The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-10-24
CHARGE 1T TO HOUSTON.
Mitchell Men Say He Was Largely
Responsible for Their Defeat.

Responsible for Their Defeat.
More than one of the politicians who
returned yesterday from the scene of
the recent fight for the speakership of
the Legislature has assigned reasons
for the defeat of Mitchell They all
agree that the fight made by the South
Georgia candidate was a strong one,
and claim that had not those whom
they had relied on forsaken them at
the last moment, the result would have
been different.
Mitcheli's supporters were particular
ly severe in their criticism of Hon. C.
G. Houston, Fulton county's labor rep
resentative, and to his change of front
ascribe the defeat of their man. Mr..
Houston was approached by several of
the Savannah delegation and asked for
an explanation of his position and his
change of front, but it is claimed gave
no satisfactory explanation.
when the Child Labor Bill came up
in the House, some time ago, Mr..
Houston, as the champion of union la
Dor, did all he could to bring about the
passage of the BILL" said Mr.. j. Robert
Dreamer yesterday. zone of his sup
porters at that time was Hon. Fon-
dren Mitchell. Both worked hard for
the passage of the bill, and both, of
course, voted for it. IlcNl. Newt Nor
ris voted against it. Shortly after
ward MIR. Houston was one of those
who approached Mr. Mitchell and ask
ed him to run for the speakership. He
then and subsequently pledged him his
support.
1--WE went to see Mr.. Houston" said
Mr.. Creamer, after recalling these facts
and asked him why he had changed
front. We wanted a good reason. We
told him that it was a question of prin-
ciple, and asked what he was going to
do, whether he was going to stand by
union labor. or vote contrary to the
wishes of all of the union labor men.
He had received many kilograms from
union labor men all over the state urg-
ing him to stand by the union. He
knew that even then every cotton fac
tory in the state had representatives on
the scene in the interest of Mr.. Nor
ris. e.
'He replied that union labor was not
the question to be considered. but.
rather, the qualifications of the two
candidates. He knew as did every one
else that the election of Mitchell was
almost vital to the passage of the bill,
and he knew that was why the cot
ton manufactures from all over the
state had their workers on the
grounds, and yet, in spite of this fact,
he refused to listen to argument, and
not only cast his vote for Morris. but
worked for him, though union labor to
man voted for Mitchell.
1T was Houston who persuaded
Mitchell to make the race for the
speakership. He was elected on a la
Dor ticket. He has frequently con-
tributed articles to the papers cham
pioning the cause of child labor The
election of Mr.. Morris assures a rocky
road for the bill, for he is one of the
strongest opponents of the bill So
angry were we, and, indeed, all of
Mitchelrs friends, that we went to the
Atlanta Journals office and wrote an
article condemning his position and
showing him up before the union labor
men of the state"
When the delegates returned to Sa-
vannah they were asked on every hand
about Mr.. Houston's change in front
Election talk was general, and many
interested audiences were told by the
returning delegates how it happened.
Though the race is over, they have
not tired of talking of what happened
and what might have happened.