The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-21
SAM JONES NOT A CANDIDATE.
GAVE OUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT as
A JOKE.

Took This Means OF Attracting Pu5-
lie Attention 10 somethirg lie Has
to Say ON the Political situation.
His So-CalIed Platform Understood
to BE an Endorsement of Col. Cam
dIer-CrOwd FIOcl1s to Hear JON .
Sermon.
Atlanta, Ca, Feb. 2O-Rev. Sam Jones'
announcement for Governor yesterday
was Joke That is, in the absence of any
better term to describe it. 1t was joke,
for when he came to town to-day he de
clared in positive terms that he had not
the remotest idea Of entering the contest,
in fact, he remarked. when talking on the
subject, Il would rather think of running
for bailiff than for Governor, as my time
would then be my own"
The explanation of yesterdays state
ment is that it was given out by Sam
jones' and Sam Jones has his own peculiar
way of doing things. He wanted to catch
the public ear to say something on the
political situation and he thought he
would do it better by producing a sensa~
ton, for the noted evangelist is the star
sensationalist of the age
He succeeded so well that before he left
his Gainesville home this morning he had
received couple of bushels of kilograms
concerning his announcement, and when
he reached the Moody Tabernacle TO
preach this afternoon he found 10000 peo-
pie packed inside the walls, with fully half
mat number turned away unable to get
within hailing distance of the doors
Saturday, when he made mis- sensa tional
announcement, he said he would give out
his platform on Monday. Many people ex-
pected him to make some reference TO the
matter in his sermon this afternoon q
such was the effect produced that it is
safe to say half the state was discussing
his candidacy and the forthcoming plat
form to-day despite the usual Sabbath
obSerVances.
But IN his sermon, Mr.. Jones got no
nearer to politics than to declare he
wouldn't be President, because the peo-
pie would "cuss' him as they have "cuss-
ed Cleveland, the greatest President of
the generation.
Alter the sermon Mr.. Jones called up
reporter for the Journal to which paper
he had promised his platform. and de-
lvered that document into his hands. To
the Morning News correspondent and 9TH
ers, VINO sought copies OF the paper, Mr..
Jones said he could not comply as he was
a paid writer for the Journal, and the let
ter went in as part of his contract work
He also declined to go into any political
interview, because he was opposed to talk
ing politics on Sunday, he said
Ultimately however, the statement ives
secured from the evangelist that he had
no idea of running for Governor. He
laughed at the idea, and seemed TO think
his announcement of yesterday, which was
made TO excite the public mind and secure
a wide circulation for his letter to-mor-
row, was a good joke.
From a gentleman who has read Mr..
Jones platform, the Morning News CORE
spondent learned that instead of making
Sam. Jones a candidate for Governor. it
Is an Endorsement of Col. Gambler for the
high Office This is the secret of the trick
which the noted evangelist has turned in
state politics. And not the least interest
ing feature of it is that before giving the
letter to the Journal he exacted the prom
Use of that paper to print it in full, just as
it is. The Journal is inclined to support
Judge Atkinson, hence the Rev. Sam has
carried his joke to the full limits by MAX
ing an Atkinson paper print his recon-
mendation Of Gambler. HIS letter deals
with state politics ana the alleged rings in
a lively fashion, describing the sort of a
man Mr.. Jones thinks the Governor ought
to be, and concluding with the declaration
that Col. Gambler fills the bill.