The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-12
Col. Cnndler,s Letter.

At first thought it might seem as IL Col
Gambler had made a great blunder in writ
ing the letter IN which he says that the
men who opposed Gen. Evans are oppos-
ing him now, and that these men ravlshed
the Democratic party in 1894, and have
dominated 1t ever since" and that they
deprived Gen. Evans of the nomination
after he had fairly won it, There is a
difference of opinion, of course, as to the
correctness of the charge which Col. Can
dler makes against those who opposed
Gen. Evans four years ago. Gov. Atkin-
son denies the charge and states quite
number of facts to support hts denial.
Before the matter is dropped enough po-
litical literature may appear in the public
prints to make a good sized book
The point just now is, Did Col. Gambler
make a political blunder in writing such
a letter? 1t is evident, from what he
says, that he was satisfied that the men
who opposed Gen. Evans are now oppos-
ing him. If they are opposing him, then
the letter can do Col. Gambler no harm.
In fact it may do him good, because 1t
is better to have open opponents than Sc
cret ones. AS long as his opponents work
ed against him in the dark, he was not
able to combat them with as much show
of success as he will have now that he has
proclaimed them to be his political enc
mics.
Col. Gambler has the reputation of be-
ing a politician who makes a better show
ing when he has opposition than when he
has the field practically to himself He is
a born fighter and the hotter the lighting
is the more he seems to enjoy it.
1t is not improbable that he expected his
letter would get into print, although 1t was
not written for the press He felt, doubt
less, that the time had come when it
should be clearly known who his friends
and who his enemies are. His letter will
make that evident very soon.
OF course, If he is mistaken in assum-
ing that those who led the movement
against Gen. Evans are against him, then
his letter is likely to do him harm, be-
cause it will drive away from him many
who would have either supported him or
made no effort TO prevent him from be-
ing nominated. 1t Is to be presumed, now
ever, that he was sure of his ground be-
fore he wrote his letter.
1t is evident that Col Gambler does not
think it possible to prevent him from get
ting the nomination, because he says that
he has never seen such an uprising of
the common people in his life" as there
is in his support. 1t may be that Col. Can
der has unusual opportunities for observ-
ing the effect his announcement of his
candidacy has had upon the common peo-
pie. We do not undertake to say what
the truth of the matter Is, but we are
quite certain that in this neck of the
woods the uprising hasn't been of such a
character as to excite comment Still, the
common people may have conveyed TO Col.
Gambler in other ways than the public
prints and mass meetings their purpose 10
support him. 1t wouldn't be fair to HIM,
therefore, to question his statement that
there has been a great uprising of the
common people intent upon condemning
the men and their methods who ravish-
ed the Democratic party in 1894" and who
'by methods peculiar to themselves de-
prived Gen. Evans of the nomination after
he had fairly won it,"