The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-21
ATKINSON STORMS ATLANTA.
FOUR HUNDRED PEOPLE TURNED
OUT TO HEAR HIS SPEECH.

His Friends Confident That He Made
an Impression That VIII De Felt
strongly in His Favor in the Full
ton Country Primary-HandIes the
Public Records of His Opponents
without Gloves.
Atlanta, Ga, May 2O-Four hundred
people turned out tonight TO hear Judge
Spencer Atkinson, candidate for Governor,
discuss the issues of the campaign.
They sat sweltering in the theater for
more than two hours listening to him at
tenuvely, and his friends are confident
that he made an impression that will be
felt strongly in his favor on the day of the
primary.
Judge Atkinson was introduced to the
audience by Eb Upshaw, president of the
local Atkinson club as the next Governor,
and the presentation was received with
hearty applause.
Throughout the judge was in good hu-
NOR winning the sympathetics of his crowd
at the outset and keeping on good terms
with them till the close. At the same time
he dealt vigorously with his competitors.
| Messr. Berner and Gambler, giving both a
lively drubbing up on their public records
! and the questions they have injected into
the gubernatorial campaign.
He declared that he was unhesitatingly
and unmistakably a free silver Democrat.
Mr.. Berner, he referred to as a reformed
gold bug, and Mr.. Gambler as a man who
did not consider the financial question of
vital import TO Democratic faith.
Because of his uncompromising position
as silver man, the judge said, he would
! ger more votes from godbugs than both
his competitors combined, because people
| liked man you can put your finger on
when it comes to convictions.
! Judge Atkinson devoted considerable
time to the question of taxation, ridicuiins
! Messrs. Berner and Gambler for their con-
| fesson that taxes are 100 high, put being
unable to suggest a remedy.
In contradistinction to Mr.. Berner, VINO
said he'd bankrupt the state before he
would reduce pension or school approprla-
/ tions he declared that there was not an
! appropriation now being made by the leg
| islature that he would not cut down be-
fore he'd bankrupt the people of the state.
lie didn't see why Messrs. Berner and
Gambler wanted to refer to high taxes al
all if they couldn't offer some remedy of
reform. He did propose a reform, which in
brief is a revision of the tax return laws
so that they VIII catch mortgages and
other similar evidences of debt which
| bring interest to the holders, but now pay
no tax to the state.
Judge Atkinson also got after Mr. Ber-
ner upon his attitude as the champion oil
the constitution. He said Mr.. Berner KEEP
asking him and Col. Gambler if they woulC
defend the constitution if elected. He hat
been defending the constitution for some
years. For instance while a member O.
the Supreme Court one third of the time
of that tribunal was consumed lin defend
ing the constitution against attacks o
the legislature of which Mr.. Berner wa
a member.
The judge ridiculed Col. Gamblers CLAIM
to being the daddy of the constitution
Every time a little peanut politician get
TO running for something, he said, he set
up a claim as the daddy of the constitu
ton. Then as a bit of by play he said h
didn't want to call Col Gambler "peanu
politician" because they don't raise pea
nuts at Pigeon Roost, but they do rails
chestnuts there, and his old friend was
chestnut.
He declared in favor of the amendmen
to the constitution allowing municipa
corporations to grant tax exemption {
new manufactures and made a strong al
} gument on this line.
t He also proposed to advocate biennia
sessions of the Legislature, by which tn
state could be saved $4,000.
/ The judge made his usual reference t
l Col. Gamblers criticisms of him becaus
| he did not resign mis- Office as railroad CON
missioner, and showed that Col. candle
did not resign as Secretary of State 0
moral grounds, but because the law le
. qured him to be present at mis- Offic
, every day and he could not run his can
paign without resignng.
Nxru ALI Nh AnIEN III AmrINS ARE