Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1906-06-12

sat apparently reservng its decision until it
had heard the other man. The mass had not
yet committed itself
Mr.. HoWeW 1O0s received with 07o applause
from his o1O7o immediate ranks, fully eqW0Iiug
the reception given to Mr. Smith by his rear
guard He frOnted q great opportunity. He
had much to Saio and little to lose in contest
in Which pubic opinion had already credited
his experienced 0Sonist NTH superiority in
debate If Mr.. Ho1UeIL had made q strong, clear
presentation of definite Uie1Os upon the great
and pressing issues before the people in this
campaign, if he had illustrated convictions
and the COURAGE of them upon the things that
we're nooUiuS as realities in the public noinC--
even if these convictions had been counter to
their 01C7o-.t71e people O0uId hare GppIGUded his
de16niteness and respected his honest opinions.
Mr.. HoVeW made here the same fatal mis-
t07ce Which he has made all through HE CAM
of pitching his campaign purely and SIM
ply upon the idea of proving Hoke SMITH to be
W7o7Oo7thy of the place.
The editor of The Georgian has warned
him of this error dozen times. Mr. Smith
made his bid for suffrage upon the advocacy of
certain pressing and necessary changes in the
conduct and personnel of the state government.
Mr.. Howell made his plea upon the idea of per-
sona1 depreciation of Hoke Smiths sincerity and
consistency. Mr.. Howell spoke by the watch
sixty.one minutes without touching an issue
except the issue of Hoke Smiths political integ-
rity, his temperance, his consistency. When
the audience finally demanded by calls some
comment upon pending issues, Mr.. Howell
spoke by the watch seven minutes upon freight
rates without argument and conhning himself
to the assertion that he had always been on the
side of cheaper freight rates. Then he drifted
back to the personal discussion of Hoke Smith.
Called again by undivided requests from the
audience, Mr.. Howell gave six minutes by the
watch to the strong assertion without argu-
ment, that Mr.. Smith disfranchisement
plan would disfranchise thousands of white
men. Then he returned to Hoke Smith s re-
cord and stayed there until his peroration.
This is an accurate statement carefully and
iudicialy measured, watch in hand, and absolut-
ely without prejudice.
THESE ARE THE TWO PLANS OF
SIDE FOR TRIAL AND EXPERIMENT.
ONE MAN DEBATING STRONGLY THE
ECONOMIC AND RACIAL ISSUES OF THE
HOUR, THE OTHER MAN DISCUSSING
CHIEFLY THE PERSONAL UNFITNESS
OF HIS ANTAGONIST. WE HAVE NEVER
HAD ANY DOUBT FOR A MOMENT THAT
IHE DEBAIEK OF Issues WAS YIN
STRONGER AND MORE HOPEFUL
GROUND, AND WE HAVE SAID so.
But we lay down here the proposition as
fact and philosophy that if man gets on the
peoples side of public question and advocates
it powerfully and consistently you may abuse
him till doomsday and convict him of a dozen
inconsistencies, but you can't shake the faith
of the people in the fact that he is right now,
and they are going to stand by him.
IF THERE is ANY WINNING
STRENGTH IN HOKE SMITHS CAM
PAIGN IT IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT
HE HAS CONVINCED THE PEOPLE
THAT THEY NEED NEGRO DISFRAN-
EASEMENT AND A HOME REGULATION
OF FREIGHT RATES, AND THAT HE IS
THE MAN TO GET IT FOR THEM. IF
THERE IS ANY WEAKNESS IN MR.. HOW
ELLIS CAMPAIGN IT is DUE TO THE
FACT THAT HE HAS DEVOTED MORE
TIME TO DISTRIBUTING HOKE SMITH
THAN He HAS TO MAKING CLEAR HIS
OWN CONVICTIONS AND INTENTIONS
nm TuTCE GREAT OTTEQTT1NQ