The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-02-02
GUERRY AND TOOMER TILT.
Ware COunty's Representative
Takes Issue with Guerry's state
ments.


ments.
Waycross, Ga, Feb. 1.-Intefest in
the address of Hon. Dupont Query.
which had been announced for 1890
this morning at the Court House, was
very much intensified when the an
nouncement was made on the street
that Hon. w. NJ. Toomer, representa-
tive from Ware county, would take
issue with Mr.. Query on the much
talked of depot bill. Mr.. Toomer had
heard Mr. Guerry's speech last night,
and remarked to a strong Query man
this morning that he would like to
have fifteen or twenty minutes in
which to reply to that part of Mr..
Guerry's speech. Mr.. Toomers desire
was communicated at once to Mr..
Query, who very promptly and cheer
fully granted Mr.. Toomer all the time
he desired.
Mr.. Toomer stated that he agreed
with Mr.. Guerry in everything except
the Atlanta depot question. He claimed
that Mr.. Query had misinformed the
people and had done the Georgia Leg
lslature a grave injustice. He stated,
further, that Mr.. Query had absorbed
some of his law partner, Hon. Joe
Halls, ideas on the depot question.
He discussed the bill at some length,
defending the position taken by him
self and others in regard to that mat
ter. He accused Mr.. Query of being
one of the men who had helped to
lock up the public property fund so
as to make it impossible for it to be
used for any purpose except for the
payment of public debt Mr. Toomer
spoke about twenty minutes, and was
applauded by the audience.
In replying to Mr.. Toomer Col
Guerry stated that he did not want
this incident to be precedent, as he
did not propose to enter into discus
sion with all of Mr.. TerreIrs lieuten-
ants, but had no objection 20 meeting
the great general himself on the stump
at any time. He paid Mr.. Toomer a
very high compliment. He stated that
II ne had absorbed some OF Mr.. Halls
ideas as claimed by Mr.. Toomer that
1t would be a good thing for a number
OF the Georgia legislators TO do the
same thing, particularly did he think
It would be a good thing in Mr..
Ioomer's case. He said he was con-
scious of his many weak points. hut
fered to his position on
the public property fund. that
ne had touched one of his strongest
points, as he had the constitution of
the state, and the Supreme Court to
back him up
Just at this juncture Mr.. Toomer in
terrupted Mr.. Query, in order to call
attention to the fact that Judge Spen-
Ger r. Atkinson, had rendered an iden-
tlcal opinion with his own on the mat
ter in question.
Then" said Mr.. Query, II withdraw
all | said in regard my distinguished
friends opinion on this question. for N
is "a well nown fact, that Judge Atkin-
son failed to express an opinion in his
reply to Mr.. Parks question"
In MS remarks Mr.. Toomer had re-
ferred to the powerful argument that
had been made in the Legislature in
behalf of the depot measure, declaring
that 1t was so overwhelming that no
one could fail to be convinced of the
propriety of the measure. Replying to
this, Mr.. Query brought forth loud an
plause from the audience by recount
ing what he had said last night in re-
gard to the lobbyist tanking up the
members to the voting point in order to
carry the bill through. These" he
said, ARE some of the powerful argu-
ments to which my good brother re-
ferred."
He stated, however, that Mr. Toomer
was not one of the crowd that could be
taDked up or influenced by those kind
of arguments" and said that the peo-
pie of Ware county should keep just
such man as that in the Legislature
Query club has been organized,
with about 80 members.
Prof. w. b. Merrett who is candi-
date for state school commissioner, was
in town to-day and but for the lack of
time would have addressed the same
crowd which had assembled to hear Mr..
Query. He expects to return here in
a short time and address the people of
Waycross and Ware county.