Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-05-01
TAPP REPLIES
To WARNER
HILL
CHAIRMAN or ASSOCIATED
GUERRY CLUBS WRITES AN
OPEN LETTER TO HEAD OF
TERRELL'S COMMITTEE.


man OF TerreITs campaign committee. The
following Is the letter OF Mr.. Tapp In
full:
ATLANTA. GA. April q. leo2
Hon. H. W. Hin. Chairman OF Hon. J. III.
Terreu's Campain Committee, kimball
House. Atlanta. Ca
Dear Sir--Since in your intensely bitter
letter OF the 9Th inst. addressed 10 the
Associated Query clubs. you make COCA
sion 20 attack me personally. take the
liberty with the consent OF my associates
OF personally replying thereto.
Your letter IS. 10 say the least. remark
able in view OF the fact that you have so
frequently asserted your disapproVal OF
REPRESENTATIVES" and vftuperation In the
campaign. For myself. / confess that
do not perceive how references 20 the rela-
tive merits OF the candidates and their
attitudes towards the issues involved can
be eliminated from the campaign. such
references are necessarily 'personahties-
This Is the embarrassing consequence OF
Offering ones self on his merits Tor pubic
Office. but I do not see the necessity Tor
vftuperation and abuse such as Is found
IN your letter. Neither Mr. Query or my
self have ever INDUCED in any such.
In the latter part OF your recent letter
referring 70 me you say: You. / am m
formed. are a comparative stranger %
Mr.. Query. and ! am therefore forced 70
cause for what little nOtOriety there may
be in il for you. hence / must respect
fully decline TO be drawn Into further
controversy with you
What have my motives got - DO With
the merits OF the respective candidates
for the Office OF governor And how have
Won been drawn into controversy We
wrote you a courteous letter. the sole pur-
port OF which was 20 bring about a joint
debate IN Atlanta between Mr.. Terrell and
Mr. Query. In your reply. IN addition
20 declining the invitation on behalf OF
Mr.. Terrell. you opened a discussion with
US through the mails. We asked for a
public discussion between the Candidates
You apparently wished 10 cover Mr.. Aer-
relrs retreat BY shifting the battle from
public debates between the principals 70 a
skirmish BY correspondence between cam
paign committees. Having effected Mr..
TerreHs retreat you now think IL high
. tine 20 saw or the correspondence. We
did not seek a discussion With you. nor
wish 70 draw you into controversy. espec-
tally a debate by correspondence.
I believe in and advocate the principles
as advocated BY Mr. Query, and deny
your right or that OF any other man 70
question NY motive In supporting him.
have the right 10 fight with all my ener-
g. for my convictions.
You conclude your letter with the state
ment that you have shown all the charges
70 be untrue What charges do you re-
fer TOT You have not in any true sense
touched the issues OF the campaign. nor do
you IN your recent letter meet the import
ant points OF the letter TO which you are
replying On previous letter you devot-
ed most OF your space 70 denunciation OF
Mr.. Query. which was entirely foreign
10 the purpose OF the correspondence. and
IN the letter now under consideration you
drift still further away from the issues
70 a personal attack upon me. although
am not a candidate for the ONCE Of gov
ernOr and my merits or dement's have no
bearing IN the campaign.
Mr.. Query stands for the suppression
OF various public evils which are pressing
heavily upon our people-where does Mr..
Terrell stand relative 10 these matters2
This is the question which is vital 70 the
public II cannot be met by abuse OF Mr..
Query nor abuse Of me.
II is certain that the railroad and liquor
organizations are dominant in state poll
tics. and that their influence is not exer-
ted for the common welfare; that the rail-
roads are evading their Just share OF tax
es az the expense OF the business men.
farmers and laboring classes: that the
system OF issuing free railroad passes TO
public officials is contrary to the spirit
OF our institutions as a Democratic gov
eminent. and is not INDUCED in by rail-
roads as a passtime. nor out OF cousid-
GRAFTON for the public good: that power
ful political combinations attempt to in
fuence legislation 20 their special advan-
tage through the instrumentality OF pro-
fessional lobbyists in the face OF our laws
and OF right and OF justice; that the
Southern railways foreign corporation
which Is very largely a factor in Georgia
Affairs. commercial and political-is daily
operating in Georgia in open violation OF
our laws. and free OF all responsibility
20 our courts that on account OF the
Unique railroad situation the freight
rates throughout Georgia are ineQuitable
and unfair. 20 the decided injury OF our
comemrcial and farming interests: that
the influence OF the liquor organization
r. powerful IN politics and uniformly ex-
erted for private gain without charity OF
sympathy for the wretched victims OF the
mothers. wives and children Of the COM
monwealth and In utter disregard OF all
rights and conscience. to the depravity
OF our young manhood and 10 the foul
pollution OF the fountain source OF morals,
whether in public affairs or private re-
lstions.
Mr. Query denounces these things as
evil which must be suppressed for the
glory and common welfare OF the state;
he has endeavored in every possible way
% get Mr.. Terrell 20 announce his position
definitely upon these points. Can any one
say that Mr.. Terrell has definitely COM
mitted himself 10 a policy which will sup
press these evils known 10 exist2 That
his record as attorney general will Justify
the faith that he viii earnestly endeavor
as governor 70 suppress the-n7 DO your
recent letters 10 US IN any wise dispel the
obscurity which surrounds Mr.. TerreiTs
position? II 1fr. Terrell is being misrep-
resented why does he not seize the oppor-
tCnity continually offered him TO 'naiI''
the alleged Misrepresentation by coming
out into the open and discussing these
matters with Mr.. Query. or why do you
not as hts campaign manager debate
these issues before the people with Judge
Ross or myself?
BY even casual inquiry any one can
readily satisfy himself that practically
the unanimous railroad and liquor infiu-
ence OF the state Is supporting Mr.. Terrell
They are certainly not afraid as governor
he would be antagonistic 10 their interests.
Is Il too personal or vituperative under
these circumstances 20 say that Mr.. Guer-
~ VIII be the next governor Of Georgia ?
You tell US that Mr.. Terrell does not now
use free passes When did he quit? II
he has quit. is IL not for campaign pur-
posss2 Certainly you know, or should
know. that he used them when attorney
general and when I'm the legislature. You
attempt 70 side track these inquiries BY
asking me II I have not been riding on
free passes within the last twelve months.
] answer NO" and you know that I
have never held office under the laws OF