The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-02-20
a Political Speech in Millen.

Hon. dupont Guerry, one OF Ine tuTee
candidates for Georgia's gubernatorial
chair, spoke to large and enthusiastic
| body of people in the High school audi
torium yesterday at noon. Even the gal
lery was filled with men and some negroes.
The pupils were given holiday and
were marched in by sections followed by
their respective teachers, to hear the
speech. The speaker welcomed the pres
ence of so many ladies saying by way of
parenthesis: 81 am not an advocate of
woman's rights, but I always appreciate
the presence of the silent voters" adding
that he did not advocate "womans
wrongs" His platform was given clear
ly and emphatically, Taxation, abolition
of lobbyism and prohibition" weaving in
loom of the great arch of honesty that
Thomas Jefferson formed and fought for
so ardently. He dealt in facts and figures
exclusively, having before him books
which contained all his statements and
which he defed any one to dispute. He
showed US Georgia's deficit, and why and
how her credit has been SO strained. Lay
ing it to "tax-dodgers," not individually
or to mill interpretations, but the railroad
companies. They pay on the average, he
said, of only one-fourth the valuation of
property while the farmers and merchants
pay three-fourths. Don't cut down the
pensions, or tax individuals more, or cut
down school funds, he said; but make
these immense companies pay their just
debts. He read clipping copied from a
South Carolina paper where our own
governor, Mr.. McSweeney, was agitating
the equalization of taxes. He gave death
blows the corruptness of legislative rul-
ings and the trickery used. In passing
m ention the great Willingham and child
labor bills were referred to. In Carter
vile last week ne said he was referring
to these evils and Sam Jones who was
talking to a member of the legislature,
blurted out in his characteristic style,
BRO. the Hon. --, says you amt tell
ing nothin'." $50 am telling nothing"
he quoted, "in comparison to what is to
tellw Of course, this was all followed by
the admonition ITO put in office honest
men who will see that the laws, are car
ried out-we have the laws, only the
enforcement thereof is needed" 'Tis
useless to add that his honor thought he
was the man for the executive chair, in
asmuch as he was "a candidate for the
masses of the people" while his "Gis-
opponents were candidates for |
Governor of Georgian am woman
a "silent voter, so / need not waste
breath to air an opinion that would not
amount to chill of beans" but had the
liberty of thinking, and oh, how l thought |
for this open hearted calm, delightful
speaker. Heis either forerunner of bet
ter state officers and better times for
Georgia or he is the best rounded humbug |
I have ever heard talk. His dealings
with the rottenness of prohibition was, in
no wise, less forcible than the other plank5
of his platform. Iheard his burlesqueing
of his opponent, Mr. Terrell, with NO
pleasure, as criticism of others for sim
ister motive, is unchristianly, and dislike
to give ear to it, but it was impossible to
restrain laugh at his remarks. Itseems
that he, Mr.. Terrell has had his picture
and life printed on the front sheet of
some advertising medium and is running
for governor on such merits, as he has
failed to give in the remOtest degree his
platform.
The political status of our country both
national and local is of such intense in
terest, it should be the duty and pleasure
of every woman to acquaint herself
with the details. If nothing else
should prompt her, pride ought to, for
must she like some little weakling ask
her husband or brother the why's and
Let her employ the brain
God has given her. NJ. o. LANIER.