El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-13
HOT CAMPAIGN
in GEORGIA
How Atkinson Defeated A Fam
Gus Confederate General
After A Desperate Cam
pdign.

Written for the HERALD.

State. From the one-sided state of af
fairs in Georgia, as in many Other
states of the south-which are as thu
Irishman who said he was agin' the
government in everything" always
democratic regardless of the issues, -
it might be supposed that aggressive
political campaigns, such as are wit
messed every year in states of the
north and west, rarely occur. But
there was an exceptionally hot cam
paign,-and an extremely bitter one,
waged in Georgia in the summer o.
1894, in which the war issues were
given q most thorough and intelligent
discussion in the public forum. Save
for the memorable campaign fer the
Interior Hoke Smith, and ex-speaker
of the national house of representa-.
tives, Charles F. Crisp, in Georgia. in
| the spring of 1S96,-in which the is
sue was between the gold standard az
main tanned by the Cleveland admin.
istration, represented by Smith, and
the free silver theory advocated by
Crisp, it is doubtful If Georgia, or any
other southern state, ever was so
campaign as that which was led by
Atkinson, in his contest for the gov
ernorship, in 1894.
A nomination by the democratic
party in Georgia is always equivalent
to an election. but the real contest
occurs over the nomination. In
that state such questions are settled by
| the primaries, held all over the state
on one and the same day, after q can
vas of a certain duration. In 1894,
William Y. Atkinson, q resident of
Newman, became candidate for gov
ernor. He was young man of 80 years,
and, aside from two terms in the state
legislature, he had not enjoyed ex-
perience in public life, and was COM
paratively unknown in the state in
general.
His opponent was Gen. Clement A.
Evans, the noted confederate leader,
and the campaign was .waged-and
waged with all the zear and fiery ardor
of the old ante bellum days, over the
issues of the late war. Atkinson was q
young and progressive man, and he
went into the campaign as champion
of the progress. and the laying aside of
old notions which had served to keep
the state in.the old ruts, and prevent
it's legitimate development.
His opponent, however, strenuously
advocated the war-engendered policy
of non-intercourse with the late foes of
the north. and q rigid adherence to the
old principles which had actuated the
people of the south In the prosecution
of the war. Over the Issues as thus
placed squarely before the people, At
kinson led the rush line with terrible
earnestness which fairly astounded the
people of the state. He was bold, ag
gressive, and outspoken in his views,
and his campaign at first raised q
storm of opposition from the people
who were set in the old ways Of con-
Quoting ,affairs. He was q brilliant
and effective speaker, with q clean-cut,
incisive style, and exhibited some of
that fiery enthusiasm which Senator
Ben Tillman, of Georgia, often en-
ploys with signal effect before public
Atkinson's opponent was
taken completely by surprise at the
bold and advanced attitude assumed by
his belligerent adversary, and was
doubtless i'll prepared for the contest
as waged by Atkinson. The people of
Georgia, as in othersparts of the south, |
rely largely upon the great leaders
BIS they did in the days of Calhoun,
Stephens, and Tombs, for guidance in |
the formation of political views, rather
than upon the newspapers. So that,
" hen political meetings of an import
ant or exciting character are an
aounced, the people turn out en- masse
and give the speakers candid. re-
spectful hearing.
In the memorable campaign between
ormer acted as bis campaign manager,
md performed the duties with brilliant
ash and success. AT one point during
he campaign, when the time seemed
o be going against her husband, she
cted upon a sudden impulse with the
esult that the tide was reversed. A
alse report regarding her husband
nate tact she secured opinions of pro-
ainent men, by telegraph, upon the
nbject, which served = negative the
fleet of the report, and her clever
ess at this critical juncture saved the
ay.
Atkinson was poor man when he
ntered the contest for governor
gainst powerful and popular man, Z
nd it seems strange at his assurance in
ssaying 10 desperate a venture. But
e evidently acted on the maxim: mo
aing venture, nothing have" He was,
forever, deeply impressed with the q
ause he represented, believed that
he best interests of the state would be
lrthered by the adoption of the line of F
olicy which Che laid down, and simply
elied upon his native strength and
bility to carry him through. In
oeaking of the contest, during his
hid: n
"The campaign for governor in that
ear really began In January, but was y
aged most effectively and decisively
lrinE the last six or eight weeks.
uring the last six weeks of the camp
Rn, was constantly On the go, writ
g and speaking in all parts of the
ate, and only spent about two hours
home during this time. It was
'ntest over the issues raised by the ;
tie war, and 1 had formidable op-
'nent, who had served the south with
stineuished credit. 1 went into the
m paign on q policy of advancement I
ID braking away from the old issues