People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-10-14
TO THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA.

Less than six months ago the cam
paign opened in this State. Not I'M
til the fourth of July was the new
party fully formed. From that day
the fight has been on, and the result
has been grand to the reform forces.
In three months of debate we have
succeeded in marshaling into the
army of reform over 10000 sturdy,
honest voters. Never did a new
movement accomplish so much in so
short time in the history of the
world.
This has been accomplished in the
face of the fact that the new organi-
zation lacked that compact and close
organization that the old parties
have.
This was accomplished in the face
of the bulldozing and proscriptive
policy of the aristocratic Democracy !;
in the face of the mortgages and the
debts which were Haunted by the
merchants in the face Of the people
who owe them. The tenants were
threatened that if they voted the
Peoples ticket they would be driven
from their homes, and in many parts
of the State their threats have been
carried out and the men who dared
to vote their convictions are without
home and their families are out of
doors on the charities of the world.
The colored voter, whose every
interest is with that Of the laboring
white man, was bulldozed, intimi-
dated, driven from the polls, and in
some instances shot for attempting
to exercise the rights Of citizenship
and vote as they pleased. By intim-
idation, by bribery, by the use of
whisky, by force, the larger part of
the colored vote was either cast for
the Democratic ticket or kept from
the polls.
In some places Democratic officers
had professional witnesses to swear
out warrants against innocent colored
people to prevent their voting for
the Peoples party at the State cleo
ton.
There is no doubt but the working
classes, white and black, would have
voted with the People if lei It unin-
duenced by the bulldozing And in
timidating process ofthe Democratic
party.
The frauds that were committed
in the name of Democracy at the
ballot box were many throughout the
State. in some places reports state
that parties watching saw the mana
gers change the ballots put in for the
Peoples ticket to Democratic before
they were put in the box.
This is the reason why Chairman
Atkinson and w. J. Northen refused
to request their party in the several
counties to divide managers of the
election. 1t was a premeditated
plan by the leaders Of the Demo
cratic party. The orders were sent
out for 10000 majority accompanied
by at least 100000 of Doodle to
bribe the voters Of Georgia.
With all the bribery; with all the
bulldozing and Intimidation with
the merchants and money power
threatening the people with foreclos-
ure; with the shotgun brigade driv-
ing the colored people from the polls,
the Democrats on fair count did
not secure over thirty thousand ma
jority.
There can be no question that the
honest sentiment Of the State is
with the Peoples party, and an hon
est, open ballot would have given
the election to the reformers by a
good majority.
There is nothing to discourage the
movement in Georgia. We must
meet the desperate and dastardly
means of the enemy with back bone
and determination.
At the approaching November
election let us have a fair election or
none.
We don't need men with cotton
strings for back bones in this fight.
We want men who will stand up for
their rights to the finish. Let no
set of men bulldoze you from doing
your duty. You have the methods
of the opposition now meet them,
and meet them successfully.
Let every reformer in the State