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E. H. MILLER, ED. & PUB.
VOL. XXXVI.
Stenographic Report, by D, 0 . Smith, of the
Speech of Thos. E. Watson, Delivered in
Front of the Court House, Crawford
ville, Ga., August 24, 1918.
As Mr. Watson appeared and’
mounted tlie table from which he
spoke, there was prolonged cheering
and cries of “Hurrah for Watson.”
Fellow Citizens;
It lias been 26 years, almost to a
day. since I faced an audience in
Taliaferro County in interest of my
own political atfairs. Across that
gulf of the years, made, aud forever
made, there floats to day many a
memory that is sacred to me, because
' of the fidelity with which I served
my people aud the honor with which
they have always been ready to obey,
to honor their State and myself
(Cheers and cries of that’s so.) (A
voice: We are still here too, Uncle
Tom. Cheers.)
I challenge any man, city or town,
rich or poor, to mention tlie time or
place where I ever faltered, was
ashamed of my cause, was afraid to
meet the enemy, and did not share
my fortunes, good or bad, with the
men who loved me then and the men
who love me now (cheer and ap¬
plause). (Voices “That’s good.”)
Thirty days ago,—confined to my
room in Jacksonville, Fla. with a
nervous breakdown, which baffled
several physicians before one could
be called in who mastered it,—if any
one had prophesied that I would be
standing here today a candidate for
Cougress or Jor any other office on
earth, I would have thought him a
lunatic. No man can tell what time
ora day will bring. No man who
puts liis head on the pillow to night
will know where his foot-steps will
lead him during tomo.row.
On mv return to Georgia, very
much shattered in health, broken
hearted, without ooocupation, I cast
about almost hopelessly, seeking
some opportunity to occupy my
energies, and my mind, and keep
memory away from misfortunes that
could not have been prevented and
cannot now be remedied. To my ut¬
ter astonishment there came lrom the
old Tenth District just such a move*,
ment as called Alexander H. Steph¬
ens hack to public life iu 1872.
(Cheers.) with an almost unanimous
voice those who had been my friends,
and those who had been mv foes, uni¬
ted in the wish that at this time,
when our Republic Is undergoingthe
greatest crisis thathLtory presents,—
at that time there seemed to beaspon
taneous demand throughout the dis¬
trict that the Old Tenth should be
represented in Congress by a stron¬
ger, more experienced man (cheers
and applause). During the afternoon
ol the da v before the last date set—not
by the Knox Hotel meeting (laugh¬
ter)—but the date set b y the
State E x ee u tive Committee and
published abroad throughout
tlie land, friends came to my
house and told me that unless I re
fused them tlie privilege they would
put up the assessment fees the next
day and enter my name as a candi¬
date for Congress. After a few min¬
utes reflection, 1 told them I could
not refuse, but that I would not com¬
mit mvself; I must have time to
think it over; I must have time to
consult my wife. I am not ashamed
to say that I did consult her.
Then I let the announcement be made
•that “my hat was In the Hog”) IWae
rtfady to follow my hat, and fight the
•fight tothe very end of the campaign.
(Cries of good, cheers and applause
and Hurrah for Watson.)
*OW VINSON ATTACKED »*,
TJWBDTO TRICK mil DISTRICT,
AGAIN 1
Let me clear away « UuUe of the
brushwood at the outset, so that we
will all understand wbat wo ore fie.
ing and where “We are ak M Wbeo
It became known that my friends
had not paid mv assessments assessments nntll
.a the 16th, the cry was raised by “King
i
Entered as Second Class Matter Every Friday at the Post-Office at Harlem, Ga.
HARLEM, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, AUGUST 30. 1918.
Carl” (laughter) A German name,
indeed—(Laughter) That my assess
ments were paid too late, and I could
not get in. Well, I immediately took
charge of the case and I went to
tracking King Carl, snd here is what
I found:—His assessments were
NO MORE PAID ON THE KNOX HOUSE
date of August 1st than mine
w ere (laughter and applause). Now
what do you think of the Old Tenth
District being represented—its hon¬
est manhood, its pure womanhood,
its growing hoys and girls—what do
you think of these people being rep¬
resented in the highest representa¬
tive body that the world ever knew
by a man who secretly sought to
throw me out, because my assess¬
ments were not paid on the 1st of
August, WHEN HIS OWN WERE NOT
paid, until the same day mine were
paid. (Laughter, applause and
cheers.)
Tlie first county in which I treed
him was Lincoln. The coon was up
the tree all right (laughter). His
check was placed with Secretary
Perryman just an hour and a half
before my fee was paid. In Colum
bia County my fee, a local check,
(cashable right there) was put in the
hands of the Secretary on the 15th
while King Carl's draft on his salary
was not lodged in the Secretary’s
hands , until ... an . hour or two after .
mine was there. (Cries of good,
cheers, and iiit him again.) In
Rlchmond county, a six vote county,
when was his assessment paid? Not
on the , - lirst £% . ol s* August, a * , . but . upon the
- lltb, afid if the 15th day , of . Aujnst , ,
was too late, U the 14th was, because
“The T7 Knox House date" , t was August .
1st. In 'Warren county his Roval
Highness Carl forgot lie owed any
assessment, apparently, because it
was John Evans, the Post Master,
who went and gave John Whitely
the money, and that was done, ac
cording to my information, on the
16th day ot August- Now, what do
you think, whatcanyou think about
facts like these? Trying to throw
me out because my fees were not paid
on the first of August, when he can
not show, to save his life, that his
fees were paid in a single county on
that day, set by himself? Was it
treating you honestly ? (Voices, NO
no.) Was it treating his opponent
honestly (Voices, No.) Is that the
fair play lie talks about ln the Au¬
gusta Chronicle, declaring that he
would not take advantage of any¬
body? (Laughter and cries of hit
him Tom.) He would not rely upon
“a technicality;” he is in favor of a
free field and fair fight. Then after
I had treed him and turned him
down before the State Committee,
lie took his medicine when he had to
take it (laughter). A man who plays
one trek will play another. (That
is right.) A man who will de¬
ceive YOU IN ONE THING WILL
FOOL YOU IN ANOTHER.
There is one tiling I will never do—
I will never tell yon a lie and I will
never play a trick an you. (Applaoso
and cheers anfi cries, “You never
Uavo.”) (Voices, <Vo always knew
It.)
T*r» state owifiirntii ttnani
KOUSLY FI/It IKS «N« t'AtU.,
Well, as I said t passed those mat¬
ters up to the true afttberitleo-t* the
State Executive Committee*, and If
any man has the slighteet doubt m
to ttio light of fay triono* to dswakd
that my xamo go on tho tldkofa, and
to §«e toit that jt |# them thin letter
ought to convince them:
“OrUBa, «k, AUtfttt 22. HR*.’’
"My dear Mr Watson-: You* favor
** tH ® aB< * W"** *• to
,e P*y *° I bog to *ky that I
h “ T * vrit **“* L. Gardner,
® f ** ComIMoo
, tohav. yonr name
pi n-ed npon the official ballot and
*,*,,*** &-4h* vH te to .eery e*.
cutive committee in tlie Tenth Con¬
gressional District notifying them of
tais fact. I thrist that this will
reach you before you open your cam¬
paign Saturday. Yours truly, J. J.
Flynt, Chairman, State Democratic
Committee.” (Applauseand cheers.)
Who does this District belong to
anyhow ? (Great Applause and
cheering.) Does it belong to any set
of politicians ? Ought it to he sewed
up in the interest of any candidate?
or should the gate lie thrown open
for all summer and a free opportu¬
nity given to the people to see which
one of these men should represent
them in Congress?
MY REASONS FOR BEING INTHERACK.
My motive for answering my
friends in the affirmative when they
requested the use of my name, were
briefly1 naturally desired to escape
as far as possible, hitter recollections
which W“l'e driving into a settled
case of melancholy. I desired an out
let for the lire that was in me and
the activities of which I still feel
myself capable; I desired that my
work, which had been stopped by tlie
suppression of my publications,
should be resumed, believing that
j could do for you in congress
what i could not do for you any
where else. (Voices. Good and
(hats right.)
the after war reconstruction.
I believe that there are new issues
movinguponthehorizon.notverydis
tant either; not such issues as have
be ?“ BettIe ?’ not tho8e thln " s wbich
belong to the past—conscription, V. 4 es
|Hona.g*s . so lorth , aiut , so on. thk
IiEQI8LATI0N that congrkss has
PA8SKD AND THK PRESIDENT AP
FROVKU BIN1)S MEi AB A LAW ABII) _
rNO cjtizen. (continued applause
ant j cheers.)
Another motive for my candidacy
besides serving you when these great
issues come up—was this: I wanted
to strengthen the military arms of
tlie Government (applause) and tlie
invincible mig.it ol the American
army by putting carl vinson in
IT- (applause, laughter and cheers
con ^' n,lt, d.) (Cries of hit him again.)
° arl has been awfu "y active ln P ut '
ting your boys inthe army; he lias
been awfully active in putting your
tenants, .your wage hands, your
clerks, everybody who is available,
into the army. That is alright, but
a man who is so fond of fighting,
ought to have a chance to fight tap
plause, laughter and cheers and cries
of “Hurrah for Watson” ) He is on¬
ly 35 years old (Cries of Amen.) He
is in his prime. My information
is that lie lias never found a daugh¬
ter of Eve yet that was pretty enough
to trap him as liis wife {laughter and
cheers. J He would no doubt be made
a captain at the very time lie offered
himself, and I can’t think of any va¬
liant figure presenting himself on
the firing line that would do more to
demoralize tlie Germans and to dis¬
may tlie Kaiser, than Carl Vinson
( Applause, iaugnter and cheers.)
VINSON THE AGGRESSOR AND PER.
SONAL AND POLITICAL ABUSE!
My friends, I had hoped that in
(his campaign, where the issues are
so mighty ttmt they will be lelt by
all the nations of Christendom for
the next hundred years, we would
have one campaign without abuse,
without mud slinging, withtot rak
grave yard#, as in the past, and with¬
out stirring up bad blood anywhere.
Bat, before I had said one ward,
.before I had even announced what
■ay plat form wenld be and what I
would try to do If sent te Congress,
there came out. In the Augusta paper
two articles headed this way: “Con¬
gressman Vinson lays Tom Watson",
rhe Chronicle’s editorials read the
same way. PwsiblyCnrl wastheanthor
of both; if not, Loyless wrutv both
Vinson’s "Flaying of Watson” is ln
(hesamestyle and temperas t-heLoy
los* editorials. The same mas wrote
both cad most ef us know that Ley
leas fa a good writer. Please remem
btr that ne matter what occurs hcre¬
a fter, that it was my opponent who
first made the attach upon person and
upon record.I do not intend to allow
him to make me lose my temper, or
to make me behave anywhere at any
time, other than as a gentleman
should behave, that if any bad blood
frets into this campaign it comes from
the attack, the unprovoked attack,
which Messrs. Loylsss and Vinson
made unon me inthe Augusta papers.
Mr. Vinson alleges—f will notice
his charges briefly in order to get l id
of them—charges me with having
opposed tlie Government since
April 2‘ 1917; and having split with
him BECAUSE OF HIS VOTE ON CON¬
SCRIPTION. That statement is un¬
founded. 1 have tile record to prove
it. 1 don’t ask you to take my word
against liis, I will prove it.
As to the espionage hill lie voted
both ways ( Laughter.) And if 1
would have to frown at him for one
vote, I would have to smile at him
for the other. ( Laughter.)
Ou the conscript hill I presume lie
voted as lie said he did, but as to my¬
self, when the Supreme Court settled
that question on an issue which we
had proposed to raise in a purely,
legal, constitutional manner,'I bowed
to that decision as I would to any
other decision rendered by the high¬
est court. (Applause and cheers.)
As you know, perhaps, I have been
away from the State, nearly all of
1918, owing to causes which most of
you know. During that period and
up to this.day, I defy Mr. Vinson to
produce—in person, or by letter, or by
affidavit—a single human being, man
or woman, who can say that I have
ever, in any way. opposed the Gov¬
ernment. (Cries of good and ap¬
plause. )
I regarded what was done as done
by the highest constituted authori¬
ties of the law, and being a lawyer
and taught to obey, I have-learned'
my lesson ana did obey .Today, T am
beinglicard for the first time since
September 1917, and you will learn
today whether I am a traitor to mv
country or not. ( Applause. •
AS TO OBSTRUCTING THE U. S. GOV¬
ERNMENT.
In the first place, soon offer the
war was declared, I being too old
for conscription or to volunteer, my
son, who was 36 years old, promptly
tendered liis services to the Govern¬
ment, WITH MV FULL CONSENT.
What greater thing can a man offer
upon the alter of patriotism than his
onlv hoy (Great Applause.) He
made that tender of service through
Judge Frank Park, who represents a
district in South Georgia. That
tender of service went straight, to the
war department, according to the
letter of Judge Park, but from that
day to the day of his death In Flori¬
da, my son never heard a word lrom
it. Let that pass.
Messrs. Loyless and Vinson say I
didn't buy liberty bonds (laughter)
therefore am unfit to go to Congress.
Would you wantaman who had been
stripped of Ids cash last fall, bv ac¬
commodating ids friends, i three ol
whom were in terrible financial
stress and about t» lose valuable
property,) to borrow money at from
8 to 12 per cent to lend to Uncle Sain
at 4 per cent ? When 1 went to
Florida, I went on borrowed money;
while I lived there, I lived on bor¬
rowed money; when I staved at the
Hotel Mason in Jacksonville, an in¬
valid. 1 stayed on borrowed money;
arid my fare back home was paid
with borrowed money. That monev
cost me from 8 to 12 per cent; and I
got jt from my factors Ramsey &
Legwen, and from the McDuffie
Bapk. Now, if yon ildnk that 1
ought to have borrowed money at 12
per cent aud bought Government
Bonds, If you think that my failure
to do so d.squalifles me to represent
the Tenth, why, then I vrtll have to
bow to your decision. But 1 consider
It a man’s privilege to render his ser¬
vices in the Way In which he can
make It most serviceable. I have ne
disposition la the werld te hide any
thing, but when I and my family by
necessary construction are placed
beside the enemies *■( my country by
e?e who seeks offico again by hie
artful “Knox Hctwe" methods, ]
will »»y this, there are some el
these bends In my family, and they
were bought fer my grand children
by mv wife with rents from lands 1
had given those children in years
gone bv. t Great applause and cheers
aod cries ef good.)
As to giving menoy t» H»« Ited
Cioss and the Y. M. C. A- Vinson
kfatod what was absolutely antrue.
As I have said often, toe oftea per-
PRICE ONE YEAR $1.5©
haps, I was in Florida at the time
aud sick unto-death in mind, heart
and body, but when Mrs. Hart, ou r
neighbor on Jupiter Island came to
the house in her collections, she got
a t least as liberal a collection at Tom
Watson’s house as anybody ever got
at Carl Vinson’s. f< Applause ) And
the money was borrowed money, as
T have said, at from 8 to 12 per cent.
So much about that.
CARL VINSON’S FIRST RACK FOR
CONGRESS.
They say that I fought him because
of conscription. I willprove to you
the shameless falsity of the charge,
in liis first race for Congress, lie ran
on the Anti-Catholic issue. He got
into Congress making a violentanti
Catholic si'Jech at Norwood, so re
ported in the Augusta Chronicle, and
reported to me by T. R. Massengaie,
over tlie long distance telephone.
Some of you know how industriously
f worked, in Warren and Talliaferro
Counties to turn the tide for Vinson,
because lie had got upon myplatform
against political Romanism, Mind
you, I don't criticise a man for his
religious faith, I don't religious critcise an v
human being for bis faith.
The faith of the individual is some
thing that i ft sacred, it is liis,
it is his conscience speaking to him.
I have got nothing to do with it. It
is none of my business, any more
than my faith is his business. And
I have never anywhere insulted, in¬
tentionally, tlie faith of any man,
woman or child that adheres to tlie
Catholic church, ( Applause and
cries of good.) But when any church,
Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian,
Episcopalian, or Catholic—goes into
politics and wants to chose ourrulers
and make our laws, then and there I
see red, and am ready to fight it ( Ap¬
plause and cheers.)
CARL, A8AUOMPOSITK JUNIORORDER
AND ROMAN CATHOLIC,
I belong to the Junior Order ol'tlie
United American Mechanics, the OIl
ly secret order to which I belong.
Carl Vinson belongs to the same or¬
der. He, as well as I, took the oatli
of that Order on our bended
knees. I cannot divulge what that
creed is; but if there is any Junior
Order man here to day, he knows
that when Carl Vinson secured the
support of that Catholic organ, the
Augusta Clironicie, secured the sup¬
port of every Catholic in Augusta,
got tlie cheek by jowl with every
Catholic in Augusta, the Junior Or¬
der men know that be is either i'ooi
ing them or is fooling the Catholics.
( Applause and laughter.)
But speaking about doing things
for one’s country, and investi'ugone’s
money for the benefit of humanity,
I will say want I have never before
said in public and what tlie public
does not generally know. I hold in
tny hand a copy of the deed of gift
that I made tlie Mercer University
four years ago when Iliad no thought
of seeking for your support for anj
office, what is that deed Brother Ten
drick? (handing paper). It is tin en
dowment of $6,000. made to Mercer
University to have and to hold for¬
ever, for w Init purpose? To support
four or five worthy, promising poor
young Men entering theireshinan’s
class in college. Ever since 1914, 1
have been educating five young men
every year; au(i if that endowment is
not ‘mismanaged, an equal number ol
boys, coining from among tlie hum¬
ble ranks oi life,—boys who can not
go to tlie State University, boys who
can’t go to any costly college, hoys
who hunger and thirl ‘ for learning
and shabby who hats may earry\^Siiatli iheii
a brain Stepps as gifted as that
of Alexander H. himself,—
will get their start in life on that en
de% meat. Has Mr. Carl Vinson
anything in his record that will
compare to that? (Applause and
cheers. 1 (A voice. If he has, let
him shew it. >
Caul's Record.
He has a record; he refers
to his retold; and is proud
af hi# record! Wher* is his receru
, Lasghtei) ? He certainly has a
record—saeh as it 1*. (Laughter and
applause. 1-Just as a jack rabbit ha»
* tali, snob as it is, { Laughfaj.)
When the rabbit is sitting down, you
■an not see it; wii^w h* i H coming to¬
wards yon. it Is invisible (laughter );
and when he fa going the other way,
t bobs up and down, first one side
snd then the other, until the mis.
<xp*rt marksman could not diaw n
•ead ou it. (A voice, No you could
No. 50.
not. Great applause and cheers.)
WIIATt FKLI.OUT WITH III M AISOCT,
■ * not fall out with him aboil?
conscription, not at all; l tell otlt’
witli him because he didn't do What
he promised to do in his public
speech at Norwood, and other placed,
and there are men here perhaps who
heard those speeches. f Friends over
t here in the audience nod and feay
they did hear it. • JMNK -v '
This same Carl Vinson went all
over the country counties of the 10th
District, in 1914. telling the peonle
that Joe Reynold of Augusta was
unfit, to go to Congress, because
Joseph had married a Catholic, sign¬
ed away his unborn children to the
Pope, and was allowing them to be
educated by the Catholic teacher.
Carl Vinson made a most bitter at¬
tack upon Romanism, in Glascock
County, ill 1915, and sent me a type
writeu copy. in other words, he
beat Reynolds and Evans both on
tiiis violent anti-Catholie issue.
hon king carl opens and shut
THE GATES.
When that artful Carl Vinson got
home in 1916, lie called for his corn
mittee. lie took them to Milledge
ville, and when did they meet? They
met on July 23, 1916; at what date
did they close entries? August 1st.
It seems to be liis favorite date,—
August 1st (laughter), In other
words, tlie people of this district had
little less tnan a week to find out that
the committee had met and to find
out that the gates had been opened
just long enough to shut it again.
Hardly a breath or air had the
chance to get through. Everybody
was shut out, except King Carl.
Here in Tlie Jeffersonian is an,
editorial paragraph on Georgia Poli¬
tics. 7th page, issue of "August' 17,
1916. There you will read how I con
demi ied the acts of that com mittee
and held Vinson responsible for it,
just as I then condemned liis deser¬
tion of his own platform of anti
Roinanism. He asked to draw up
for him a Rest^ution against the
Pope. What was tlifit resolution ?
4 is innocent enough. I wrote for
him iu parliamentary language, a
demand for an investigation of why
it was that our Government was re
ceiving' and hud for many years re
celved, an ambassador from a
church, namely,the Church of Rome,
\VF, SPLIT ON THE CATHOLIC QUES¬
TION,
We do not receive an ambassador
from the church of Mahomet, which
is bigger than that of Rome. We do
not receive ambassadors from the
Episcopal church. We do not re-,:
eeive amhasadors from the Germans
Lutheran church; we never did. No
Baptist ambassador, no Methodist
ambassador ever goes to Washington
to represent the church. The lope
of Rome is tlie only Ecclesiastic
which claims and exercises the right
to send a political ambassador to
Washington City. Curl was glad to
get that resolution; said he would
fight iorit. Gave me to understand
that he would tweak the Pope’s nose.
Gave me to understand he would
make all Protestants proud of him.
i Laughter). Wimthappened ? Noth¬
ing happened. Nothing has ever
happened. < The Pope s ambassador
is still at Washington, in the midst
of the War 'ilMmmrhiHsn well known
fact that the Pope is pro-German.>
Palling to get results i l Dill VliiHU. ‘i
ift tr two years of trial I lost confi¬
dence in my ferocious anti Catho¬
lic—ferocious in words us he now is.
i wrote him a letter reminding him
if Ids speeches of liis sDeeehes, re¬
minding him of what he promised,
and if I didn’t scorch him from his
head to his heels. I didn't do what I
meant to do (Applause and laughter.)
(Since then, the split between us
lias been complete.) Nobody had
heard of conscription then. Con¬
scription is quite a good thing to hang
quite a number of hats on, but it
want hold mine. (Applause and cries
“That is right.”) My position was
exactly that of HpeakerChampCIufk.
Loyless and his vinson attack
WATSON “VAGAfilES”.
In his caid attacking me in my
record 1 —I o o lid not otherwise men¬
tion hfa name—exceptfor hisuttoek.
■Some people muy think I ought not
:o notice this little tiling, and that
ittie thing; but how do I know what
.iiatiuau over yonder mavthink, and
tliisoneiv t lieiemay think. They
may tli ink Ufa no small thiog.nnd that
I ought to answer it. All right, so
(Continued on hack pit gw)