Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-05-29
Atlanta. Ca. May "a, 1902.
3. M. BLACKBURN WRITES ON
"BAND WAGON" BRIGADE


To the Editor Of The Journal:
II the intense humor of this campaign
is overlooked, the people viii lose much
that Is inspirating.
One thing that impresses the observer,
even to the point OF convulsive laughter,
is the sad dissolution Of that band wagon
brigade.
What could have been the trouble with
the band wagon anyway? Did the wheels
refuse to revolve on account of the class
Of mules that were to pull 1t, or did the
mules kick on account Of the character
of the load that was to fill It? That is
new question for debate.
There was a broken spoke somewhere.
Maybe the two Sans could not agree.
One thing is certain, Sam Small is a bad
fellow to pick out to follow, whereas
Sam Jones always wants to lead. Sam
Small has DETECTED. He Is for Terrell.
always admired the sense of this Sam,
1t would appear to the casual onlooker,
that the Guerry bandwagon was built
by a new hand, of rotten material. 1t
takes no expert to detect that It was not
turned out by a Barnesville factory.
Lets see. This wagon was to start
promptly on May Sd. 1t was to take in
all Georgia. The people had been noti-
fed to assemble at central points, in
great numbers. The basket dinner was
in evidence. Good women of the country
districts, unlike political ministers, were,
without regard to partisan display, in
terested only in preparing for hospita-
BILE time They had put the big pot into
the little one." and JOY unconfined was
in store for all yearning stomachs. Every
acknowledged chicken in Georgia was
using his legs to escape. whereas the in
nocent lamb was bleating piteously for
one more chance IN life.
Cremation tapped its smoky wings over
etc UyNrara frrfc had fn
take day Off to wink the other eye.
Sam Jones had said that the wagon, It
do move, and like his sable brother in
old Virginia, who always contended that
the sun, he do move, his followers be-
lieved that the vehicle was going to roll
even IL mud was half leg deep In Georgia
But 1t didn't. Why? Did you have the
thing creased, gentlemen? Did your
team buck or was your driver no goodE
One thing. certain. Your load vanished
like mist before the sunlight Of sincerity.
Sam Small was for Terrell and local
option. Seab Wright had crow to pick
with Sam Jones and Guerry, for jumping
his dispensary bill, after they had en-
dorsed IT. Seab believes in standing by
his guns. Joe Hill Hall was against
Jones on the liquor question. Sam Jones
was mad with Query and Hall, because
they wanted to take from him his free
passes
All the cats, dogs, monkeys and parrots
in the world would not have had so hi
of a time between appointments. as was
promised by this incongruous aggregation.
Joe Terrell, Guerry and Estill would
have been triad of cheek-turners, by the
side of this wagon of WORTHLESS.
My! Wouldn't the country districts
have had fun? Grass would have grown
in Georgia, during that brief interval, for
Cuffy would have been in his glory.
-. = n 1WaHA nnIk
Wright and Sam Small never had any
idea of joining They had too much
sense.
/ always liked Wright and Small. They
are geniuses right, whether they are for
or against you.
But suppose the thing had moved off,
without Wright and Snail? Did you ever
consider how 1t would save been decora-
ted? Would the tails of the mules have
been sheared, or left shaggy? Joe Hill
Hall would have filled the body of that
wagon with froth, II they had refused TO
hang out red ribbons. Guerry would
have wept twice, thrice, all the time, II
blue ribbons had been relegated. Where
as Sam Jones would have insisted on adj
vertising reduced rates on all the rail-
roads of Georgia, or broken his gallus in
the effort.
BY the way, wouldn't Sam be a peach as
a Lydia Pinkham advertiser? Whether
writing on religion, politics or lynching,
he never forgets. after engaging the at
tention of the reader, to make some nice
reference to the railroads and the trusts.
Why didn't the band wagon move?
What has become of the horns? Were
they fog horns, and were they enveloped
in the fog? Did the kettle drum burst, or
did the bass drum lose the step? What is
! the matter with the old thing?
Respectfully,
BENJAMIN NJ. BLACKBURN.