Newspaper Page Text
PAGE SIXTEEN
5? ZETTER I ROM MISSISSIPPI
Toomsuba, Miss., June 17,1907.
Hon. Thos. E. Watson, Thomson, Ga.
Dear Sir: I will write you a few
words, which will be somewhat un
gramatical, etc., but which, I hope,
will give you meaning enough to
know what I am driving at. And I
do not write this for publication, but
just for your own use, and if you
can get any ideas from it that you
wish to write on, then you are wel
come to use your mighty pen for
the benefit of the public.
I attended a big political rally
and picnic at Lauderdale, Lauderdale
county, this state, on the 13th in
stant. There were fully 2,500 peo
ple there. Nearly all the candidates
for state and county offices were
there, as well as Senator McLaurin,
of this state, and Hon. John S. Wil
liams, member of Congress, and can
didate for U. S. Senate, being an
opponent of Gov. Vardeman.
Lauderdale (Springs) is a great
summer resort, and has for yeais
been the opening place of state cam
paigns of this state, and whatever
the “big guns” say at this place is
taken as being representative for
the entire state.
Congressman Williams consumed
about two hours and fifteen minutes
in telling what he had done since
he was first elected to Congress, and
what he proposed to do if elected to
the Senate. I heard every word of
his *speech, and intended to send
ypu a copy of it, which I felt sure
the Meridian newspapers would pub
lish in full, as, their reporters weie
there and took it all down. But
there was so much of the speech that
the papers condensed it down, and
utterly destroyed the sense of part
of it. However, I wish to say that
you know his past record in Con
gress better than I, and as to what
he promised for the future—well,
there was not much of it.
He wanted to go on record that
day and at that place, to be his rec
ord in all parts of the state, that he
was utterly opposed to government
ownership of railroads, and would
be the next time we heard f om him.
He said that the South would be
permeated with Negro conductors,
ticket agents, etc., and that there
would be no way to prevent it. He
spoke over an hour on this railroad
business, and got most people to be
lieving as he did —but not me. So
I believe it would be a good idea
for you to answer this part of his
speech through your publications, as
he is (he minority leader of the lower
house of Congress, and you the
champion of government ownership
of railroads. He also took unto him
self all practical credit for the es
tablishment of the rural mail de
livery. saying that you was the first
to get an appropriation (of $10,000)
for experimental purposes; but that
you left it optional with the post
master general as to the expenditure
of it, and as a consenuence he (the
postmaster general), did not put the
appropriation to use. and that he
(Williams) was the ONE who made
it MANDATORY on the postmaster
general to make use of the appro
priation, and .that it was he (Wil
liams) who even went further than
you. making the appropriation $20,-
000. He went on to tell it all in a
manner to make it appear as though
you just happened to do what little
WATSON’S WEEKLY JEFFERSONIAN.
you did -more as an accident than that
of a well-planned proposition. It
was all I could do to keep my mouth
shut; but as no one was asking him
or any of the other candidates any
questions, I refrained, by the hardest,
from interrupting him. And to make
matters worse the Meridian Sfar, the
leading East Mississ : ppi paper, re
ported Williams as saying that you
(Watson) had got an appropriation
of SIO,OOO for rural free delivery at
YOUR HOME POSTOFFICE, thus
making it appear that you was
strictly selfish as to where, the ex
periment should be made. But please
remember that this last statement was
the making of the Star’s and not Mr.
Williams’. Williams had it bad
enough, and the Star put a “beauty
spot” on it. •
Mr. Williams also went on to say
that he was opposed to the repeal
of the 15th Amendment of the U. S.
Constitution, BECAUSE IT COULD
NOT BE DONE. Said that Governor
Vardeman was playing on the cred
ulity of the public when he tried
to make them'believe he intended to
try to get the 15th Amendment re
pealed, for he (Vardeman) knew as
well as he (Williams) that it COULD
NOT BE DONE. Said it was a trick
to get in on.
Mr. Williams also stated, and
wanted it distinctly understood, that
if he was not elected to the Senate,
that HE intended to see that Varde
man, or whoever was elected, voted
FOR or AGAINST government own
ership of railroads —intended to see
that they did not dodge the question
by being away from Washington, or
not voting. Everybody in Mr. Wil
liams’ heaiing can testify to this
statement. Now, Mr. Watson, can
you not show to the public where MR.
WILLIAMS HAS DODGED SOME
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS, just the
same way that he DOES NOT intend
for his adversary to do on the rail
road question, if elected?
I have not seen any of the other
newspapers of the state except the
Meridian papers; but I am confide it
that Mr. Williams’ speech, or part of
it, has been scattered broadcast over
the state, and, perhaps, out of the
state, and owing to the prominence
of Mr. Williams and you, and the
questions connected with you both, I
believe it would be a good idea for
you to give the matter some consid
eration in a public way. And if you
would like to get Mr. Williams’
“great Lauderdale speech” in full I
presume you could get the Meridian
Star reporter to write you a copy
from his stenographic notes. I do
not expect any reply to this letter
of mine, as you are too busy. But
hope to read something in reply to
Williams. Your friend,
R. E. THOMPSON.
BAER GIVES IN.
The boycott of the Reading rail
road by its former patrons has proved
effective. Caricatured, threatened,
waited upon by innumerable bodies
of irate men, and facing diminished
passenger and freight receipts, Pres
ident Baer, the man who scorns the
people, has had to give in, and grant
not only the former rates to subur
ban passengers but even lower ones.
His proud and haughty spirit hence
forth will be more subdued. —Boston
Herald.
THOMAS VrATSON TO ADDRESS
GRAND RALLY OF FARMERS’
UNION. /
Thomson, pa., June 22, 1907.
Hon.- Thomas E. Watson. •
My Dear Mr. Watson: The mem
bers of the Farmers’ Union of Mc-
Duffie county have decided to hold
a grand rally at White Oak camp
ground on August the 7th, and a
committee was appointed to cordial
ly invite and earnestly request that
you be with us on that day to make
an address. Hoping and trusting
that it wifr be so ’that you can ba
with us on ‘that day, we beg to re
main, yours most fraternally,
0. W. SMITH, Ch. Com.
.W. M. M’GAHEE.
.J. G. DOZIER.
A. M. BAILEY.
W. A. WILSON.
Thomson, Ga., June 22, 1907.
Messrs. C. W. H. Smith, W. N. Mc-
Gahee, J. G. Dozier, A. M. Bail
ey, W. A. Wilson, Thomson, Ga.
Gentlemen and Dear Friends:
Your courteous favor inviting me
to address the Grand Rally of the
Farmers’ Union at White Oak Camp
Ground, on August 7, received. This
testimonial of the regard of the
farmers of my home county is high-
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Very truly yours,
. THOS. E. WATSON.
One of the most general drawbacks
to individual progress is the disposi
tion to defer doing things until an
other time. The value of time by the
generality of people is lightly con
sidered. It is the most precious com
modity we have —upon the proper use
of it depends our every terres
trial good and also it is linked with
our eternal welfare. It is vouch
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we should be diligent in using those
precious bits in doing something that
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—Florence Vidette.
■■■-. ——
ARRESTED FOR SMUGGLING.
Commander Cameron R. Winslow,
one of the wealthiest officers in the
navy, the personal friend of Presi
dent Roosevelt and commanding the
c uiser Charleston, was arrested by
customhouse officers at San Diego,
Cal., charged with smuggling in cham
pagne, cigars and other dutiable arti
cles. The Treasury Department or
dered that Winslow be released and
that he pay the duty on the smug
gled goods, amounting to $205.