People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1894-09-28
EDITORIAL NOTES.


On the State Executive Committee
of the dear old Democratic Party
there is one farmer.
Only one.
His name is James N. Smith, of
Oglethorpe.
And who is he?
He is the convict lessee whose
maltreatment Of the unfortunate
slaves he buys from the State at Sll
per head was exposed by DIR. Willis
Westmoreland, of Atlanta.
The Democratic Platform says the
party will attend to the convict cues
ton swhen the proper time comes"
Yes. So it will. And to show
you what sort of attention the ques-
ton il apt to get, Jim Smith, the
Convict King, is put on the COM
mittee.
The kind of attention convict
will get from Jim Smith belongs to
the same variety of thoughtful care
which the wolf bestows upon the
lamb.
Bill Sturgis, Convict from Nc
Duffie county, was worked by the
Convict bosses on a hot summers
day till he was exhausted. He was
then numerically whipped because
he could work no more, Then he
was inhumanly chained to tree to
writhe and die in hopeless agony.
Died? Yes: died like a dog un-
der the lash of democratic Convict
boss.
Search the records of the investi-
cation held by Governor Gordon
and deny the facts if you can.
Yet when we say the Convict
Lease System is disgrace to the
Christian civilization of Georgia, the
"men who control answer us by
saying they will attend to the question
"when the proper time comes;" and
as proof of the Sort of reform they
intend, Jim Smith of Oglethorpe,
whose Convict Camps have been re-
ported time and again, is put on the
State Executive Committee of the
Democratic Party.
Did not Jim Smith of Oglethorpe
belong to the Company which was
found guilty of maltreatment of con-
victs? Did he not have to pay a
part of that $4,000 penalty which
the Governor imposed?
With its customary fondness for a
rich criminal the dear old demo-
cratic party leaves the convict to his
fate while t4e wealthy lawbreaker is
elevated to a position on the State
Executive Committee to attend to
the Convict question "when the
proper time comes"
The Federal authority is getting
there in great shape. Under demo
cratic rule the doctrine of Home
Rule and State Rights has received
crushing blows which the republicans
never dared to deal. In Illinois the
protest of democratic governor was
unavailing to prevent the United
States Army from being marched into
the State and put in despotic control
Of a question which had universally
been left to the State to deal with.
No wonder BENZ. Harrison was
glad. No wonder Chauncey Depew
telegraphed congratulations to the
aristocrats of England. No wonder
Judge Cooley, the republican railroad
lawyer, expressed joy that Cleveland
had settled doubtful point in Con-
stitutional law"
Settled it how?
With blood and iron. Settled it
Just as Napoleon, and Bismarck, and
Crispi, and the Gar of Russia settle
questions which are doubtful"
From the invasion of a state to the
arrest Of Governor is only a short
step.
Hence nobody should have been
surprised when Cleveland and his
railroad lawyer, Olney, arrested Gov
ernor Stone, Of Mississippi, like a
common thief and dragged him be-
fore United States Commissioner
for trial.
Trial for what?
Forissuing Mississippi State Bonds
or warrants, in small sums which
common citizen could get hold of