The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-11
COL. ESTILL'S CAMPAIGN.

Became Well Acquainted with Geor,
STA People From Rnbun Gap t.
Tybee LiEht-Incidents of n Cam.
paten FREQ From Abuse.
From the Atlanta Constitution.
The race made by Col. ]. H. EstiIl
of Savannah for the governorship
stands unique in the history Of politi-
cal campaigns in Georgia. A stranger
to the stump, practically unknown to
the people of many of the northern
counties or districts, with little cam
paign management save his own, he
went into the fight with determine
ton, with vigor and with confidence.
The result. though it fell short of what
he and his friends expected and de-
sired, was by no means devoid of
success. With thirty-five counties and
eighty-six votes in the convention to
his credit, he accomplished what few,
If any, other men could have done.
laboring under the same disadvantages
and surrounded by the same condi-
tons
Though ne did not reach the execu-
tive mansion, Col. Estill has become
one of the best known men in Georgia
to-day Not only that. but his many
good qualities are known and appre-
ciated from Dade to Darien, and from
Rabun Gap to Tyhee Light. Col. Es-
till, wherever he met the people and
talked with them, made them his fast
friends His was a campaign of hand
shaking and heart-to-heart talking.
And it accomplished more than many
Georgia politicians ever dreamed Of.
Whenever Col. Estill became con-
WINGED that he could carry a county
with a little effort he devoted his I'M
firing attention to it until he made it
his
'Estill Will never carry Hall county
remarked a prominent politician who
lives in Gainesville
But little did he know. There were
few men, women and children in Hall
whom Col Estill did not meet. and
long before the primary, and before
his fifth visit to the county. it could
well have been counted in his column.
And so it was in many other coun-
ties. both in Northern and Southern
Georgia Col. Estill carried into his
campaign the same high principles
the same energy and the same natural
ability that have made his business
career a success. and that would have
made his administration a success had
he been chosen chief executive by the
people.
Campaign Free From Abuse.
Col Estill's campaign was unusual
in many ways. Through the ten
months it lasted no political arrow
poison-tipped was shot in his direc-
ton. OF the three candidates he
i
formidable, yet not one word of abuse
not even mild-mannered criticism was
ever directed against him by either of
his opponents. Some things may
have been said about him by certain
parties who were opposed to him, but
nothing that was said emanated from
either of the other candidates, nor did
II find its way to the public through
newspaper columns. Likewise. Col
Estills campaign was wholly free
from criticism or abuse of the men
he was opposing. He spoke of them
always in the highest terms, as able
and honorable gentlemen.
About the only reproach ever direct
ed against him was one so quickly
disproven as false, unfounded and ma
licious that it was scarcely noticed
Somebody said that he was a deserter
from the Confederate army, a canard
that was nailed at once by his brother
veterans. Veterans who get into the
Confederate Veterans Association of
Savannah were never deserters.
Severely wounded" was posted by The
record of J. II. Estilrs participation
with the Oglethorpe Light Infantry in
the first battle of Manassas. and the
rest of his war record was as honor
able.
S7,l,o ,oho.. ,,,.s.... at5 -. -, 49,.
4hands OFF, in the fight. for some re-
membered the strike of '93 in the
Morning News composing rooms, when
printers walked out because their de
mands were not granted. Col. Estill
secured other men, and there has been
bitterness against him among some
of the unionists ever since-not be-
cause of his present position, which is
one that admits of his employing union
and non-union men, but because he
won against the strikers; and yet in
that same year, the year of the last
financial panic. he sold personal Sc
curities at a sacrifice in order that
none of the men in his employ should
be compelled to wait for their pay one
hour beyond the time it was due.
became Comfy Historian.
The bizarre in his campaign was
shown in other ways. With an infiuen-
tial newspaper, of large circulation, at
his command. he enjoyed a means of
winning votes that tended at the same
time TO advertise and develop the re-
sources of many counties in Georgia
He became a county historian. From
county to county he Travelled, meeting
nearly all of the prominent men.
searching records, interviewing and
gathering together all the important
points and salient features of county
history, embodying them in a letter to
the Morning News and having then
appear, county by county. 1t was a
noteworthy fact that every "write-up
of a county teemed with names The
average man likes to see his name il
print. Col. Estill liked the men ht
met and whose names he learned: they
liked him. Their determination to vote
for him was cinched when they saw
their names in their county's history
penned by the candidate for Governor
Mr Terrell and Mr.. Guerry were
busy flinging disguised pleasantries al