The Mena weekly star., 1907-11-14
HINEMON WRITES
 ATTORNEY GENERAL
Candidate for Governor Answers the Charge of w. F. Kirby as to Fear to Enter Joint
 Debate.

The following "open letter, " addressed to Attorney General Kirby, appeared in last Sundays Little Rock Gazette:
 Hon. ". F. Kirby, Little Rock. My Dear Sir:--I have read your so-called challenge to joint de- bate with surprise and amuse- ment. 1 am led to wonder how you have suddenly acquired so much courage and zeal for public debate. l distinctly remember that only two years ago the Hon. X. o. Pindall, now acting gover- nor, but at that time a candidate against you for the nomination for attorney general, repeatedly invited and urged you to meet him in joint discussion and fnal- ly succeeded in cornering you at Pine Bluff, where he forced you to meet him one time to your evil dent discontinue. However, during that campaign, you were standing in the shadow of another candidate and energetically swinging to his coat tail, so that you might get an opportunity to address audiences whom you doubtless felt that you could not attract by your personality or your popularity.
 Having tried in seventeen ap- pointments with the Hon. K. w. McFarlane to muster the Demo- cratic voters and having failed to attract any special attention, in the hope of devising scheme to arouse some enthusiasm you generously CD declare that "Mc- Farlane has been weighed in the balance and found wanting l am informed that at some of your appointments not more than ten per cent of the Democratic voters came out to hear your attempts at the spectacular and that you actually tried to wax "warm and eloquent" before audiences of from 25 to 30 voters. How your am bilious heart must have thrilled as you rose 10 address those vast multitudesl
 The statement that you have not been able to secure "even an answer" to your requests for a joint debate, must be erroneous, for 1 have copy of a letter in which 1 urged you to bide your time and assured YOU that the people are tired of protracted campaigns and would not attend meetings at this season of the year. Will you pardon the sug- gestion that you might use a little of your spare time assisting valiant Lewis Rhoton in his prosecution of boodlers? Is it not a fact that you declined to assist Mir. Rhoton, giving as your excuse the statement that you did not have the time to spare to help him? Do you not think you could better earn your salary in aiding Mir. Rhoton in his faith ful efforts for the good of the state than you can by devoting your time aHd energies in an at- tempt to secure a joint campaign for the next five months? Is it not possible that the voters may answer this question in a way that you cannot understand?
 Later in the season there will be ample time to abundantly satisfy your eager desire for joint discussion.
 Your persistent efforts to dictate the plan and methods of this campaign remind me of the old negro woman who went into a dry goods store to buy two yards of ribbon. The clerk was very bow-legged. Starting to the other side of the store, be sad: "Walk this way" The old woman replied: Fl spects to git dat ribbon, but 1 ain't gwine to walk dat way to git it." So l expect to get the ribbon in this campaign, but I don't expect campaign according to your methods to get it.
 Yours very truly,
 John Fl Hinemou.