Newspaper Page Text
CLARK HOWELL'S
Brunswick Journal Shows
Why He Overwhelmingly
Leacs for Governor.
VM#*
(Editorial Correspondence Brunswick
Journal.)
Atlanta, February 22.—I cante up to
Atlanta yesterday purposely to see the
farmers of Georgia in general assembly
to organize the Georgia section of the
Southern Cotton Growers' Association. I
knew that these representative men
from ’all Sections of the state would be
able to furnish some valuable Intima¬
tions concerning current politics in their
several sections of the commonwealth. 1
was anxious to meet and talk with such
of these men as are accustomed to know
and. voice tht* sentiments from Dade to
Chatham, and from Richmond to Musco¬
gee. I was sure that in this way 1 ccr.tfl
get a pretty fair notion as to the guber¬
natorial situation at this stage of the
game. I mingled freely with many of
these old friends, some of whom I have
known in political intimacy for more
than thirty years.
I may as well say frankly to begin
with that after talking with perhaps a
hundred of these gentlemen, I found a
prevailing opinion among them that the
race for the governorship next year, no
matter who may enter it meanwhile,
will settle down to a final grapple be¬
tween the friends of Hon. Clark Howell
■and such other candidate as may appear
to be his strongest opponent.
As to whom that strongest man will
be, there are wide divisions of opinion.
Seme say it will be Colonel Estiil, of Sa¬
vannah; others that it will be Hon. Pope
Brown, of Pulaski, and yet others hang
upon jhq, possibility of Hon. Joe Hill
Hall developing a strong following ny
his actions in t ,«a next session of the
general assembly oo strong are Uie
representative partisans of each of these
gentlemen in their personal favoritism
tor their candidates that even now it is
growing apparent that it will be impos¬
sible for them to get together upon one
compromise candidate or consolidating
into a cohesive body the voters who, for
one cause or another, are not Initially
favorable to the nomination of Clark
Howell.
If is equally apparent from the opin¬
ion expressed among these farmers, mer¬
chants and others gathered in the con¬
vention that the leading candidate over
all others at this time is Mr. Howell. All
that is said to the contrary is by men
who have simply a personal preference
for another candidate or who think their
sectional bias should lead them to sup¬
port some man from their own division
of the state.
At any rate, I think it safe to say
that if the nomination for governor had
been made yesterday by this convention
Mr. Howell would have received that
nomination by a three-fourths vote of its
members.
These discoveries among the delegates
and the reasons given by them why they
favored Clark Howell’s nomination, lead
me to review his record as a public man
In Georgia, in order to discover the basis
of his strength as a claimant upon the
governorship, and I am satisfied that it
will prove interesiShg to the readers of
The Journal to know what are the ele¬
ments of his strength.
I remember very well that when he
was elected to the legislature for the
first time In 1836, which was nineteen
years ago, he was then a very young
man, just returning from the University
of Georgia, and not thinking at that hour
of prosecuting any political ambition. Be¬
cause there was a confused condition in
Fulton county politics at that time, be
was nominated for the house of repre¬
sentatives without his knowledge or con¬
sent. However, he entered into the
race vdth his native faith and energy,
and not only led the ticket in that first
venture, but as well in three succeed
lng races for the same place. He serv¬
ed the county with great skill and learn¬
ed rapidly the art of legislation. His
university training had prevented his
dropping into provincial or sectional lines
of thinking, and his immediate experi¬
ences ia the house of representatives
dealing with men and measures from all
parts of the state, confined him in those
■feelings of state-wide patriotism that
since have distinguished his whole polit
leal career. So that now it is a matter
of mental and psychic impossibility for
Clark Howell to put himself under the
pig tail and into the pinched wooden
shoes of a Chinese sectional brand of
statesmanship. !
During his first two terms in the leg
islature the farmers' movement began to
grow in Georgia, and finally took shape in
the Farmers' Alliance. It grew and
sventuaily dominated the politics of the |
state, so that when the legislature of
1889-1890 met it was found V ? t H had
In its membership more farmers and
fewer lawyers than any legislature that
had ever before assembled in the state
of Georgia. Of its one hundred and
seventy-five members, there were, as I
recall it, not more than a dozen or so
who were lawyers.
Yet it was that legislature, having
Clark Howell's record of four years’ leg
islative service before them, that elect¬
ed him the speaker of their house of rep
resentatives. It seemed a singular thing
for them to do, but farmers, as a rule,
are mote generous and grateful than tho
common run of men. They recommended
that The Atlanta Constitution, with
which Mr. Hcwell was connected edi¬
torially. had always shown sympathy
with the farmers and given an undivided
support to their interest in every event
of commercial or political stress. They
also knew that Clark Howell himself,
during the preceding four years on the
floor of the house, had stood manfully
for the farming people of Georgia, and
had supported effectively all of their
righteous demands. They looked upon
him as a fair and sympathetic friend,
whose alignment was always on the peo¬
ple's side, and hence they elected him.
practically without opposition, to presiuo
over a house of representatives in which
they had undisputed control.
A Unique Precedent.
It was in this Farmers' Alliance legis¬
lature that Mr. Howell established a
unique precedent. In making up tho
various committees of the house it' be¬
came necessary, because there were so
few lawyers in the body’, to appoint a
part of the judiciary committee from
among the ranks of the farmer mem¬
bers. It had been usual from time im¬
memorial to fill the judiciary commit¬
tee with lawyers only, but in this case,
and in response to request of many
farmers in the body, Speaker Flowed
put several of the strongest farmers in
the house on this purely law commit¬
tee. This was not because they as¬
sumed to be up in the details of law
and litigation, but because in making
laws for all the people the farmers are
as much interested in their nature aucj
application as are the people who are
afterwards to construe and execute
those laws. It is just as possible for a
tanner to understand and be interested
in the general principle of the law. and
foresee the possible result of Its appli¬
cation and enforcement, as it is for law¬
yers, judges or other intelligent laymen
to do such things; and the farmers of
the state have not forgotten this proper
recognition that was given them in de¬
termining the legislation during the life
of that general assembly.
As to the record of that general as
s t nibly itself. which was popularly
known as the “Farmers' Alliance legis¬
lature,'’ it may he recalled that it im¬
posed the lowest tax rate of any general
assembly from its time until now, cover¬
ing- a period of sixteen years. That of
itself is a great fact to its credit.
It will be remembered that it was gen,,
erally predicted by others than Ihe
farmers that when the alliance legis¬
lature got into power the first thing it
would do would be to attack existing
political and Industrial interests In the
state, and substitute for them radical
and fanatical alleged reforms. But
what did it do? It was the first legis¬
lature in Georgia to make an annual and
permanent appropriation for the support
e the Georgia state troops. It estab
.. fqs-- .m, ‘brut - rnnual
maintenance appropriation for the Uni¬
versity of Georgia. It was exceedingly
liberal, also, to all the other state edu¬
cational institutions, including the public
schools, and in these, and many other
respects, made a most unique legislative
record. In the accomplishment of all
these things the farmers had the intelli¬
gent, progressive mind and skillful guid¬
ing hand of Clark Howell, their speaker,
and to his influence can he truly at¬
tributed much of the credit of these wise
and enduring acts of legislation. The
farmers of the state, at least, have not
forgotten his early loyalty to their in¬
terest and scarcely ever refer to their
absolute regime in Georgia lolitics with¬
out applauding the cooperation and lead¬
ership of Speaker Howell.
A Complimentary Abrogation.
Mr. Howell did not offer for reelection
to the house to serve a fourth term, be¬
cause of the death of Henry W. Grady.
He was called upon to succeed that la¬
mented editor and orator in the future
conduct of The Atlanta Constitution, but
his fellow' citizens would not allow him
to remain out of the public harness. Ha
was taken up over his protest and elect¬
ed to the state senate, serving two
terms, covering a period of five years,
and during ail of which time he served
as president of the senate. It was in his
senatorial district, and in his case, that
for the first time in the history of tne
state a senatorial district abrogated the
rotaton system in order that its senator
might succeed himself and continue his
presidency of that body. TTe has' been
president of the senate for the past five
years.
Something has been said since tha
gubernatorial question came up with thj
kiew of identifying some of the candi¬
dates with or against the railroad inter¬
ests of the state. In that matter I think
Clark Howell’s record will be found un¬
assailable by any candidate or voter.
I recall that in the last senate he ap¬
pointed as chairman of the judiciary
committee Judge IL H. Perry, of the
Gainesville district. any' Now, if there was
in the sena te man who stood out
conspicuously as one unidentified with
corporation interests, it was Judge Per¬
ry, the man who Introduced and fought
for a bill to abolish the free pass sys¬
tem in Georgia.
The gallant fight that he made for
that measure is not forgotten, nor will
he permit It to be forgotten, alnce he
has already said that he will vigorously
prosecute this same abolition measure in
the next session of the general assembly.
I s absolutely without any corporation
interest, not under any domination, but
generally always regarded as the open
°W>cnent of anything affecting adverse
U the People’s interests. For chairman
°f the railroad committee, President
Howell appointed Senator Henry A. Mat
^ews, vt Houston county, who is th»
man whose entire alignment has been
regarded as on the other side from the
ra ‘‘ roa< ^ s * n any issue raise a between
them “"■* and the interests of the common
people. Henry A. Matthews' "character
is such as to give assurance that a fair
ueai and an honest, patriotic decision
may be expected by the people when
their side of extreme railroad proposi¬
tion demand that it should be upheld.
Bo that, at least, no successful criticism
can be made of President Howell's se¬
lection of men To hf 3 the committees of
the senate that hat most to deal wiu>
vital interests of tb. people.
Unass«ilal e Record.
Mr. Howell also as an unassailable
record in favor • progressive public
school legislation, aid for the fair treat¬
ment of teachers of the state. He
fought for the Gil-' Normal at Mil
ledgeville, and the Rate Normal at Ath¬
ens, and the promoters and managers
of both of those institutions frankly
acknowledge their Ugh indebtedness to
him for his powc ful support. As a
trustee of the atati university he is tho
liberal and outspok i champion of every
proposition that i expand the plant
and increase the iciency and popular¬
ity of the unlvei y and it s faculty.
While* being a, c. istdnt friend of the
university, it has so been well known
that he has been e of the leading ad¬
vocates for years the exemption front
taxation on the e? rnments of sectarian
institutions. It t i under his direction
that that bill p; id the senate. He
was waited Upon Bishop Candler and
other clergy ren- *mlng the sectarian
colleges of the >, and urged to help
them in this le b . ion. He did so, and
secured its passage ''y the senate.
Railroad Oo nty Tax Bill.
I find that repi tentative men from
mearly all the c< ■atle* In the st* v „,
through which ralluiads run. admit their
obligation to Mr. H>well for the part lie
played personally, nd through the col¬
umns of The Atla a. Constitution, in se¬
curing the passag. if the famous Glenn
bill to give to all .- oh counties the right
to tax railroad p )parties lying within
their borders. Tb it bill had once been
defeated in the i.ouse, but when Mr.
Howell became ch irman of the railroad
committee of the f iouse, under Hon. A.
3. Clay, as speaks' lie got back of the
bill, not only personally on tile floor of
the house, but ed rially in The Consti¬
tution, and that 1 , .vhich nearly every
lawyer and railro 1 man in the state
pronounced uncoi tltutlonal and pre¬
dicted would not passed, was passed
in 1889, declared constitutional by the
courts, and has irought more annual
cash returns to G e counties of the
itate than any <<n measure that. i>n»
been enacted in < nrRa since tne civil
war. The receipts f m it have run
into millions or d >1 irs, and the writer
knows that the put of the hill, fa¬
miliarly known as Bi Glenn, of Whit¬
field, often made he]} gublic declaration that
Clark Howell’s did more t 0 pass the
bill than any othe on<- influence in the
state. It. is scarcely to be presumed that
any of the >-nilway phobiacs will hold (his
up as an evidence that Mr. Howell can¬
not be trusted to tand for the people’s
interest in any division uetween them and
’.-.a railroad inteic ts of the state.
T e Franchise Tax Bill.
But If any one oi them should so
presume, I would like to hand them
this large chunk cif bear meat to chew
and digest. Look at the matter of the
railway franchise act. That legislation
will yield trior,- to ie date In taxes than
any other oik >as been pat upon
the statute b gia in two score
years, it ha “ ne taxable prop¬
erty of th' h's source alone
It passed the i came «.o the sen¬
ate while Clar. /ell was president of
that body, x \ -member that every
bod;- among common people ue
lieved that it >u rv,t , s.s the sen
ate, and the irie | S ,f the railroads
predicted that why jt got through the
house it would nevr he heard of again.
For a while it did ag in the senate, but
Clark Howell too) the matter up with
Comptroller Gener.. Wright, learned the
necessity for the bill from that officer,
and took active hod of it personally and
through The Const ition and through his
efforts it passed tp- senate to the sur¬
prise of the entire tate.
.
1 took occasion ti .ntervlew Comptroller
General Wright \ th reference to this
calendar measure. He told me that if
it had been defea< ; jt would have laid
a heavier tax r. on the people of
Georgia, and that t iie present easy rate
in this state Is alm>^t entirely due to the
enactment of the i nchlse tax law. And
as to that law he t Jd that if it had not
been for Clark Ha. u’g taking hold of it
in the senate and ecuring a committee
to confer with hi), as comptroller gen¬
eral, as to the nr ssity for the bill, he
doubted If the fin would have been
passed at that s slon of the general
assembly. He fri giy avows Mr. How¬
ell’s very great sc-yice in the passage of
that measure.
Once more I m&y 8 ay that in the last
session of the a-nate there struggled
for its life a d-caln bill In which the
whole of south ■ • rgla was greatly In¬
terested, espeeln those who are con¬
cerned in our liniK . ltfe lumber traffic, ft
was a bill requii - all railroads carry¬
.
ing lumber to "'nig their cars for ttiat
purpose at their < vn expense, the same
as - for carrying 'ther commodities. Up
to that time our ;®rtfbfer shippers were
the only ones wh a d to equip their own
,
ca rs.
1 he bill came irtq the senate from its
committee with , ri unfavorable report.
Lx-Senator Lorr j Johnson, of Wiry
cross, and Captal- H H. Tift, of Tlfton,
.
were on the eonm tee of lumber dealers
from south Gobi r who came to Clark
fowell and urg'o Mm to assist them in
securing the pa 0 t that bill through
the senate. 1W Howell not only sup
InUU The Constitution the me ire * n the newspaper,
,ut came down from
the president's dr ontp the floor of
the senate with bill which was there
under an advers eport and marie such
an argument in k favor that the report
was disagreed t f ,. an d the bill was
passed by the me a te.
Now I am a rna n up a tree, and per
rJ PB ia W ' H ' ,eem » to me that
( lark , Howell’s ,, mg^athy and voting
ri tieal on
c occas • , B ha8 been on the aid*
j , the i people. ’-Lien
j cong [d or his eon.
stant interest In ,, ar public institutions—
the state sanltari.tn at Milledgevllle, the
School for tha Deaf and Dumb at Cave
opring, the Schr M tor the Bljnd at Ma _
con, the North Georgia Agricultural
college—and rem< rber that ail these In¬
stitutions have tor years relied most
strongly on Clar* Howell as legislator
arid the editor Of "tin Constitution to aid
them in their cr 8es before the general
assembly and t e people, I do not sac
how any of tho*. who are at a]] disposed
to be fair can .jseail his attitude as a
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Crawfordville, is .with us and will be glad to serve any of his old
Taliaferro friends.
Address all orders to
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Monuments, Tablets Headstones
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▼but the cauuty every GC or ( J0 days.
true, loyal, unst ctlona) and unselfish rep
. 4 J. n „ J Tf. < r,
the legislation of tha state for the past
nineteen years, and no one can doubt 'nig
qualifications to be a free and independ¬
ent governor of this state.
it is in the atmosphere not alone In
Atlanta, but in that which has been
blown in by this state convention of
farmers from every county of Georgia,
that the popular sentiment Is now strong¬
ly with Clark Howell. When everybody
Bays that nobody can be governor of
Georgia next time who Is not able to
boat Clark Howell In a poll before tho
people, it must be so. 3. VV. S.
GREAT SCARE IN SIGHT TOR DS.
Castro is Advised by One of H s Lieuten¬
ants to Invade the United States.
According to trustworthy advices,
the situation in Venezuela is unchang¬
ed. Castro’s attitude is reflected in a
pamphlet issued through one of his
advisers, in which plans for sending
.10,000 Venezuelans against New Or¬
leans are disclosed. The pamphlet
urges the public to avenge the id
suits offered to Venezuela by the
Americans and declares the invasion of
the Mississippi valley would he the
most effective means of curbing the
power of tile United States.
GOVERNOR Of AUBAMA Al HOME.
Jelks Returns to Montgomery Alter Ab¬
sence of Eleven Monihs in Ihe West.
Governor W. D. Jelks of Alabama
has returned to the capitol after an
absence of eleven months, during
which time he has been ill at Las
Vegas, N. M., where he went for the
sake of his health. He is himself once
again, and will assume the reins of
government immediately, relieving
Lieutenant Governor R. M. Cunning¬
ham, who has been the acting chief
executive during Governor Jelks’ long
absence.
HAY IAII S IN FAINT.
Secretary of State Takeo Aboard Steamer
in o Roller Chair.
Secretary of State Ilay was taken
111 Saturday as he was about to board
the White Star Line steamer Cretie at
New York for a voyage to the Medi¬
terranean and became so weak that
he was taken on board the steamer in
a wheeled chair. That his condition
was not. regarded as alarming seemed
apparent, however, as the steamer
started on her voyage without delay.
Mr. Hay has been in poor health
for some time.
-?7K
COMPLETE S
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Gin, Press, Cane Mill and Shingle Outfits,
i
Building, Bridge, r.actinoe V_> do Cl IT £j,S
Factory. Furnace, ■
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Railroad, Mill, Machinists' and Factory Sup¬
plies. Fittings' Belting, Packing, Injectors, Pipe
Haws, Files, Oili-rs. Ktc
|®*'(Just everyday; work 180 Hands’
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Augusta, Georgia.
BARBER SHOP,
Under Holden-Reid Hotel.
W. T. BINNS,
Tonsorial Artist.
Sharp Tools and Handled With
Deft Fingers.
Give him a callwhen in need of
work of this kind.
YOU SEE
These words?
Yes.
Well theiij if your advertisement
was right here or anywhere else in
this paper hundreds of people
would see it and txiy of you.
WILL IGNORE BEARISH REPORTS.
Southern Cotlon Association to[Publish Ac¬
curate Statist cs at Stated Intervals.
Absolutely correct statistics of the
cotton crop will be one of the main
features of work to b e done by the
Southern Cotton association. Reports
will be issued through the press of
the country every ten days telling of
the conditions of the crop, the num¬
ber of bales ginned and general crop
conditions. The association will have
re jmrt.B of Its own, and will not depend
on the bearish reports of the govern¬
ment.
MINI RS CALL UPON ROOSEVELT.
Invites Him to Make Address at Wilke
barre and He Accepts.
A delegation of anthracite coal mi
ers, headed by John* Mitchell, pres
dent of the Lnited .'Lne Workers
America, caiit-d on Lhe president Ss
urday to invite turn to address
meeting ot miners ou the occasion
his proposed visit to Wilkesbarre, Pi
next summer. The president accepte