o'
my time on the nasty now.and-now.
• And while you editors are lecturing
some of preachers (who are not ou your
side) about going into politics, will yon
let me lecture you a little ? You boast
that you are running newspapers. Then
speak your sentiments in your editorial
columns only, and in yonr reporteriai
columns show yourselves bigger than
little partisan editors. Eight thousand
people gathered iu the great tabernacle
iu Atlanta. Ga . last Sunday night, aud
each one of them will testify that that
NO. 2 1.
was the most eat: usiastic. sym ; Jfcetic
approving audience they ev r saw ; yes
your news columns beniggled, ter ig
gied, b<-lictiid and belied the whole
thing because : was not ou yonrside- I
would have reported a negro crap game
or a pr.ze ring or a dog fight or even a.
democratic pow wow more fairly than
the Constitution reported that occasion,
Iu conciu-loti, oovs, if you were writ
ing the truth two yc-ara ago in your edi
torials as quoted above. hasn’t there been
an immense reforma-ion in the politics of
'his state! or in othc-r words, the gang
has either got religion since you wrat*
those editorials or else you yourselrex
have fallen from grace.
Sam P. Jonhs.
P. S.—Say, Steve, the Pips say that
Democratic headquarters lied like a dog
a-trottm’ about thtir having anything
to say “r do concerning Governor At
kinson par’oning DuncaD, the accused
rapist, and the first thing they saw or
heard of it was when the Democratic
papers of the state began to criticise your
circular, “What Governor Atkinson Bit*
Done for the Colored People,” in their
own columns.
One more question, Steve. You sees*
to intimate, in your letter of September
14th, 1896, to J. A McCrary, Geneva,
Ga., that a colored brother got out th*.t
literature r and now Joe Sid Turner
comes out, over his own signature, and
said he got it our You don’t mean t
say to the public that Joe Sid is a “col
ored brother. ” do you? we,' who art
close to democratic headquarters, un
derstand that he is a whste man, and
principal keeper of the penitentiary <?!
the state, appointed by Governor Arki*-
son to that office.
Sieve. I told you your name vu
“Dennis,” if you didn’t sign up with the
Populistic chairman. S. P. J.
Why Not Be Fair.
The apparent disposition of the Jour
nai to color the condition in Georgia as
it applies to fair representation ou thf
board of election managers, is too ganrv
to expose.
‘ Is IS tP ’ UIS-V-rv , .I
- the arrsng-inents in th* _ntin
published do not agree with the head
j lines of the Journal,
For instance, that paper says : -4.. -.
! Populists will not divide iu Lincoln/
wfceu it appears that the Democrais
have not asked for a division. It wiH
’ be observed that the Populists are placed
! uudi-r the ban, without just cats.*, :a
this county. Contra to this, the sau*
■ paper s iys of Lee, a Democratic county,
where no amusement lias Ken made
“No objections in Lee.” This is a ffc
-ample oi the J a mil's iaekof faire.'s
porto.i thus far have entered into :a
agreement for a division of managers,
and yet the Journ.ilheads : *s s:cr v ", “Ail
One Way”—meaning, o: course, th r
tin-re wi.l be no objection iu any os cue
conn-vs to allow, ng the Populists ; ; r
repr -s u a i-Mi.
Tiie Commercial views with alarm,
the answers of many of the chairmen,
who evade the Journal’s inquiry with
-.toilrvas ons as "I suppose there wit
be no obj etion"; "It is customary
so’*; “Nsi request has been made
“We are a law-abiding people in tbis
county,” etc.
Now, i ill this a. esn’t indicate a dis
position to duty representation at ri*
last ;u nuts, then th- re is n 'tiling i:. 'rive
artful methods oi a politician.
The election in Georgia this year wiT
not be fair. That may be depended cr-
Tho marine .* has made up its mind T?
elect Atkins >n, if possible, by fair or
ion! means. The J urnal would be rbie
• see this if it should remove the
smoked glasses that has hitherto ob
scured its vision.
That there will be f : r re present a’ k 5
;in a majority of the counties is proba
: ble. But iu those counties where zh*
! machine wants to get in its work, never.
; This is the way the filthy work is to be
I done.
But even this w ill not wiu for Atku
son. We know that he will get th*
soild vote of a certain class of criminal*,
1 but Scab Wright will beat him whs
the respectable vote of the state. We
j verily believe that he will get from
: to 40,000 majority among the white peo
ple of Georgia.—Atlanta Commercial
Be sure your ticket reads Seaborx
(Wright for governor.