The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-09-17
WATSON DECLINES.
xH0T CH4LLENGE FEOMJoEJAMES
TO THE POPULIsT LEADER.
They Scorch Each other severeiy-rhe Cor
respondenco that Passed Between Them.
No Joint Debate VIII Occur.

exchanged between these two gentlemen,
dipped into personalities with a vengeance.
Mr. Watson refused to meet the distflct
attorney on the stump. He reflected severe
IL on Colonel James and the colonel Iost
no time In firing back, firing as not shol %
had been sent.
The Daily Press OF Saturday scored Colo
mel James severely for hiring ar. L.
Barnes TO roast Mr.. Watson. Inns '0
colonel denied in most emphatic iashion-
He was extremely indignant over what al'
peared in The Press and yesterday Openly
challenged Colonel Watson 10 JOINT N
bate in every congressional district al '"e
state. -,
The challenge reached Canton, where
both Colonel Watson AID Coionel 1iItsS
had appointments to speak today anu MI
George X. Brown challenged the P'Pu
lists for Colonel James To mce' N'io..ei
Watson. Last night Colonel JaiheS
ceived a telegram saying thaI 'AS N"''i
lenge had been refused
Atsg o'clock Monday night Mr. James, VINO
was stopping at the Kimhal' sent TO COLO
mel Watson. who was also stopping II tl'l
hotel. the following nOte-
Atlanta. Ga, September ltth. . . Ii, ~
Hon Thomas h. Matson-D-s.r Dir; L have
lust been informed by Telegraph that tHe
Challenge 7 left with frigncS L" meet you
in Joint debate at Canton tomorr'" mas
hen Declined l write To know fiom you
personally whether sucn Is the c'iSe or lot.
PLEASE answer by bearer; ana q s9s !;
In lew minutes Colonel Watson sent
this reply:
Nr. Watsoa's Reply
Atlanta, Ca. September u, lS9i-Hon. J.
s James, District Attorney United States
COurt-Slr: Your note has Just been handed
AS stated in The Daily Press Of Friday
last. l willing 10 meet amy memLer OF
the democratic party VINO holds the same
position in his party which ho!t ii NINE.
i Will meet Mr.. Clay. or amy amocratic
nom HWfal L
men who are candidates Tor the senate,
IL they wish L would not meet you under
any circumstance. simply because You do
not come zap 10 the rsIa which respect Tor
my party and respect for myself suggests
..There is, however. p special reason why
your challenge Is pcremptoriiy declined.
il is that YOU have Viiifetl me IN the most
unprovoslel ami uns.. 'i,leindniy manner
through the Ei-ed trIiu-er who runs your
paper. and because you have publicly re
peated the fGlsehOnds 81 this campaiEn
yaTn-makcr in speech made by You at
go these charges II yours and his have
replied through The Daily Press, denouncins
them i'm the Language they deserved.
In Tho Atlanta Journal Of today You
practically reaiiirm the charges which had
These charges concern my integrity as a
man II true. ! an. not an honorable man.
You have made the charges an have
denounced them as false Therefore, il
seems 10 me. the debate between YOU and
me would b. simply a personal u'i1r.cl, and.
perhaps. a pes mai collision.
II cannot have amy rai1 lions with I"au
who charges me with dishonesty. I cannot
have public debate with "a Eau l would
not speak TO IN The street. While this
charge IT yours stands uurctrI"teu Nca
must know that q series of meetings bee
tween Us would he hat series 81 personal
Quarrsls. into which the pu.,lic should net
h drawn At q Ireat mas meeting of the
people. Mnere men, y men anu Shiilfth
meet 10 hear governmental principles f1ir-
Is and decorouSly discussed. can think OF
Involve them in the Consequences ~
personal rlacoruuF dispute between Ncu
AMI me and IA the collision which might
SoIlow.
when an Issue between two gentlemen
reaches the stage where the lie has been
passed there H. nothing Il dehSte-so FAR
as public joint discus -iaas are concerned.
Won have said have acted dishonesty
You have been charged with the fa!Sehood.
Now. one of two things You should do: Prove
the charge through tiie public prints. where
your hlrcliuE first made it, or prove Your
self n gentleman ~ reiractins the charse.
Yours. etc THOMAS -. WATS'fN.
Chairman L. +. tx. Com"
Colonel james was very indignant, ami
sent this rejonder late last night:
Mr. James Writes Warmly.
Atlanta. Ga. September 10 1I:i5 p. M
Hon Thomas l.. Watson, hImhai House.
CITY Dear Sir. Your letter replying 10
ms note 81 this date has been received.
and contents noted, replying 10 which /
have to say ! arn not now the owner of
any newspaper Ur Interested in any way
in one I had a small interest only in TIE
DCUglasyille New South. mp u about AU-
gust =. 1885,. II which time II MAS sold.
IiIt prior 10 that date. from|'iSJS. have
not contributed. directly or Indirectly, In
any way 10 IL as a newspaper II has been
TN entirely and exclusively by the princi-
charge you made in The Daily Iress- of
last SATURDAY. and in your letter of this
date, that 1 have 'yiliiied You in the most
CuprOvOkei and unsentiemanly manner
through the hired traducer who runs my
paper is absolutely and Internationally
false. I have 10 interest or control in the
ffssFf lion Of
Remotely. You further charge IN your let
ter that i publicly repeated the f3lsehoods
% this campaign yarn maker in a speech
n ade BY me AT Forsyth To these charges
az yours and his / have replied through
The Daily Press. denouncing th,m in the
language they deserve. i did not real
snything from The DOuglasville New South
On my speech at Forsyth. l read from The
Dalton Economist a paper published by
charges against you. and l only stated that
he claimed 70 BE- "A populzt. Ihese same
charges had been published by a number
az daily papers OF the state prior 70 ina.
time. In The Journal Of today did not
practically Teatfirm anything. i only chal-
1enged you for a joint DEBATE In each Of
the several congressional districts OF the
state This 1 did because of the unwar-
Tanted. malicious. false ana loW-brei al
tack made upon me ~ yod in The Daily
Press Of last saturday; and j state To you
row that the editorial referred 10 WAS not
only false. but showed a desire your
part to conceal from the public the truth
Of history. and a palpaby apparent de-
sire TO prevarfcate and smother the truth
j have not said in public speech anywhere
anything about your private character. 1
fave only dealt with YOU as You are re
lated TO the public, ana as your public acts
affect the people. The truth % the matter
IS AIr. Watson. I have often seen Zip
pant and high-SOunding and word-paintius
fellows as YOU imagine yourself TO be, held
down 20 the proper level. and, despite the
ego. N imaginary force that you suppose
yourself to possess. shown mp before the
public in their true light. Why did YOU wait
until the very brief extract from my speech
d al red
q puny howl. when ten times rs much had
been said against you through large
number Of the newspapers OF the State2
Why did YOU not refute them bcfure2
Your duplicIty IS well unierstood-you cans
Fhielf yourself behind the pitifui excuses
made in your letter. I have not abused
ANYBODY in this campaign. Ny snecchcs
have been made from the public records
OF the country, and that Is what your are
AFRAID to meet You playing your old
tricks and YOUR old lodges TO Keep from
facing the public records Of the country