Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-12-30
JOHNSON NOT
GET OUT OF IT
REPUBLICAN STATE CENTRAL
COMMITTEE "REcENEs" REsIe-
NATION OF CHAIR
MAN.

At a session OF the Republican state
central committee OF Georgia, held Sat
urdsy in the senate chamber az the
state capitol. the. resignation OF Walter
II. Johneon. as chairman was received, -
but not accepted. To receive the resigna-
ton was acknowledged. however. 70 be
the same as an acceptance.
No successor was elected 70 the chair
manship. w. A. Pledger. the vice chair
man during the administration OF Mr..
Johnson and who presided over the meet
ing OF the committee today. will continue
10 direct the destinies OF the committee.
but has not been made chairman.
? The committee adopted a resolution fe-
ucitatinE the last session OF the general
assembly upon killing the Hardwick bill
which provided for a property and edu-
catfonaI qualification fo- suffrage. and
hating as its secondary object the dis
franchisement OF the negroes Of Geor-
gia-
hour was consumed in getting the creden-
tfals OF the members Of the committee and
also Arranging the proxies. Among the
prominent Republicans present were Ex-
Governor Bullock. District Attorney E a.
Angler. Internal Revenue Collector Ruck-
er. ,Judson Lyons. II. L Johnson, A.
Graves, J. H Deveaux. r. z. Locke d. c.
l.
master ". II. smythe. NJ p. Morton. w.
A PIedger, Professor Dent and others.
After the usual preliminaries, the resig-
nation Of Mr.. johnson was taken up and
read A motion was made that IL be &C
ceptsd. with regret Objection was made to
this on the ground that the committee had
no right 10 accept the resignation but that
Il ought 20 20 20 the state convention for
acceptance and the election OF q successor.
Resolutions were offered extending the
thanks OF the Republicans Of Georgia TO
Mr.. johnson for his work. and the sincere
regret OF the organization that he should
be forced 70 give up the leadership. Also
expressing the greatest confidence IN W.
A Pledger as a worthy successor 10 Mr..
johnson.
The question arose on the acceptance Of
the resignation. On a vote the ayes were
IS and the nays IS. The strongest cb1ec-
ton 70 the acceptance OF the resignation
was that the committee did not believe
in expressing its regrets AZ having to ac-
cept the Invitation.
/ A resolution was adopted expressing the
great loss 20 the country In the death Of
President Mckinley and the confidence of
the Republican party IN Georgia in the ad-
miulstrztion OF President Roosevelt. The
resolution was offered BY Ex-Governor
Bullock Another resolution expressing
the deepest sympathy OF the COMMITTEES
70 1Ers. Mckinley in her great beresye-
uent. was adopted
In few remarks during the session
Chairman Pledger said that he did not
know whether the Republican party IN
this state should be thankful. but he knew
Il ought TO be appreclative OF the action
OF the dominant party In the state in re-
fusing 20 adopt the Hardwick bill which
proposes 70 disfranchise q large portion
OF the negro voters OF tks state OF Geor-
giz-
A resolution was offered By Professor
Dent Of Savannah. calling upon congress
20 appropriate money 70 test the elction
laws IN the various states where amend
ments had been made 70 the organic laws
OF these states iool<ing 20 the disfranchise-
u1ent OF the negro The resolution read
that since Il was the duty OF congress 70
see 20 the enforcement OF the postal and
custom laws OF the country II should also
see 20 the enforcement Of the elcuon
laws.
This resolution was regarded as 4 star
an the face OF the Georgia people, who
had Just refused 20 enact law distran-
Chang the negro Much objection was
raised 20 the strong terms Of the resolu-
tfon. The resolution was voted down once
On the motion OF Judson Lyons It was
again taken up. Lyons held that IL was
as much the duty Of GeOrgians 70 see
that the laws were enforced In Alabama,
Mississippi. Louisiana and other states IS
IN their own
The resolution was again voted down
Ihe meeting Of the COMMITTEES tb-5 ad-
sournet sine die.