The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-23
THE THIRD PARTY IN THE SOUTH.

"A Movement Which May Make Georgia a Re-
publican State.
| Atlanta tGa) Special.
Sam Small has made havoc. sure enough
| this time"
The speaker was one of Georgias most prom
| inent Democratic politicians. who has
| held Office not only under the State but the
| national government His emphatic words were
| called forth by the mention of what is known
| as the third party movement in Georgia. which
| means the movement towards the thorough or
ganization of the Prohibitionists of the State
| into political party. The Democrats are badly
| scared, and they have reason TO be. Georgia is
! full of earnest Prohibitionats. The Democratic
| leaders have succeeded in the past in keeping
the prohibition question out of politics, bur It
looks now as If all efforts in this line would be
unavailinR for Sam Small is here, and, as ma
tional organizer of the Prohibition party for
Georgia. has begun a red-hot fight.
The condition of affairs in this Empire State
of the South has been rather peculiar. Although
the State has been full of Prohibitonsts, the
Prohibition party has never been strong The
bitter race prejudices which have kept the
whites in the Democrats party have dominated
all other feelings, and men who wore the strong
est kind of Prohibtionists under the local-option
law were also strong In their allegiance to the
Democratic party. But the old order of things.
Is being done away with. For four years the
Prohib ition party has had strong State organ
ization, and while little has been done openly
the leaders OF the party have been assiduously
at work spreading the third-Darty idea. '.n
you for prohibition you are for national pro-
hibtion and the national Prohibition party; il
are against prohibition That has been their
argument and it has been . most potent one.
The Prohibition party has gained strength daily
Recent defeats in different counties, and espe-
cially in Atlanta, under the local-option act,
have aggravated the feeling aud there are ten
party Prohibitionists to-day whore there was
one in 1884.
The campaign opened up by Sam Small Sam
Jones and their colleagues has developed won
derful strength Me whose Democracy has
never been questioned found in the of
sne fight The Democrats leaders have given
the alarm. and everything that can possibly be
done will be done 10 check the growth of the
third party idea. ''The great danger, contin-
ned the speaker, whose forcible remark is
quoted above, lis this. OF course. this whole
thing is being run in the interest of the Repub.
hcan party. We all see that. and very shrew6
scheme it is. To split the white vote means big
fight, and big fight means that the negro vote
will be BOILED and will be counted. Now, the
Republicans care nothing about carrying the
State. either for the presidential ticket for the
State ticket. They are after Congressman.
Congressional districts have undoubted negro
majorities, and they are calculating carrying
these with the AID of the Prohibitionists."
rs there any dangerf"
'.Dangerl Why, of course there is. 1t will
be the easiest thing in the world for them to do
IL they 60 at 10 right. and those fellows
schemers, let me tell you. You don't catch Buck
and Bullock mapping. BY judicions nominations
in the congressional districts they will capture
at least six Congressman from Georgia. fight
on the prohibition question means the polling of
a full white and colorsd vote. Such fehts have
always resulted in the counting OF all the votes
cast, and this means Republican victory. tell
you there is danger ahead"
This view of the situation seems to be shared
by all of the Democratic leaders. The enthus-
iasm amoug the Prohihi onists, coupled it il
with apathy among the Democratic masses, is
bound to be big power in Georgia politics this
year A thorough canvass of the prohibition
question will undoubtedly mean q big split The
leaders do not hesitate to claim that they will
have Senator Colq uitt with them. and if that 10
true Georgia 10 going to political revolu-'
ton. Whether it amounts to that or not it 10
going to be interesting. Sam Small is in the
fight TO stay He is an aggressive political
fighter. and as he hopes to be Prohibition can
didate for Governor he is going into the thing
for all he is worth.