Semi=weekly graphic., 1898-08-13
WILL NOT BE COUNTED OUT.
Congratulates the People for Their Bold Stand and Determination to Strike
 Down Election Frauds.
THE CALL AND THE ANSWER.

und several hundred other Demo- cratic citizens of Jefferson County calling upon me to become eandi date for the office of Sheriff. and III response thereto you will permit me first, to thank you for this high per sonal compliment, thence to make manifest my deep sense of apprecla- tion for the confidence you have expressed in my ability and fitness to serve the people in this Important capacity.
 1t ls we'll known to all of you that l am Ut present endeavoring to serve the people of this [Plne Bluffl the chief city of your county, in the honorable position of Mayor, Il trust, to which the good people have twice seen proper to elect me, and that I am not now nor have not been of my. own accord, an as pirant for further political honors But when confronted by so large a petition of my true and tried fellow Democrats, comprising, as 1 believe, majority sentiment of the entire Democracy of my county, and es- peeially of my home city, Pine Bluff, 10 become the exponent and standard bearer Of cause sa just as l know theirs to be in this in- stance, l am wholly constrained to give myself over as their servant to l ... [ l, 4 how I AtF The reasons given for ,your call l are fully stated in your petition which l take the liberty of making public, together with my reply thereto.
 l am we'll acquainted with all the persons whose names appear upon the petitions and have reasons to be- lieye that they represent in numbers and in sentiment, the bone and sinew of the Democracy of Jefferson county.
 You jdstly complain of very great wrong which has been perpe trated upon our party by an at tempt to foist Mir. H A. Mccoy on the people as the Democratic nomi- nee for Sheriff.
 To rebuke thIs wrong and in or der that fraud shall not be reward ed, my Democratic fellow citizens are urging me to cooperate with them and assist in the undertaking.
 Outside of those directly interested and who feed at the public crib very few regard MT. Mccoy as the nominee of the Democracy. It is my belief that he was clearly defeated in both primary elections of the party, and that the endorsement of proxled partisan committee could not breath into existence legal nomination in his behalf.
 The means and methods resorted to in the accomplishment of this moral crime are too fresh in the minds of oil to require more than Il passing reference to it now.
 If Democracy stands for anything it stands for honesty and for fair dealing, and like yourselyes,I am un- willing to place 6 premium upon vice, or fall down and worship at the feet of those who would put stab after stab into the rights of honest, loving, loyal people of this or any other county.
 For these and other reasons 1 ac- cept your call and announce myself a candidate for the office of Sheriff of Jefferson county.
 From the magnitude of your petit tions and the great number of Demo- era Is who have otherwise pledged me their support, upon the theory that no Democrat Is obligated in any manner to take notice of Mr. McCoy's claim to u nomination by the party, 1 have no doubt Of my election to this office by an over whelming majority.
 It has been said by some people that while this is true, l will be "counted out" and my election taken from the people. 1 hardly think that the Democrats of our county are in q frame of mind to submit to shch q thing, If attempted. I congratulate you and our peo- ple on your bold stand for rule b. the people and for your expressed determination to strike down cleo ton frauds and other wrong doing in our county, and for your band | ing together for the purpose of plac- ling the office of sheriff into the control of q servant selected by the people, instead of turning 1t over to l the grasping greed of self consti- l tuted masters.
 your Ont Servant.