The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1898-04-07

I have dwelt on this evil because of its
great magnitude. l love my country and
my people. I love Georgia, beneath whose
sod molder the bones of my ancestors for
four generations, and my great anxiety
for a restoration of the clean, honest. safe
methods Of our fathers is born of my love
for the state, for whose erection and in
whose defense they and 1 have shed our
blood. God bless old Georgia, on whose
soil was born. and in whose soil I want
TO be buried
IT love her next to heaven above,
Land Of my fathers. thee I love.
And rail thy slanderers as they will,
With all thy faults / love thee STILL"
Away with Unclean Methods.
But to return to the more practical; while
would eradicate all unclean methods from
our politics and restore the simple, honest,
clean methods of Jeffersonian democracy,
l would abridge the rights of no honest
CITIZEN, in the full enjoyment of life. lib
erty, property and the pursuit of happi-
ness. l would give to the negro as to the
white man every right and privilege to
which he Is entitled under the law, but
ne should not abuse them Il would give
MN all his rights in court. I would en-
oeavor to qualify his children for good
citizenshap. I would protect him against
the rapacity of grasoing men, I would
lot the burden of taxation fall equally
upon him and his white neighbor I would
teach him to be as honest and incorruptible
IN the exercise of the elective franchise AZ
IN MS business dealings with his landlord
or his merchant But would not buy his
vote and thus corrupt the ballot and make
nim balance of power to determine who
snau rule the people of Georgia. On the
contrary, I would punish him for selling
MS Vofe. even to the extent OF taking It
away from him II necessary. and I would
De no less severe on the candidate who
would buy 1t. Away with such methods.
Ii l cannot be elected governor of
Georgia by the unbought votes of
the honest, free men of the state, l
don't want to be governor. Rather
than corrupt the ballot or resort to
other unclean methods to secure
office, l would die in obscurity. un-
wept. unhonored and unsung. and
be buried unepitaphed in the pot.
ter's field.
In addition to the evil Of a venal vote. a
corrupt ballot and unclean methods In
politics, which / condemn and arraien at
the bar of an enlightened public opinion.
Is the scarcely less reprehensDble practice
pontlcians getting together before each
election and by trades and deals and un-
molly alliances, parceling out among them
selves and their allies. all important ofices
IN the state, and thus depriving the people |
OF that free choice to which they are en-
Titled In the selection of those who ara Ia
impose taxes upon them and make and
SAecute tne laws for them. So gross has
become this evil that some of our cleo
tons. especially those by the legislature
nave degenerated into q mere trayestv on |
popular rights, and the people are demand |
ing and the legislature has submitted an
amendment of the constitution giving back
70 them the election of their judicial ON |
GERS.
The people are right. Ring rule is
demoralizing and dangerous, and the
quicker we go a step further and
elect the United States senators by the
direct vote Of the people, the better.
l voted for such measure In congress
ten years ago, along with my demo-
cratic colleagues, but our arch enc
mics, who are the chosen friends OF
not only In business, but In
politics, defeated 1t, and senatorships
are still bought in some Of the states
as negro votes are bought In the
south. "A
Another grave question which now con-
fronts the people of the state is the rela-
lions or the corporations to the people. 1t /
cannot Do denied that there have been in !
stances in the past in which corporate
power has been employed to Cypress the
people. and on the other hand, provoked
by these wrongs, juries have sometimes
shown disposition to retaliats by render