Newspaper Page Text
^WEDNESDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 25, 1918.
THE MILLEDGEVILLE, NEWS
Vinson Refuses to Accept
Nomination For Congress
While Contests Pending
Following His Statement The
Tenth District Convention
Votes To Adjourn Until
October 10.
WANT WATSON’S DEFEAT
CLEAR-CUT AND DECISIVE
Delegates From Wilkinson,
‘Taliaferro and Columbia
Counties Declare Elections
Had No Semblance of Fraud
Congressman Carl Vinson declared
to the delegates assembled to compose
the Tenth Congressional District con
vention here last Thursday that he
must insist on an adjourn-nent of the
convention until a later date in order
to let his opponent, Thomas E. Wat
son, thresh out his contentions to his
own satisfaction. He stated that he
was confident Jof the outcome and
that he would not consider acceptance
of a nomination with the least sus
picion surrounding it. His statement
put the delegates in a position where
tlrey could not contravene his wishes.
In his statement of the question Mr.
Vinson announced that he had not
been served notice of contest in any
county except Wilkinson, but that he
understood papers had been filed in
Columbia and Taliaferro counties.
Wilkinson Charges Deplared False
George H. Carswell, delegate from
Wilkinson county, made a ringing ad
dress in which he stated that the dele
gates from Wilkinson county, togeth
er with the county executive commit
tee and the managers of the elections
in the precincts questioned, were
there not only to ask for investiga
tion, but to demand it and that they
would not be satisfied until the world
was shown that the stigma that has
been cast upon the citizens of Wil
kinson county by Mr. Watson was
false in every particular. A large del
egation from Wilkinson county was
present.
Mr. Carswell recited in detail all
the incidents connected with Wat
son’s entry in the race in Wilkinson
county from the time of its inception
until the completion of the consolida
tion of the votes. He stated that,
•while he had nothing whatever to do
with the matter, the ballots were de
stroyed Just as they had been de
stroyed for the past ten years and
that Watson's most ardent support
ers were on hand to refute any charg
ies of fraud. One of Mr. Watson's
, strongest friends was on hand to sub
stantiate the statement. He had been
to Thomson in an earnest effort to
dissuade Watson from his idea of con
testing the Wilkinson county vote, de
claring it would do him irreparable in
jury in Wilkinson county.
No Fraud In Columbia.
P. B. Munday, delegate from Colum
bia County, arose to state that Co-
lumbia county, which gave Vinson an
overwhelming majority, wanted the
contest to go on in that county so
that Watson's claims could be once
and forever settled. He declared Wat
son presumption at contesting was
a fraud, that there was not one word
of truth In any of his allegations and
the ‘people could'count on the out
come in Columbia County.’
Taliaferro Election Fair.
J. R. Kendrick, of Taliaferro coun
ty, declared that he had had a hand
in elections ever since the war and
that never was a fairer or squarer
election in Taliaferro county and that
the county executive committee
would sustain the verdict of the peo
ple when the contest was threshed
out before them.
. Rule Made For Contest.
A committee to draft a rule provid
ing for consideration of the contest
was appointed, consisting of Judge E.
R. Hines, of Milledgeville; R. L. Mer
ritt, of Sparta, and W. Inman Curry
and they reported the following to the
convention, which was unanimously
adopted:
"In contests filed within ten days
of the primary: The democratic ex
ecutive committee of the several
counties In which contests have been
filed, or. may hereafter be filed, shall,
upon notice to the opposite party, fix
a time and place for the hearing of
such contest and proceed to hear such
contest and make a decision thereon
within five days of the filing of such
contests and shall within five days
thereafter make a report of their find
ing, in writing to the secretary of the
Tenth District Executive Committee.
The Secretary of the Tenth Congres
sional District Executive committee
shall then immediately notify both
candidates of the action of said coun
ty committees and either candidate
shall have the right to enter his ap
peal from said findings, which appeal
shall be heard and determined by the
said executive committee of the Tenth
congressional district, which shall re
port the findings to this convention
for confirmation cr rejection.’’
Burwell Chairman.
The committee was called to order
by J. D. Howard ns temporary chair
man and upon motion of Judge John
T. Alien. W. H. Burwell was unani
mously chosen permanent Chairman
of the convention. J. C. MoAuliffe
was named permanent secretary.
I'pou the statement of Congress
man Vinson that he desired every op
portunity be given his opponent to
delve into the questions of contest
submitted by him, Judge Allen moved
that tho convention adjdurn to me<$
again in Milledgeville October 10th to
continue its deliberations. The mo
tion was unanimously carried.
McGregor’* f>t»nng Speech.
While out Major Charles E. Mc
Gregor, of Warrenton, made a strong
address to the convention, declaring
that for 38 years he had followed
Watson, but that in 1900 watson had
filed a divorce proceeding against him
and that now he had made the sec
ond allegation and if Watson wcu:ld
promise not to sue for alimony the
divorce would be granted. He declar
ed that if ever any one needed a
friend and guide it was Mr. Watson,
for he would be saved from grievous
errors he is now about to commit. He
emphasized the fact that these are
perilous times, when we can not en
gage in serious matters lightly, that
the destiny of our country, the sanc
tity of our homes and the lives of our
children were at stake and everything
hinged upon the outcome of the con
siderations and deliberations of the
people. He pleaded for unity of the
white man, and declared that if this
contest was again carried to the polls
the white people of the district would
solidly support Congressman Carl
Vinson.
No Place In Democratic Party.
There is no place for Watson in
the democratic party today, he de
clared. If he finds a place it must
be in the republican party, and you
will see your registration list grow
blacker while the forces are marshal
ed against you, in hopes of garnering
in votes cast for Vardeman, Blease
and Hardwick, together with the ne
gro vote, said Major McGregor. If
this condition is precipilateH upon
you meet it like it was met in the
'70’s, concluded the speaker.
Considerable discussion of the sit
uation was brought about by Con
gressman Vinson’s attitude in the
premises and while the consensus of
opinion is that there will be nothing
whatever to come out of the contests
filed by Mr. Watson, it was generally
agreed that the action taken would
result in forever settling the disputed
matters and make Watson’s political
life a closed book, for hundreds of his
Colonial, Friday 27th.
JESSE L. LASKY
, r y presents V
Cecil B. DeMille V
PRODUCTION
HERE’S ONE YOU WILL RAVE ABOUT FOR WEEEKS TO COME.
He had risked his life to lay the plans for that Tunnel. With him, one hun
dred American engineers had worked night and day for a month to prepare the
explosion that would destroy the German supplies. Headquarters waited patient
ly for the glorious tidhgs. But there were sixty-five little Belgian innocents
who would be destroyed, too. So Jefferson Strong, American, threw army dis
cipline overboard, risked the firing squad, and upset a month’s hard work to
save the children. Whit would the Hun have done) We got his answer the
day the Lusitania was sunk!
best friends have declared their In
tention of surrendering their allegi
ance to his cause, because of the
groundless claims upon which he bas
es his contests.
Delegates.
Delegates from Augusta to the con
vention were W. P. White, j. C.-Mc-
Auliffe, W. Inman Curry, F. A. White,
S. F. Garlington, S. I. Busbia, E. 0.
(Continued on page seven.)
iv:
Announcement
We have just received a carload containing 20 new Ford Tour
ing Bodies and parts, which we are assembling on 1917 and 1918
■ ■
chassis.
These cars are all being equipped, with new tires,
radiators and fenders, and we guarantee the mechani
cal condition the same as we do new cars.
When these are sold we will
probably not be able to get
any more for a long period of
time.
Place your order now and get im
mediate delivery.
Benson Motor Company
Authorized Ford Dealers
I
* ' r ~ *