The Irish standard., 1898-09-10
A W0MAN'S Wit
THE CAMPAIGN MAN At:l:D ny WIS.
ATKINSON. or GEORGIA..
she WINS Moved 10y mn EditUriuI In n
LOcHl Pnpcr-It RidiruIcti Tier Illus
b""d's Desire to Become the Gov
rrn"r-This fingered the Iittic
Him Int" the Gmbcrnntorinl Chair.

Ihcr" Is at least ono woman in the South
WI" mas conducted Il political campaign.
ana conducted II S,irr"SAfuy: Who has
'N'hc"h the Keen political understandings.
t"rethouKhi. tact aud discretion generally
attributed exclusively Ia the n.hcr sen. She
Is MrS. w. i. .i;h.;S.,,. Of Grnr,. Her
husband Is the present GOV ,runr. she Is IL
slshl -lramr,. black -hairru little woman
with strong. ar"hrd hrnws and bright eyes
win energy. cIrncstncss and determination
IN every line OF her face, Says III, Chicago
irtcr-O,r::.
III that tight of 1874. memorable in the
state of Groryin. remarkable l., the history
OF politics in America she took a Leading
part. IL WAS II fight where pure Personal
force, individual power. prevailed against c,-
,ahliShrd combinations long deemed all
powerful. Republican. pupul$t and I,rmn-
cratic candidates for governor were, lmror,
me people in the fan Of 1881. The cl.ltf
Democratic candidate had !, fair swing lo-
TORE him. He had rendered ,lis,iugll, he'd
service In the civil w:r-ind turrr is ma uu,.
ucarcr to the pcnpl" Of the south tEan II
nfi'tr on Confederate hnr.r--llr had ic,u
furthermore Il Methodist preacher and the
S'ht" OF f""iEia. m"pcd IN Large degree
with M"thudists. fnvur; her ministers he
You'd ordinary lnurtals Furthermore, ono,
Oh 'hr Wralihirst citizens OF Atlanta l,c had
IN" power Of tn" Fifth congress ,inn,l dis
'fi'i behind him; strong local :nliurnc..s ar-
,'N"iS ~ work al,hrins no "lmlu"ilrr uI funds
III ms behalf. So for three months the Dem
ocfatlc candidate had affairs III his own
way. On the first day of January 1854 how
EYER II ne" man arose and announced HIM
ser as an opposing candidate" H. WIS ".
J. Atkinson. He had brains and III, had n
wife. "" had back Of him anmr ri.,iu wears
~ lnti,. Iut,
htu passed certain crcdituhlr measures for
.hc good OF the people. lie was HI,rui,rr in
thc legislature and chairman of thu, state
cSccnliV" committee. lie WIS i, man no,
AZ years Old.
The state cried him down. rhr palr;o,c
element STONED at him rur during to set
hlnStll against IL Confederate soldier tn
'h"rth ''ih'h, was against him, the pollti-
cal element rilicul"d him His .li.l,i. i'm
l'ioitd NM not to take such step h,.r.,,y,.
ne would cripple himself by defeat" u,s
"ile did not wish To discourage him bi,;
hcf hrart WAS low down. 'fli" NJ, ~ q: il...
'i''" WIS against him. h" was 80 cIsr,! of
'h' cf'iir of being II young man." his pre-
SUMPTION WAS laughed at. his irvt"nsiu,is
riuiculed.
Finally his wif. read An editorial in an
Atlanta paper headed ''rI. YrllpMs,ou.
hl'' Which Aired her through and through
o'' was Tin. quietly al home sewing
hrf babies playing about her. All the fore"
IL
lhS editorial. gu" wr"," !, telegram to her
husband: Stay In Tho. l.rr Ia tn. very
chh. ana II was flashed If Ia Atlanta
Mf. Atkinson was standing in III" lobby
OF IN" klinhall house, his fri. ills about him
putting forth their most clnu.ut prrs,Ios-
ions to induce him to withdraw. Few men
could nav" stood rnSulut" under 4uci, CON
diiihns. IN" telegram cam" at u criticn,
m"'h"nl. IL" handed tho telegram to his
friends Th"r" were six editor. IN the crowd
abnu, him.
''lty thunder, I'm for ,ny man who has
got Il wife like thai" t.rY cried /, was
i The first step.
~ am IN tn" race to ia" end" was tho
Telegram sent back To his wife
That night Mr. Atkinson retained home
III ! could only get thai Y,cnogruuhur /
hah VINO knows how To write political let
tcrS would be all right" he remarked.
can Il" as wei Us any stcnugrn phrr.
trust yolii campaign to me" his wife re-
! plicI
She had n" more than the average w,m-
ans experience in politics.. but he had
Known her long enough t" appreciate her
grit.
Won arc III" only one | have to deund
on h" said when he left her In. urxt l,v
They had outlined their ,amruirn ran
men. friends Of Mr.. Atkinson, In each couu
~ were written 10 and asked to helm him
in the race II they had not committed th.m
selves. fhvnrhbl" answers were. returned
lie rlirn sent ont a challenge to the uupns
ing candidate to meet him IN public ,lnbn,c
| at Griffin. TIL" first dcbli. was held on :,
platform in open air before 5000 men, The
| Confederate general was attended by n
| strong and influential rs .u..; nc rcur,s,u,ou
| ,lc wealth and culture. Of the si,ir Mr. Al
| kinsol had hi, wife and Il personal friend
| or two; lie represented the youth tho cu.ryy
| of the new South. lie tore his u,,poncni Ia
| shrcds.
Ills words were like flashes Of lightning
.t,,L-t t,,i,