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

nomination would come to me without OPP
position, and for once In the history of
politics in Georgia, the rank and file OF the
party would be permitted to name the
party candidate without the interference
Of the bosses. But such was not to be.
About the last OF January the governor
returned to the capitol after prolonged
absence from the United States. In
two or three days certain well
known politicians came up to Atlanta and
for several consecutive days caucuses end
conferences were held in and about the
capitol and the hotels for the purpose of
bringing out candidate and formulating
a plan to defeat me and thwart the will Of
the people and the press Of the state who
had spoken out so unanimously In my
favor.
Refers to Judge Atkinson.
To make long story short, 1t was de-
cided that must have opposition cid that
6, many candidates as possible should
be brought out against me. Judge Spencer
r Atkinson was induced to announce end
before he could prepare his written doc
ument the meteoric fash Of Hon. Robert L.
Berner's declaration OF candidacy lit the
political Armament. Then an effort
was made to bring out Judge A. w. Fife
against me. but Gus was for me and did
not hesitate to say So Others were ap-
preached in south Georgia, western Georgia
and eastern Georgia, but without success.
1t was whispered In the breeze that vas
the candidate Of various cliQues and COM
binations and mythical rings and rEder-
ground currents Of insidious design were
started out against me with the View of
interfering with my candidacy. had ire
viousy announced that SHOULD / have 10
fight for the nomination would resign
my office OF secretary of state, believing
that no an should be candidate lor one
Office and use another for securing
his political promotion. las soon
as opposition appeared rendered
my resignation to the governor and
my successor has been appointed, and will
be installed in office next week 1t appears.
however, that Judge Atkinson did not take
the same view of political duty that he
did when he announced his candidacy for
congress against Hon. Henry G. Turner.
for he then resigned his office as fudge of
the superior court on the ground that he
could not consistently hold It and run for
congress at the same time. This time he
remembered and acted on the old maxim
that "a bird in the hand is worth two In
the bush," especially when those in the
bush are out of reach
As railroad commissioner for five
more years at $4,000 year, Judge
Atkinson has an unearned salary OF
$4,000 yet coming to him, If he does
not resign. If he resigns he loses this,
with no prospects of the three thousand
a year which attaches to the office of
governor But have no personal issue
to make with the genial jurist, and
between his conscience and the people,
full Judgment will be rendered on the
course he has pursued
In his speeches he refers to me as his 'ven-
cradle old friend from Hall" thank my
Juvenile friend for this distinction. Gray
hairs are honorable. Maturity in years
brings with 1t conservatism and that wis
dom which is born Of experience. The
greatest living statesman of this day is
thirty years older than I am. At my
age. Calhoun. y Clay and Webster .3had
just reached the prime of their usefulness.
The genial Judge assures US that he has
no collegiate education and boasts that no
pulled the bell cord over mule from his
fourteenth to his twentieth year. Fellow
citizens, this speaks well for the Judge.
Pulling the bell cord over q mule is good
schooling, but l can beat the humorous
jurist 1He began to plow at fourteen and
stopped at twenty. l began at ten and
lege graduate, I owe 1t to nobody but my
self. having earned the money to pay my
way through college by my own labor after
was twenty-one years old and had lsft
my fathers farm.
As to Mr. Berner.
And Bob. handsome Bob, the envy of the
beaux and the admiration of the bellies
what Of him? After so much delay aid
hesitation, and after the publication in
some Of the papers that he had at no time
any idea of going into the race, but would
run fer congress. he gsllops dramatically
into the arena, mounted on the old sore
backed. spawned hobby OF anti-corpora-
ton. But the old beast travels slowly.
He il old and has been well nigh ridden to
death by scores and hundreds of other can
dfdates with no other mounts on which to
ride into ONCE. Bob lie handsome and alo-
quent. but he Is not bad. He loves ONCE
ana In his zeal to get It he loses sight Of
all merit in everybody but himself.
The utter blindness of Brother Bob ana
MS organs is made mighty manifest IN his
speeches, and In his home organ, 1.-THE
forsyth Chronicle" whose editor, Mr..
Stone. ran against MIR. Berner for the sen-
ate two yeers ago, charging that he was
unnt for the place because "he had both
arms around the neck of the money
power" Now Mr.. Stone in that zeal born
OF new conversion says:
"Berners splendid leadership OF the par
ty in the heated campaign of 1884. when
the Burdens and mistakes of some would
be leaders had almost comprised its de-
teat, excited the admiration and praise OF
all true democrats. During this memora-
BILE campaign when Watson, Blackburn,
Graves and Wright. with the snrewaness
and sagacdty OF trained and experienced
politicians. Were leading the populist party
with splendid courage to what seemed al
most certain victory, Berner. with his
matchless eloQuence and with the grand
eur OF his superb and incisivs reasoning.
threw himself into the breach, and thun-
dered along the line of the opposing polit-
ical hosts with the stupendous blows of an
Ajax, in the very hour of defeat and when
the party was wavering for retreat and
grasped the nag of Democracy and bore
IT to glorious victory. During these ex-
ctinS times when the democratic party
cried aloud for succor from its leaders,
me voice Of Gambler and Atkinson was
silent in the land; and like Peter of old