The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-12-10

Hon. sidney StoTS, Sa-u'
.yyo have with us not only the most
a,s,ireuished representative and citizen
~ Georgia but / dare say In TINS ehtlie
country. He needs no Introduction 70 any
soiithcrn audience; the mere menuon OF
bis name is alone sufficient to thrlll every
hnart we love him because of his great
a1d Glorious history, which will ever DE
the immortal heritage OF US an ms nd nam,
IS written upon our hearts ana II sNgS
me pleasure to lntroduce beHeidi 'h"' ~
Gordon. tApplauseD .,,
General Gordon said in substance: MI
Chairman and gentlemen of the conFeh-
tion: IL Is GeOrSia's misfortune ana
yours that her able and eloquent COVER
nor could not be here to speak In her
name 1t Is Georgia's misfortune anu
yours, that. the Hon. A. II. Cox, one OF
her most brilliant SONS, who was selected
TO represent the governor. was also de-
tanned By cxacting engagements ana
could not be here.
'Iy n strange confederation of events
YOU are doomed U am very sorry Tor
vouD but YOU are doomed to sit and hear
the random shots as they come from a
brain poorly loaded, if loaded at all. L
want to say however, that lower down
than my brain, in that center of feeling
and sentiment there is a tire burning
that can never be quenched until south
ern progress has achieved the ends which
call YOU together. (Applause)
II can give YOU some consolation by
reading to you what ii is | am expected
to do Listen To it: The governor OF
each state in MS response, or his repre-
sentative. is to place his state in line for
union of effort in the industrial up-build-
ing of the south That leaves me MOTH
ing whatever to do. Georgia is already
in line; she has been in line ever since
the flag which she proudly bore on a
thousand fields went down in defeat, but
/ in glory. She IS q line here today. DO
YOU ask If Georgia is In line? AS well
might France have asked the great Ma
pOleOn, as he moved to battle IL Mar
shat Ney was in line. What would be
said of the southern man who would now
ask If StonCWali jackson was in line,
when the immortal Lee called into action
his invinciRle legions in the seven days
battles around Richmond, or when the
shells OF Hooker were tearing through
the tangled wilderness at Chancellors-
vile? No less unnecessary is the in
qulry as 10 where -corgia now stands.
and viii ever stand in every movement
iof southern redemption or American
prosperity. tAppiause)
The evidence OF what she has been do
ing IN these years of trial are everywhere
to be seen. Contrast III YOU viii her con-
dition today with her roundncs
twenty-five years ago Then every dollar
or her currency, having recently been
rendered Valueless. she was seeking the
aid of borrowed money. wherever credit
ors were crcdulOuS enough to lend il. Now
| ann assured by a delegate from my
state. who is one of our foremost nnan-
Cic"s, that Georgia and Georgia ) people
have on deposit and in uusOld cotton
enough To run her government, its inSti-
tuti0ns of charity and of learning. its
railroads its factories and its farms
without Dor owing "a dollar. (ApplaUSe.)
were 50 worn out that the tracks pre-
scented little more than two red strcaks
of iron rust where the rails had lain ami
dccaycd. Now The bright surfaces of her
steel tracks indicate the gigantic COM
merce they carry. while the lines are
extending into every section and 10 al