The sun., 1900-06-29
WE'LL OFF WITH M'KINLEY.
-,rvxw SAYS GEOR0IA'LL BE GLAD
WIEN HE'S RE.ELECTED.

60. watch. says tho Bank and Cotton Mill
Man, and See the Bryan Vote In the south
r.u on One. Third From le06-Hes Not
a Mckinley Man Himself. Either. He Says.
M man in the South. probably, is in better
-..,,,on TO understand the feelings and SYM
n.,hies and opinions Of the business men OF
S., region than Banker W. S. Witham Of Geor-
=. Who has been spending few days in this
I,y conducting an excursion OF his employees
", Witham Is president OF thirty-two banks
:, r;eorsia, owns nine cotton mills and is inter-
..,.d in various lines Of business. As the d.
,.c,ins mind OF all these institutions he is Of
..ce,sity kept closely in touch with the trade
s.ndltions and financial interests Of that part
Of the country
noticsl situation In Georgia was he laughed
and said that he was too busy man to take
spy active part in politics.
MY interest In politics" he said. -eItends
n voting like good citizen and to keeping track
n political matters in so far as they affect
business.
Don't you regard the present campaign as
hsnR likely to have a decided effect on busi-
psss'" asked the reporter
Z certainly do was the emphatic reply.
what il the general sentiment In Georgia
rsgGding the eleotionP"
We're satisfied" said Mr. witham after
psuse for consideration.
satisfied with the present status Of afialrs1-
Now, here's how 1t is," said the banker
earnestly We know when we're well Of
we're not fools down there. II everything
IA doing we'll We don't want to risk any change.
There will be a lot Of people in Georgia who
vil vote the Democratic ticket and will be
mighty glad. Just the same. when Mckinley
u reelected"
You think. then. that the Republicans will
VIM"
Yes, sir; most emphatically do. am in
communication with a good many parts Of the
country, and tell you Bryan's popular vote
Will fall of 80 per cent. from last election. That
will certainly be true in the Southern States
risht through. The popular vote for Mckinley
viii be much greater than in 1896"
You are Mckinley man. thenf- said the re-
porter.
.No. I'm not, said Mr. wttham promptly
Never mind my politice. I'm not discussing
nv own views now. vote for the man who
represents the principles In which I believe
but that's neither here nor there in what I'm
sayins now. I'm telling you Of conditions that
I zee existing. without reference TO my own
ympsthies. There Is great prosperity through
the South and II has come with this Admins
tYltlon We've had eight-oent cotton. Do
you realize what that means to our people down
there? Well, II doubled the deposits in my
thirty-two hanks. That's one thing It did.
And this year cotton will open at 20 cents That's
The sort Of business conditions that we appre-
date In the South. And the business men
don't want any change that will risk that pros
perity. That's the feeling among all classes
and you'll see the expression OF 1t when the
votes come to be counted. don't say that the
Republicans will carry Georgia. but you watch
the popular vote In the South and see how
Bryans majorittes are cut down."
How Ia the national ticket regarded down
here?" asked the reporter.
OF course We all expected that Mckinley
would be renominated. He stands for the
prosperity that the Republican party has
brought In. The business men are for
Mckinley because he totes fair and makes good
buaness. t'Tote Fair is the motto of the
wltham banks.l As for Roosevelt. Teddy has
been mighty popular since the Cuban cam
pssm. We like fighter down South. We like
him. whether he's an American or a Boer. so
fong as he's fair fighter and square fighter
and brave man. That's why We like Teddy.
and II he comes touring round the South they'll
give him a great welcome. But Just watch for
that 80 per cent. drop in the popular vote for
Bryan"
To questions regarding other issues Mr..
Witham wouldn't reply. He only smiled and
sad that he was a business man and not poll
tcan and that he didn't propose to be drawn
into any discussion OF matters that were with
out his province. Mr.. witham is a Georgian
by birth, came to this city when young man
and got work at n week. He stayed with one
hrm for twenty years and learned thoroughly
the business methods Of the metropolis.
Through all his New York career he kept his
faith In his native State and was always plan
ming TO 60 back there and invest the capital
that he saved. About twelve years ago he
went to jackson. Ga. and started a bank there.
Other banks were soon started In other places
until he now has thirty-two. At the same
time he found opportunity to acquire the nine
cotton mills. M 1T OF tho capital besides his
own which is Invested in these enterprises IL
Northern capital. Every bank employee OF
Mr.. Williams is a stockholder in the bank in