Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-05-15
HON. ROLAND ELLIS
OFFERS TO COMPARE "JAGS'

MACON, Ga, May 10, 1902.
To the Editor of The Journal:
l notice in your Wednesday issue a
card from Colonel j. p. Ross in which
he mentions my name as one of the sign
ers of an invitation to a meeting of the
knights of Fidelity. While 1 never signed
or authorized nay signature to such invi-
tation, and never saw one of them until
after this smoker mad been held, 1 have
i, never said anything about * because the
gentleman who did ii was a friend and
took this liberty on account of the fact
that had been for some time the legal
adviser of this lodge in Macon, and had
been attending to the legal business of
many of it's members. But 1 was present
at this meeting referred to. which was a
public one, upon a. verbal invitation of the
secretary, and know the facts in reference
to that very ordinary and harmless gath
ering. Knowing these facts 1 know that
the only political matter referred to upon
that occasion was the subject set forth IN
the following blank petition. sent all over
the union by the national council of this
order
ITO the Hon.
Member of Congress.
We, the undersigned voters Of the -
congressional district, of the state of -,
respectfully request you TO cast your
vote for the passage Of H. r. 1878,
known as the JOY Bills for the reduction
of tax on whisky from 10 to 70 cents per
gallon, believing that by doing so you will
be serving the interests of a majority of
your constituents"
AS one present know that the place of
assembly is as respectable lodge room
as there is in the state of Georgia; the
meeting place of seven different reputa-
BILE orders, and that neither the interests
of gubernatorial or any other candidates
were either considered or discussed. With
this knowledge. when inquiry was made
of me as to the facts as set out in the
circular referred to by Colonel Ross, and
this circular, charging that this meeting
was held in Mr.. TerrelPs interest and in
opposition to Mr.. Guerry. was exhibited
to me l at once, as did others, pronounce
the contents absolutely false. now here
repeat the statement. Instead of being the
signer Of an invitation to a meeting IN
opposition to Mr.. Guerrys campaign in
Bib county, carrying out a promise
made to Hon. Joseph II. Han, when Mr..
Guerry first announced, ] personally saw
a large number of the members of this
very lodge, whom 1 knew were opposed to
Mr.. Guerrys views on certain subjects.
and suggested that they should not, as
matter of courtesy in the county of his
home oppose the candidate living here.
To this suggestion most of them assented,
and reported this fact back to Mr.. Hall.
who has informed me that Mr.. Guerry
understood that 1 had given that advice.
I made this statement when'I was shown
this anonymous circular, not in the inter-
est of either Messrs. Query, Terrell or
Estill, but in the interests of truth, and
in justice to myself as the maker Of the
statement to Mr.. Hall, and in justice to
those present at this meeting who were
exercising their constitutional right I'M
der free government to assemble and
attend to their own business.
How many of those present denied the
contents of this circular TO Mr.. Hill and
others do not know; but as one who did,
and does now, assert that it's contents
are false and misleading. l desire to add
that those who know both Colonel Ross
and myself will bear out the statement
that If a comparison of the effects of re-
freshments on the memory and locomo-
ton of both Colonel Ross and myself be
made 1 will not suffer by the contrast.
r ROLAND ELLIS. p
p. S.-Since writing the above. Hon.
Joseph H. Hall, Mr.. Guerry's law part
ner, has stopped me on the street and
stated that as he had been charged with
the authorship of this anonymous circular
he wished to emphatically repudiate
the authorship and all knowledge of the
same. further stating that he denounced
it personally. r. E. y