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Uncle Sam is not as straight a person as he should be. But the thing is done, and the soldier boys will no longer suffer from unslaked thirst. The delightful, the. innocent, the refreshing, the delicious, the invigorating, the indispensable tipple is even now ong root —don’t-cher-know ? —for the barracks, and the impatient thirst shall be quenched. JiOORAYI In the meantime, there sounds in our ears the wail of this one woman who said: “Oh, I would give anything on earth if my niece could break herself of that Coca-Cola habit! She drinks thirty glasses a day. SHE IS ALMOST A NERVOUS WRECK!” n a it The Populist Conference. By typographical error the date of the St. Louis meting was made to read November 28th. The correct date is November 26th. W M R Editorial Notes. By J. D. Watson. On Friday of last week, Governors Glenn, Comer and Smith met in Atlanta to discuss and outline a plan of action on the rate question within the states of North Carolina, Alabama and Georgia. After the conference the follow ing statement was given out. “Our conference has been most satisfac tory. We discussed conditions iti our respective states and we arranged to co-operate in the investigation of facts and law connected with the duty of our states to the public and to transportation companies. We will also co-op erate with other states which have the same problem. We regard the complete recogni tion of the right of the states to regulate the intrastate business of transportation companies as absolutely necessary. “No injury has been done to any corpora tion in either of our states by the exercise of the power of regulation. Increased business as a consequence of reduced rates required by our state authorities has in every case where fairly tried compensated the corporations. “We deplore the fact that railroad corpora tions have in some instances been damaged by the effort of their officers to disregard the action of our states. This has happened in every case where they have made allegations in the courts of sensational claims of injury contrary to the facts. “When the railroad companies cease their false cry of confiscation and submit to the duly constituted authorities, upon which alone rests the right to determine questions of pub lic policy, the railroad companies may expect a rapid return of public confidence and a restor ation of normal credits. The authorities of our states are at all times ready to hear from the railroad companies fully and to accord to them treatment not alone just, but liberal. “The details of our conference we do not consider it desirable to make public at this time. “B. B. COMER, Governor of Alabama, “R. B. GLENN,' Governor of North Carolina. “HOKE SMITH, Governor of Georgia.” The statement is a fair warning to the rail roads, and it is surprising to see such shrewd men as the railroad officials resort to such tac tics as they have within the last few months to get around the reduced passenger rates. If they had submitted to the reduction at the beginning instead of rushing to the Feder al courts with the wail of “confiscatory,” and the reduction had proved to be confiscatory they would have had public sympathy on their side and the old rates would have been restored. But their efforts to ignore State laws and State courts are fast driving the people to Gov ernment Ownership of railroads and we will railroad* owned and operated by the gov- WATSON*S WEEKLY JEFFERSONIAN. ernment within the next few years unless these greedy corporations change their tactics and obey the law as individuals have to obey it. Following the financial panic is the announce ment that President Roosevelt is being urged by the financial interests to call an extra sess ion of Congress to deal with the present finan cial situation. The financiers seem to be in such straits that they have even agreed not to oppose the Pres ident’s financial policies if he will have Con gress give them relief. No law that Congress can pass will prevent, in the future, such a condition as has existed for the past few days, until Government money takes the place of national bank notes. Senator Dolliver, of lowa, is now in Texas studying the Texas rate laws, and announces that a new rate bill will be introduced at the coming session of congress. It is claimed that the measure will contem plate Federal control of all the railroad sys tems in the country by a uniform law regu lating their stock and bond issues, and will aim to curb such stock transactions as those recent ly manipulated by E. H. Harriman. Such a law will undoubtedly be a step in the right direction, but there will then be a long way to travel before the people get the relief for which they are clamoring. PREMIUMS To get (1) Self-filling Fountain Pen which retails at $2.50, send 3 full paid new suhs to Jeffersonian Magazine, or, 4 full paid new subs, to Jeffersonian Weekly. (2) The Union Library Association Fountain Pen, send 3 new subs, to the Magazine; or 4 new subs, to the Weekly. (3) The Bound Vol. of the first six numbers of the Magazine, send 5 new subs, to either Jeffersonian. (4) The Bound Vol. of first three numbers of Mag e o azine, send 3 new subs, to either Jeffersonian. (5) Watson’s Buthany. send 3 new subs, to either Jeffersonian. (6) Watson’s Life of Jeffers'n, 4 new subs, to either Jeffersonian. (7) Watson’s Napoleon, send 4 new subs, to either Jeffersonian. (8) Watson’s Story of France, 2 large volumes, send 8 new subs, to either Jeffersonian. IF YOU ARE A SUBSCRIBER. WE WILL ACREE TO YOU IN ANY OF TH& ABOVE OFFERS, PROVIDED EVERY OTHER NAME YOU SEND IS THAT OF A NEW SUBSCRIBER. A Last Word on The R. P. D. Snub — Plr Lindsay 's Insult To The Gobernor. When one has been true to his people, through storm and persecution; when he has overcome opposition and ridicule, and done a good work for the masses—a work which car ries its blessings daily to millions of humble country homes—is it strange that he should feel hurt and wronged when credit is denied him? For the first time, the National Convention of R. F. D. carriers was held, a few weeks ago, in Atlanta. As a token of their regard for Senator Clay, who has been most helpful in extending the R. F. D. system, a souvenir was presented to him by the convention, with appropriate speeches of presentation and acceptance. For reasons satisfactory to himself the Pres ident of the Carriers’ Association also invited Congressman Livingston, Hon. Clark Howell, Hon. R. F. Duckworth and perhaps others. They attended and made speeches. In his Utter te Watson, Mr. Lindsay fives his excuses for not inviting him. Here is the letter. “Tucker, Ga., October 19, 1907. “Hon. Thomas E. Watson, Thomson, Ga. “My Dear Mr. Watson: “As you have expressed disappointment at not being invited to our recent National con vention in Atlanta I feel that it is not only due you, but also myself, that I address you per sonally, to explain why you did not receive an invitation. “As you, no doubt, know our organization is only four years old and therefore very im perfect. Heretofore we have had trouble in securing speakers to address us, and I had no reason to believe that this year would be an exception to the rule. Our conventions are purely business meetings conducted by men who are trying to improve their conditions and to study our duties in order that by so doing we may, from day to day, increase our efficien cy until we shall finally be able to bring about the consummation of those lofty ideals which evidently prompted you, the founder of our service, in contending so long and faithfully for its installation. “It is needless for me to recount to you the trials, pitfalls and numberless small things which I, as the National president, have en countered. I feel that you know them already. Suffice it to say that, after two years of cease less work, often night and day, I have suc ceeded in placing our organization in a thriv ing condition, but at the expense of that which, I fear, nothing can restore, my health. “In arranging for the Atlanta convention, it had been my intention to not only invite you to address us but to make a special appeal to you to accept, as I felt that it would do us good to have you give us a talk. Your reply to Mr. Deßrosse caused me to almost give up hope of getting you to Atlanta, but I kept thinking that I would invite you anyway;about two weeks before the convention I received a telegram from northwest Louisiana stating that a/ \g lost brother was dying and that he v, chme to come to him at once. “I found him over thirty miles out ‘in the woods at a lumber camp,’ and for ten days an older brother and I almost contended with death and finally succeeded in getting the stricken brother to the Shreveport Sanitarium, I arrived in the city of Atlanta only about thirty-six hours before the convention open ed, too late to make any arrangements other than had been made. “I was in no shape to think of anything and as a consequence my part of the arrangements was very imperfect. No one feels the discour tesy to you mofe than I, Mr. Watson, and I have written you in this open manner in or der that you may thoroughly appreciate the circumstances under which I was laboring. I hope you will take this communication in the spirit in which it is written and that you will accept my assurance that no discourtesy was intended. “Assuring you of my sincere respect, I am, “Yours very truly, “(Signed) PAUL L. LINDSAY, Pres. “P. S. I wish you to know that I do not attribute the effort to ruin my good name now on in Atlanta, to you.” In this private letter, Mr. Lindsay, flatter ingly alluded to those “lofty ideals” which evidently prompted Watson, “the founder of our service,” in contending “so long and faith fully for its installation.” Yet in the card which he sent to the Journal he said: “The rural carrier cannot, just at this time, say who his daddy was, but he stands ready to swear that he has been a muchly neglected offspring.” The date of the card in the Journal is Octo ber 16th. The date of his letter to Watson i« October 19th. Writing a card for the public, Mr. Lindsay profeased not to know who the “daddy” was. (Continued on Pa<« Twelve.) PAGE NINE