The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-30
ATKINSON CAUSES ANGER.
CHAIRMAN DU BIGNON NOT PLEASED
WITH GOVERNORS WARNING.

1s,erv Precaution Had Been Taken
in REGARD to the constitutional
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Democratic
Newspapers and officials Shouiu
Acauaint Themselves With Facts
before Giving out Sensational IN
,ervicxvs. Declares MIR. duBiGnon.
Governor Thinks the Chairman
Inns Been MOnopOIizing Campaign
GIorv-SenatorinI Ambitions May
Re Mt the bottom of the Affair.
Atlanta Ca. Sept. 29-Gov. Atkinson
and Chairman duBignon of the state exec
utive committee seems TO be at outs over
the action of the Governor in calling at
tention to the fact that the ratification OF
the constitutional amendments for the
election of judges and solicitors by the
people is in danger on account of the form
of ticket sent out for use in the election
next week by the stale committee.
Mr.. duBignon construed Gov. Atkinson's
act and language in calling attention to
the situation as a reflection upon the man
agement of the Democratic campaign. IN
fact he thinks that the Governor went
ont of his way to criticise the Democratic
committee, and that unjustly, too. On the
other hand the Governor says he is salts
fed of his act, which was in no sense de-
signed to convey a reflection upon Mr. du-
Bignon OF the committee, serves to arouse
interest in the constitutional amendments
sufficient TO carry them through.
The incident has developed little bad
feeling between the two gentlemen. Be
sides adding some spice to the campaign
now coming 10 an otherwise dun ana
monotonous close, it may also be signih-
can't of coming events on the Georgia po-
htical horizon. Mr.. duBignon is undoubt-
eddy ambitious to do one or both of two
things as circumstances may control.
That is, he has his weather eye upon both
the governorship and the United States
Senate if, as some of the knowing ones
do not hesitate to say, Col. Gambler will
eventually retire from the executive office
after serving a single term, then Mr.. du-
Bignon, it is said would be put forward
as the logical candidate for Governor two
years hence.
Again if this plan is not correctly fore
Swallowed, his entry will first be for the
Senate, that august body being the object
i've point of all his political labors.
Now, Gov Atkinson is also accredited
with desire to sit in the Senate at the
earliest opportunity, and if this ambition
is really agitating him, then Mr.. duBig
non is his natural political enemy, and
the little clash between the two that has
occurred over the official ballot may be re-
garded as the first open indication of the
parting Of the political ways between
them.
Up TO the Governors race for the Senate
he and Mr.. duBignon have been close
E4- he mr.
first term of office this intimacy continued.
1t Is pretty well known among the politi-
clans, however, that the senatorial con-
test in which the Governor was worsted
caused a breach between him and Mr.. du-
Bignon, though there was no public out
cropping of this estrangement, or rivalry,
which ever it may be termed, until the
present incident. Both men are hard fight
ers in politics, and if, as seems apparent
now, they are to be open enemies in poll
tics, there will be some very interesting
times when they line up their followers
TO fight over the next Governorship and
Mr.. duBignon is a candidate, or both are
striving for the senatorial honor.
Yesterday after Gov. Atkinson had given
out his interview calling attention to the
confusion over the constitutional amend
ments, an effort was made 10 get a state
rnent from Chairman duBignon at Demo-
cratic headquarters, but he was not in
and could not be reached. Later in the
evening ne returned, ana then gave out
an interview, in which he said:
by virtue of a resolution passed by the
state committee the printing of the official
ballots was left entirely with the county
committees throughout the state. A sub
committee, of which Mr.. Porter King, of
this city, is chairman was appointed 70
draft form of ballot, and did so. l sent
this form TO all the county chairmen and
distinctly told them that if they found any
Democratic sentiment in their county OPP
posed to the proposed change in the con-
sttution regarding the election of Superior
Court judges and solicitors TO print both
sides of the question on the ballot, in
order that our voters might express them
selves, but that If there was no such oppo-
sition encountered to print only the af-
frmative side. 1t would be wholly undem-
ocratic and against the doctrines of our
party to do otherwise.
In writing to the county chairman I eX-
planned 10 them the exact situation. ! told
them that the state committee had decided
to leave the matter of presenting the con-
stitutional amendment on our ticket entire
Iy to them, and that if the county commit
tee after ascertaining the sentiment of tht
county, found that il was in favor OF the
proposition. to put only the for amend
ement' paragraph on the ballot. To SUCCESS
that this was queer Democratic action is
to Insult the party and ils managers. i
would have been queer indeed had we done
otherwise. If some Democratic newspaper
and Democratic officials were as anxious
for the success OF the party as they ar
10 injure some of those connected with th'
party management they would acquain
themselves with the facts before publish
ing sensational articles and giving out in
terviews"
Gov. Atkinson naturally took this refer
ence a a thrust at him. ana in answering
1t to-day he intimates that MIR. du3ignon
as chairman of the state committee. ha!
been monopolizing the campaign all b!
himself. He says the state officials have
all been ready since the beginning of tn
campaign to answer all calls made Of
them by Chairman duBignon, and the fac
that they have not been called upon NOR
frequently is certainly no fault of theirs
The Governor also says he does not thinl
that such comments by the chairman o
the state committee are calculated to pro
mote harmony 10 the party. He had n