The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-04
BOSS BUCKS CIRCULAR A BULL
THE NEGROES WON'T FOLLOW ITS
BDICT TO DESERT ATKINSON.

Buck Admits That He Has no Criti-
cism to Make of the State Admin
istratiOn-He Claims That His Sole
object La TO Hold Down the Demo-
cratic Majority in Georgia in Or
der to Cheer Up the Republicans of
the West.
Atlanta Ga, Oct. S.-Col A. f. Bucks
circular to the republicans of the state,
calling upon them to support the populist
ticket in the election next Wednesday,
will fall far short OF its intended effect.
The first information of the circular
was given to the public last Thursday
through the Morning News. which was
just day ahead of all the other papers
in putting the democrats on notice of the
collation. between the republican and pop
ulist managers. AT first the Buck mani
festo appeared to be of vital importance
to the democratic campaign. 1t was re-
garded at headquarters as putting a very
grave phase on the situation Realizing
this the managers set to work immediate
ly to ascertain the effect of the letter
and to counteract II wherever it's effects
were felt; in fact, partly through inform
alton furnished at headquarters by
the Morning News correspond
ent the democratic managers were
ready and in waiting to provide against
the manifesto before 1t was actually in
process Of circulation. Through these an
tcipatory measures the managers have
been able to receive returns at this early
day from various sections of the state in
dicating just what changes in the atti-
tude of the colored voters may be looked
for by reason of Col. Bucks "whipper in"
and from this information it can be stated
with authority that the attempt to deliver
the republican vote to the populist ticket
will be a failure. Had the republican
easy boss" come out into the open a
month ago, he might have been able to
accomplish his purpose, but the eleventh
hour was too late, and from all quarters
come reports showing that the colored
voters will stand by the democratic ticket
according to their original inclination
The only reason Boss Buck gave the col
ored people in his manifesto for
deserting the men whom they
had become convinced were their
best friends and natural protectors, was
that this would aid the republican nation
al cause in the west, but this Is a reason
that the rank and file of the republicans
cannot exactly understand, and as their
own state committee has officially declar-
ed that they ought to vote their individual
convictions in the state election, they
want better reasons than this before they
are willing to blindly follow even the
Easy Boss" himself in his plain capacity
as a member of the republican party, and
with no official sanction attached to his
manifesto.
Col Buck personally makes no criticism
of the democratic state administration. In
discussing the situation this afternoon
with the Morning News correspondent he
said: 81 do not pretend to criticise Gov
Atkinson or any member of the democratic
state administration in the slightest de-
gree. The governor has made an able,
honest and impartial executive, and we
can say nothing against him
on account of act or any policy. The fact
is up to a half hour before l wrote my
letter to the members Of my party | had
not determined to do so, because the coi-
ored men Of the state are naturally
friendly toward Gov. Atkinson, and II was
a question, a doubtful one, especially for
me, to raise my hand against him. In the
end, l was only Influenced to do so by the
hope that l might encourage the repubn-
can party in the west and help in the
election of Maj. Mckinley"
Pursuing the same line in his desui-
tory interview, Col. Buck gave utterance
to a statement that OF Itself should COM
pletely nulify the effect of his recent
manifesto This was brought out by ref
erence to the fact that w. A. Pledger,
the well-known colored politician, Is sup.
porting Gov. Atkinson and the democrats
state ticket, together with many other
prominent and influential men Of his
race. 1t was suggested that his letter
would influence and bring these men out
of the Atkinson ranks.
"But 1t will not" said the willy repubi-
can, apparently forgetting his shrewdness
for the time. "Pledger and his associates,
who are working so diligently for Gov.
Atkinson, are too honest and sincere IN
their positions to be distracted. They
conscentiously believe that Gov. Atkn-
son is the best friend to their race that
has been raised up since Abraham Lin
coin, and nothing that / could do or say
would cause them to desert his cause.
They will stand by him to the last ditch,
regardless Of any effort that / may have
made elsewhere"
What Col Buck says about Pledger and
the other negro leaders who have es-
poused the cause OF Gov Atkinson APP
plies to all the other colored voters in the
state, and when they see that he gives
them credit for absolute sincerity and
incorruptibility in their attachment 10
the democratic cause, they will not be
likely to attach much weight to his re-
quest when he asks them to surrender
their honest sentiments for a mere imag-
mary effect on party politics in distant
states, the republicans Of which would
not care If all the negroes in Georgia were
pushed off Tybee into the Atlantic ocean.
W. A. Pledger, whom Col. Buck lauds
so highly for honesty and devotion to the
Atkinson cause, to-day issued letter adj
dressed to the republicans of the state,
calling upon them TO stand firm by the
democratic ticket, despite the manifesto
OF Col. Buck.
Piedger declares that Gov. Atkinson has
shown himself TO be the best friend the
negro ever had In Georgia, and now that
they are themselves convinced OF this and
had made up their minds to vote for him
next Wednesday, he declares that they
should not pay any attention to the circu-
lar letter sent out TO them by Col. Buck.
Pledger further tells the colored people,
among whom he is one Of the best known
men in the state and the republican state
committee expressly. that they should be
left free to vote as they please IN the
state election, and therefore, they should
vote on their convictions, ana not at the