The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-26
cAusTlc LETTER TO GAMBLER.
ATKINSON GOES FOR HIS RIVAL
WITHOUT GLOVES.

demonstrates That 1t Would BE N
wise to Nominate the EN-Secretar9
for Governor-Accuses Him of
Adopting Machine Methods in Sc
curing an Early PrimaFy-Denies
That He Was n True Blue Evans
Man.
Atlanta. Ga, March 25.-Judge Spencer
r.. Atkinson to-day sent salty letter 10
Col. Allen D. Gambler in answer to the lat
ters recent refusal to go into joint de-
bate
After expressing surprise at the ols-
courteous tone of Col. Gamblers eommuni-
cation, which referred to the joint debate
as fit only for schoolboys and blackguards
and arguing that the people went to hear
the gubernatorial candidates from the
same platform 80 as to better compare
them, Judge Atkinson says, in part, speak
ing in the first person to Col. Gambler: Il
present to the public, and shall press upon
its attention issues respecting yourself
your past record and position in the pres
ent contest-issues involving your politi-
cal associations and environment in these
discussions.
Il will calmly, dispassionately and with
out bitterness or personal abuse demon
strate that it would be unwise for tho
Democratic party to name you as its cam
didate for the Office TO which you aspire
and to avoid the imputation of having done
you an injustice, had hoped to be able
to do this in joint debate in your pres
ence.
In the course of your public utterances
yoh denounce in unmeasured terms the
corrupt practices which grow out of and
belong to machine politics. and yet in your
interest without a word of protest
from you, you permit your friends. con
stituting a bare majority of the executive
committee, against the earnest protest OF
the friends of the other candidates, TO
name a date for the holding of the pri-
mary election which left no adequate time
for the canvass of the state and COMPEL
ed even that canvass to occur at season
of the year when large portion of the
population of the state is so much en-
crossed in it's agricultural work as neces-
sarily to prevent them either from giving
attention to the discussion of public guess
lions or of participating In the primary
election itself.
s.Tn secret circulars issued by you, and
which were sent to former supporters of
Gen Evans, you seek to enlist their aid
and influence by representing yourself as
an original Evans man, by this means en-
deavoring to create the impression thet
e YOU were in fact active in your support OF
him for the gubernatorial nomination four
years ago.
"I shall demonstrate by the undenied ex-
pressions contained in the public press
that so far from leading the fight for Gen.
Evans in your county in 1894, you took
little or no interest in his behalf, that you
did not determine until few days before
the election for which of the opposing can
didates you would vote, and that upon
more occasions than one you expressed the
opinion that there were better men than
either Evans or Atkinson for Governor.
I'm this view of the case, / shall insist
that YOU have no right 10 juggle with the
name of Gen. Evans In this manner, sim
DIV for the purpose of gaining votes among
the old soldiers, and that such methods are
an keeping only with the worst possible
form of machine politics.
'You declaim against the use OF money
fn carving elections, and, with you,
denounce the practice as being one Whach
far above others most tends to corrupt the
purity of the ballot box, and yet l snail
demonstrate that in the prosecution Of your
personal political ends you have employed
your own money to encompass the defeat
of your adversary. 1 shall demonstrate by
your written and published letter that, in
addressing the public you have denounced
the national banking system as
being vicious IN the extreme, while here
tofore, in written Communication, you
characterize our national banking system
as being the best in the world.
II am informed upon reputable authority
that you have sent out letter for the
purpose of securing the support of rail-
way officials, in which you make strict
ures both upon Mr.. Berner and myself.
This political communication you have en-
deavored TO keep from the public eye by
making it personal / now call upon you
to say whether or not this information IL
correct, and whether in the interest of
truth and fair dealing you will give this
letter to the public, or consent to its be-
ing given to the public. y submit thar,
in political contests, attacks by one can
didate upon another should be made open
ly and not under cover.
''The transportation question is one OF
absorbing interest to the American peo-
pie. 1t is one which vitality affects the
welfare Of the people of Georgia. Upon
this question you are, and have been,
ominously silent.
rs that silence constrained by your en-
Vironment?
rs that silence constrained by the fact
that you have as members of your CEN
sci of two of the leading railway systems
of Georgia?
II shall submit for the consideration of
the public this strangely significant fact,
and the further fact that you have eVinced
no interest in the question of public trans
portation.
1T will net be forgotten that you have
been for some time connected with rail-
road corporations, and for many years the
president of the Gainesville, Jefferson and
Southern Railway. 1t is not probable that
the people are ready to elrn over the
power to appoint railroad commissioners
to a railroad president, even though his
railroad is at present in the hands of a
receiver.
II charge. and shall demonstrate from
the public records of the state that while
you were member of the general assem-
bly, a bill was introduced TO relieve the
public from the exacton of exorbitant
rates of interest upon money, which
ranged from TO 3 per cent. per month,
and which provided that thereafter the
legal rate Of interest should not be greater
than ~ per cent: and, vet, protesting as