Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-10-12
GEORGIA CRACKERS.
They are Heart and Soul in the Peoples
Movement aud If Need Be viii Die For

Ihey are heart ana soul In the PeOpi6'S |
Movement aud If Need Be viii Die For |
the au'P.
In glaring contradistinction to to the
course of unscrupulous journals, such |
as some we coud mention, which |
strangle truth, smother conscience and |
prostitute their columns for partisan
ends, are the ways of sure enough /
newspaper. From the special cores
pondence of the Chicago Inter Ocean
we clip the following paragraphs re-
lating to public speaking in Georgia
1t would seem that the Kansas City
Star, if it had any regard for the truth,
should at least admit that there are
other issues in this campaign besides
the tariff, and apologize for publishing
the following stupid editorial:
Mr.. Weaver the populist presidential candi-
date, who has been in the south using consider
able time and the usual allowance of rope has
done what was expected OF him In q speech
at Atlanta he broke out with the statement
that there is no such thing as free speech in the
south The governor of Georgia and The chair
man of the democratic state central committee
assured MIR Weaver that they woulc protect
him in king any utt-rlnce he cared 10 mike
Mr. Weaver h.d little ese to say exccnt to -e-
iterate his first stat ment. The kind OF t., k
which Mr.. weaver in IL ged himself in is non
seaSe. 1t is ver3 HEely that If a man Of
Viewers caliber should come from the
south to the north and abuse the pfonle
for not at receiving his teaching
. as gospel, the would be jeered and guyed
! But he would not be harmed bodily. Nor was
! the popuiist candidate harmed in the south
! The whole trouble with Mr. Weaver is that he
/ is insinuating himself and his alleged issue
! where it is impediment to progress. The
tariff, which is the real issue south and north
| Mr. Weaver attempts to ignore and belittle
The southern congressman have stood a
| noble phalanX against the tariff tax iniquity
and the southern people know it, When Mr..
| Weaver breaks in and abuses the friends and
| neighbors of the southerners, it is small wonder
| that they resist it The invasion" of the late
Col Polk in Iowa was resented the same way.
| The people were indignant and did not disguise
| their Indignation, but Col. Polk too much
| OF a politician to break out with incendiary
| talk about there being no free speech in Iowa.
| Mr.. Weaver should consult his Chesterfield and
get a few points well in hand on the art Of be-
| ing gentleman
The occasion of the gathering was
joint debate between Congressman
Thomas E. Watson, candidate for re
election upon the populist ticket and
Congressman Livingston, who was
elected to congress as an allianceman
by alliance votes and who is now a can
didate upon the Bourbon democratic
ticket.
The Inter Oceans correspondent
says:
The meeting took place at Conyers,
small town about twenty-five miles
east of Atlanta. 1t was to be the great
event of the Georgia campaign 1t was
a cold, rainy day, but the wool hat
boys care nothing for rain and mud.
They turned out in force and some of
them started out after their chores
were done Sunday night to get there in
time to secure places close about the
stand and protect their third party.
Evangel White preached the new gospel
of deliverance for the south.
Col. Livingston took a large special
train load of pure democracy from At
lanta to see that he had fair play and
to cheer for him against the 'wool hat
boys His friends brought another
special train from Augusta, in Watson's
district. They had to import dyed in
the wool democracy from all the sur
rounding towns to feel assured that
they would have a fair and even chance
with the alliancemen who are to be
found in all the cabins dotting north
Georgia, and who look to Weaver and
Watson to give them sub-treasury leg
legislation, $50 per capita and freedom
from their present struggle.
The champions, Watson and Living
ston, met at the little hotel in Conyers
and the latter spoke of declaring the de-
bate off because of the rain, and the
lack of hall room to accommodate the
crowd of about 5, ZOO, who were stand
ing out in the wet. But the ''wool hat
fellows did not care for the rain, and
demanded that the fight proceed. Wat
} son was ready, Livingston had to be,
and they went out to the little grove,
where most of the people had already
assembled. They left it to a vote as to
whether the debate should be held and
the crowd voted yes with vengeance.
Col. Watson opened his grip, got out
his records and was ready, and one of
lieutenants held an umbrella over the
papers, while the colonel turned up his
coat collar, pushed up his sleeves and
began.
political debate in Georgia is con-
Quoted on the principle of prize fight
in the early days. The champion that
has the greatest number of hackers has
the best end of the argument and comes
out winner.
Watson seemed to have the crowd in
numbers and he certainly had it in
their determination to outdo the demo-
Gratis. They had the places next to the
stand. They cared nothing for the
rain and they hated Livingston more
than any other democrat in Georgia,
' because they considered him a traitor
\ to the cause of which he was the father
in the state. They also look upon Wat
son as more than human and because of
his small stature and lack of personal
| 4 ;oI
) privilege to protect him from men who
have greater physical power. They, in
their ignor IN ,e, considered him one
sent by higher power for their deliY-
erance. They were ready to fight Il
necessary, and there were a lot of long
neciled Georgia crackers sta nding about
with long knives up their sleeves ready
for business
The knives were the most valuable
property about them and cost more
than the old coats that they wore
Col. Peck, the peoples party candi-
date for governor. whose home is at
Conyers, had provided a place for the
meeting, and he had his hands full to
prevent a rough-and-tumble fight, in
volving the whole crowd.
Watson realized that he could precip-
lCaUe n5nG ana IN MS opening was
rather mild. He cautioned the crowd
to not cheer nor create disturbance,
and assured his followers that he was
fully able to take care of himself Col
| Livingston also asked the democrats to
keep quiet and allow Col. Watson to
| proceed without interruption. Watson
made speech of an hour and half as
an opener. but because of the Interrupt
tions. which could not be prevented, it
required two hours for him to deliver it.
he said hA was not there for "A fight
and would not indulge in personalitie.i
but although Livingston indorsed that
proposition, it was very much like a
fight in a few minutes
Watson's speech was an arraignmens