El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-10-15

campaign, and conducted it success
fully; who has evinced the keen pol
itical understanding, forethought,
and discretion generally attributed
exclusively to the other sex. She is
Mrs. w. Y. Atkinson. of Georgia. Her
husband is the present governor. She
Is n slight-frsmed black-baired little
woman, with strong, srched brows ard
bright eyes, with energy, earnestness
and determination 10 every line of her
face, says the Chicago Inter-Oceau.
In that fight of 1894, memorable in
the state OF Georgia, remarkable in the
history OF politics in America, she
took leading part. It was a fight
where pure personal force, indiv d ual
power, prevailed against established
combinations long deemed sli-powerfuI.
Rspubl can, Populist and Democratic
candidates for governor were before
the people in the fall of 1898. The
chief Democratic candidate bad a fair
swing before him. He had rendered
distinguished service in the civil war
aud there Is no one desrer to the
people of the South than q brave old
Confederate officer-he had been
furthermore a Methodist preacher, and
the state OF Georgia, peopled in large
degree with Methodists, favors her
ministers beyond ordinary mortals.
Furthermore, one of the wealthiest clti-
the congressional district behind him:
strong local influences actively at work
sparing DO eloquence or funds in his
behalf. So for three months the DEM
ocratic candidate had affairs all his
own way. On the first day of January,
1894, however, a new man arose and
announced himself as az oppos ng can
didate. He was W. Y. Atkinson. He
had brains and he had a wife. He had
NJ i'm fnht
in the state legislature, where he had
passed certain creditable measures for
the good of the people. He was speaker
in the legislature and chairman of tue
state executive committee. He was
man not 40 years old.
The state cried him down. The pa
triotic element stormed at him for dar-
ing to set himself against n coDfeder |
ate soldier, the church element was |
against him, the political elsment |
ridiculed him. His friends implored |
him not to take such a step, because |
"he would cripple himself by defeat"
His wife did not wish To discourage
him, but her heart was low down. The |
press Of the state was against him: he |
was accused of 1.-THE crime of being d |
young man. his presumption was |
laughed at, his pretensions ridiculed. |
Finally his wife read al editorial In |
an Atlanta paper headed Tine Yellow |
stone X d. which fred her through |
and through. she was sitting quietly |
at home sewing, her babies playing |
about her. IL the force, indi nation, and |
pride, in her arose at the scathing edi- |
torial. She wrote n telegram to her |
husband: Stay in the race to the |
very end" and il was flashed of to At |
lnnta.
Mr.. Atkinson was standing in the |
LOBBY of the Kimball house, his friends |
about him, putting forth their most
eloquent persuasions to induce hiu to
withdraw. Few men could have stood |
resolute under such conditions. The
telegram came at critical moment.
He handed the telegram 10 his friends.
There were six editors in the crowd
about him.
"By thunder, I'm for any man who
has got n wife like that they cried.
IL was the frst step.
II am { l the race TO the end was
the telegram sent back to his wife.
That night Mr.. Atkinson returned
home.
III could only get that stenograph-
err had who knows how to write poll
ticsl letters would he all right, he
remarked"
81 can do as we'll n any stenogrsph-
or. Trust your campaign To me- his
wife replied.
She had no more than the average
woman's experience in politics, but he
had known her long enough to appre-
ciate her grit.
"You are the only one | nave 10 de-
pend on, - he said when he left her the
next day.
They had outlined their campaign.
Ten men, friends of Mr.. Atkinson, in
each county were written to aud asked
to help him in the race il they had not
swers were returned. He then sent
out challenge TO the oppos'ug candi-
date 20 meet him in public debate at
Griffin. The first debA'e was held on
platform in open air before 10, 900 men.
The Confederate General was attended