The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-31
A LETTER FROM GORDON .
HE DENIES ABSURD CHARGES BY
THE PEOPLES PARTY.
He Explains That he Did Not Vote

Erect a Monument to Negro Regi-
ment-His Views on the Political
Situation.
ATLANTA, GA, July 3O.-The following
open letter from United States Senator
John B. Gordon Of Georgia. written in re-
ply to one from Capt. H. w. Johnstone of
Gordon county, Georgia, is published.
ATLANTA, Ca, July "a, 1892.
Capt. Ruger W. JohnStone, Rocky Creek p. o.,
Gordon County, Georgia:
MY DEAR CAPT. JoHNsToNE-It Is not neces-
sary in Georgia. l trust, for me to deny the alb
surd charges made by the speaker Of the Peo-
pies party, to which you call my attention, and
which you so justly and vigorously de-
nounced at the time. The charges are shame
fully false and without shadow of truth or ex-
cuse. l neither voted to extend the bonds OF
any Pacific railroad to 100 years; nor did vote
to appropriate to any Pacific railroad 6o,OOO,-
600 acres of land And, OF course, l did not
vote to give 100000, or TO appropriate that or
any other sum ITO build a monument to negro
regiment"
While appreciate most fully the Indignation
Of my friends, do not wish to tax them either
TO deny or denounce the miserable falsehoods
uttered by my political enemies. Their mo-
tives are transparent. They hate without cause
and lie without conscience l have ceased TO
grow angry with them or TO be disturbed by
them. My sole emotion, SO far as am person
ally concerned, is one OF pity and unspeakable
contempt
THE GENERAL POLITICAL SITUATION.
| am, however, deeply concerned about the
political situation. 1t seems to me that Geor-
gia Is In deeper danger than at any time since
1868; for, although we had not then rescued the
state from the carpet-ba9gers' clutch, yet our
people were so united aud determined that the
day Of delverance could not be long postponed.
Now, we are divided into fractions and the
political sch!smatics are waRing most unjust
and bitter warfare upon the party which saved
fha Ffu nffNl orxra nd
security through a we'll ordered and faithful lily
administered state government. When these
false teachers can find followers among honest,
brave aud truehearted southernsrs,
it Is time for apprehension. If
their ISLANDERS simply turned the ig-
noraut and thoughtless against individual
democrats, IL would be matter of compare
lively small moment; but, when they succeed in
deoeiving the people and in leading them into
open hostility TO tho only national party through
which we have the remotest chance for flnan-
cial relief, for safety from federal marshals at
the polls, it is time TO reght the old signal fires
on the hilltops and to summon again the true
men OF the state to their place in line The time
has come for appealing TO the common sense Of
the people-to their patriotism and pride OF
race-to their faith in southern honor, and to
their instinct of selfpreservation.
HONEST MEN IN THE PEOPLES PARTY.
There are many honest men In this third
party movement We must demonstrate, as
we can, that they are being deluded by false
government of their own special selection, and
against whicl rot one word of Just crit cism
has been or can be uttered We must show
them that they are being fed upon false
promises and deceptive hopes which by no
possibility can be realized; tnat neither free
coinage of silver nor any other measure of
relief can ever be secured by a third party IN
this country, because that party hnS not now
nor will ever have. any following OF consequence
outside OF the south and a few un.mportant
western states,
FRsE COINAGE MUST COME.
Free coinage and all other righttul measures
of relief can be secured through the DEM
ocrstic party ii wa act in concert, because with
the honest men of the Peoples party united
with the democrats we lave an immense pap
ular majority in the union and can surely de-
feat the Republican party at the polls. Then
the friends of free coinage and OF financial re-
form would constitute great majority OF the
Democratic party and would, of course. control
its policy at Washington.
POTENTIAL FOR EVIL, INPoTEET FOR GOOD.
On the other hand the Peoples party is ab-
solutely impotent as above stated except for
evil. 1t is stroug to pull down but hopelessly
weak to build up. 1t is herculeau in power TO
hurt tue south, but utterly poweress to help
us. Though it cannot destroy the democratic
prospects 1t can diminish them, but 1t will, and
does, give comfort and courage to republican
enemies. 1t Is causing desertions from the
democratic battle Ines while It unites and ra-
lies republican ranks which assail MS with sec
tional ate in their hearts and the force bill in
their hands
Every man of common sense must see that
the most probable results of the third parry
movement are the continued triumph OF the
Republican party in the union and the destruc-
tion Of white supremacy IN the south.
CoKoUAL WITH THE REPUBLIC.
OF course | do not pretend to agree With
everything done by the Democratic party; but
l do assert that taken all In ali. iE is by far the
safest reliance fer the 18th, the truest bodest,
strongest defender of the constitution and OF
popular rights. 1t is the most indestructible
poLtical organization that has ever appeared ia
history II has ssen many other great partei
organize and flourish for time and pass away.
IL has added more of territory to the union,
and Of glory aD,,insd to It's hak bds nan ,ivss s
through foreign and civil wars, and
through scbisms in its own ranks, and will
OF necessity continued 90 live, whether Victori-
GUS or defeated, az long al free government
lives. II cannot die until the republic dies, for
its principles are essential 10 the republics life.
1t stands TO day where IL stood when Jefferson
formed It, the unconquerahle champion OF con-
stint ona limitations upol federal power. Of
Independent state government and OF equal and
exact justice 10 all sections and citizens. Its
life Is Important TO all. To the south it is
necessity,
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO DIVIDE.
Suppose the democrats are not agreed among
themselves in all respects. Can we afford on
this or any other account to divide while an az
gressive sectional 1igat H. maie upon us!
OF silver at the ratio OF sixteen to one and an
Other democrat prefers free coinage at the ratio
of twenty 10 one? Are such Insignificant con-
sideratons to divide us, while we are threatened
with g legion Of financial, social ard political
woes through the infamous force billg
CAUSE OF THE Low PRICE OF COTTON.
it is strue-distressingly true-that our people
are financially embarrassed and depressed
This is due i'll part to unnecessary tariff taxa
tion and TO class legislation by the Republican
party II is due in part TO an insuficiency OF
OF currency In the country; but IL ia
We have madB more cotton than the world
wants aud less provisions than we want There
are. | believe, 100000 more bales left
over from the last crop than we're ever before
on hand at tois season. II we had made
5C000OO bales last year instead OF 100000
bales no combination on earth could have kept
cotton down under l2 cents per pound. Sta
tistics snow beyond cavll that the price of cot
ton is put up or put down far more by the mum
Der OF bales on the market than by the number
of dollars in circulation. II we would have our
cotton crop and doubls our provision crop It
wo I'D not be five years until we would have
Wall street ana the world at our feet.
But, whatever be the cause OF the depression,
we arc not going 20 find relief by breaking
down the Democratic party and aiding the Re
publican party to retain control. Tho msn is
on the verge Of idiocy who thinks he can find
relief from present ills by Indirectly aiding the
Republican party TO inhct upon us, through
federal election laws 1000 times greater Ills In
the Decentralization OF our labor, and in the
political turmoil and race conflicts, which such
legislation viii produce.
THtRp PARTY LEADERS AND THK FORog BILL