The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-08-13
LETTERS FROM TIE PEOPLE.
A Card from Colonel Cocl.eril.

"A
Editor OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES references 70
myself in The Atlanta Journal and Inc
Charleston News and Courier would seem
to create the impression that nave III
some way violated the rules of hosplIail'y
in the south by accepting courteSieS o.
then publicly maligning and abusing s ou'n.
ern people. / observe that however hluoin
1 may be accused of being mahSner Oh
the south no particular effort is maze 70
either print what L say or dlsproVe NY
public utteranceS.
Through your kindness I wish to say that
1 visited the city of Atlanta last spring
as the president of the international League
of Press Clubs. With a very few eNcep-
tions, l assume that whatever courtesleS
were extended to me in the city of Atlanta
were official and complimentary to the or
ganiZation which l represented. met
many pleasant and kindly people there
whose courtesies L appreciated very much.
L said nothing during my visit anywhere
in the south that L would not say again
and that L do not say here when occa-
sion calls for any opinion on my part
There are no better people in the world 10
visit socially than the people of the south
l am opposed to the majority OF them IN
politics. but 1 do not despair of seeing them
converted. / have said from the beginning
of the retroactive policy Of the democratic
party that another sectional fight was be
ing forced upon the country, and that 50
long as the south proposed to be a solid
section [ proposed to be with my section.
which is the north. l am opposed 10 the
theory that protection IN unconstitutional.
L believe that the policy OF protection viii
bring prosperity to the south as well as TO
the north. At all events, L am satisfied in
my own mind that free trade can never
make this u prosperous country, Tor we
have passed the point where we can be
made through agriculture. l am in favor
nj fs.ra
of the civil war, therefore L am hostile to
the dominant element of the south, but
for southern people personally have the
kindest Of feeling and can even make allow
ances for the ill-tempered and badly bal
anced editors who have personally abused
and maligued me.
The assumption that because visited At
lanta and the south and was the recipient
OF courteses 1 should, therefore, cease my
hostility to southern politics is placing,
certainly, a very low estimate upon my
character. I have never known a time yet
when L could be Influenced by d dinner to
sacrifice my principles. The greatest harm
that L have ever done the south has been
to reproduce in my newspaper the utter
ances Of fool southern eGitoTs-Utterances
typical of ill will for the union and hatred
of everybody who does not subscribe 70
what 1 am pleased to designate as Calhoun
ism. L am anxious 10 see tine material pros
perty of the south developed upon inJeili-
gent lines because nOChin5 would please me
better than to see every nook ANA corner
OF this great republic radiant with prosper
iuy. If the newspapers ii the south " hlch
charge me with being h1bituaIiy Siven 10
the abuse aud Vllihcation OF tnat section
Will print what 1 have 10 say PROVIDED
they believe il important eGOuSA-they will
greatly oblige me. That viii settle the
question as 70 whether / am printing truth
Or falsehood. L may suffer from misia-
formation, even after the manner of some
of nay brethren in the south but Iny purpose
is to tell the truth ana stand by H. always.
Very truly yours,
JOHN y. COCKERILL.