Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1906-01-25


it terms our Inconsistency, at length, as follows:
BOTH HOT AND COLD.
Editor Mercer, who thinks he is whooping
em up for Hoke Smith down his way, says IN
one sentence
that the common people have made up
our minds to put man in Office that will
disioint the sate-making apparatus
and to send men to the legislature who
will shake loose from the old ship of
state the barnacles of corporate greed
and corruptng influence"
Tom Watson could not have said more IN
arraigning the democracy OF Georgia. Editor
Mercer could not utter more direct charge OF
wholesale corruption and graft against all our
previous legislators and public officials, VINO
alone are responsible for whatever condition
now exists in this state. His man Smith Will
"shake the old state loose from the barnaces
of corporate greed and corruptlng influence.
But like his man Smith, he fails to point out who
the barnaces are as we'll as negects TO des1g-
nate the corruptionsts.
The inconsistency of this charge is shown
by Editor Mercer in the very next sentence OF
his corrupt characterization of the public official
of Georgia and the former legislators. Read
: what he says in the next sentence:
while it is true that Georgia has es-
capped the harvest of graft and corrup-
ton that has disgraced 80 many state
governments very recently" etc
If Georgia has escaped the corruption of
other states, why go aside to insinuate that she
has not. Why make charge and retractioo in
the same breath?
. If Editor Mercer will specify wherein there
has been corruption on the part of any state
off cial from governor down in the past admins.
trations of Georgia, or which member of the
general assembly has been corrupt, we will join
him in removing mantle of honor so unworth-
i1v worm We will 60 as far as he to have such
person not only removed from Office, but held
up TO the scorn of all honorable men. If our
legislators in the past have been corrupt they
deserve to be excoriated and and mathematical
and we will join Editor Mercer and Hoke Smith
in exposing the corruption and dishonorable
deeds.
But, did not Hoke Smith help to put Terrell
into Office and at the time when Dupont Query
was running for governor platform that
Smith has now partly preempted? Why such
sudden conversion on the part of Mr.. SMITH
Having been member of the cabinet, we will
not accuse him of not having cut his wisdom
teeth, yet we can not understand why he could
not have discovered some of this corruption
when Guerry was running for office? Joe
Terrell had been in politics for quite while,
and why could not Smith have had the oppor-
tunity to learn of some of his alleged corruption
and have supported another man for office?
What influence Cor when did this divine in
SEPARATION visit him) has made Mr.. Smith see
things so differently now from all his future
life? He can not excuse explain by saying
that wise men often change their views, while
fools never" for Mr.. Smiths change involves
change of conscience also.
No one should insinuate thing rejecting
upon every man who ever had anything to do
with the government of the state unless he
stands ready to make his charges good when
called on. The aforesaid common people" are
also ~fair people" and ''intelligent people" and
desire sometimes to be shown" before they
take much stock in charges without specifca-
tons. A part of the people not be fooled
by such methods.
Far better, Brother Mercer, not to say
thing than ever to have to retract it, but to feel
compelled to do so in the very next sentence you
are in danger of being likened to the man in the
fable which follows:
THE SATYR AND THE TRAVELLER.
"A poor man travelling in the depth of winter
through dreary forest, no inn to receive him,
no human creature 10 befriend or comfort him,
,r.e DANGER Of being starved to death. AT