Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1908-05-20
Did Not "Bear" Cotton

Did Not 'Bear" Cotton
He denied having "beared" the cot
ton market, but admitted that in a
moment of rapture over the fact that
the cotton crop was short in the west,
that he had declared that Georgia
would raise nearly two million bales,
and that big prices would be obtained.
He did not refer to the hot winds -
but complained because the papers
left out his prediction about high
prices, yet put in his remark about
the two million bales. That's the
way those miserable wretches have
done me all the time" Gov. Smith
referred to the Times-Recorder as
the immaculate Americus paper"
While he had not told anybody else
to hold the speaker was holding his
cotton for fifteen cents. He said he
could afford to lost a few hundred dol
lars for the sake of helping the farm
ers. This statement fell rather fiat,
as there were many cotton growers
IN the audience who were not en-
thused over the results of the hold
ing movement
After an hour and a half had pass
ed, Gov. Smith said he could talk
all day and the next day and still
not get through answering all of his
critics, so he plunged into his admin
istration He declared that the three
bills Of his administration were the
prohibition, railroad and disfranchise-
ment Il said | was a local option
ist, said Gov. Smith, but that if the
Legislature passed a prohibition bill
| would sign it. But that statement
n hp
moment of my life when | signed the
bill is lie. The two happiest mo-
ments of my life have passed years
ago.
All | said was 1T is now a law
Around my office were perhaps fifty
persons who were making use of
some such remarks and | guess it must
have started there" The speaker was
evidently "hOt under the collar" on
the 'happiest day epigram PROPOSE
tion.
How does Joe Brown stand?" was
the query of the speaker. The latter
had made four or five attempts be-
fore he finally landed on the right
side.
Joe rBOwn Friend OF Social Equality
Gov Smith then charged again
that Joe Brown was a friend of social
equality and beloved of the negroes,
repeating again the oft-denied canard
that Joe Brown had taken part in
Republican contest. He said that
the l.. e N. railroad and the 2x1 poll
ticians had their knives out for him,
and begged for help.
Gov. Smith was very solicituous lest
one honest man should line up with
Joe Brown and tried to start a heart
to heart" talk with the Joe Brown
boys" He did not want to see so
many of them lined up with the Chi
cago liquor dealers and the negroes
and | do not believe you are going
to do it," he asserted. He confessed
that. he was, not buying votes, but
said if the Brown barrel got in this
section the voters should see to it that
it was fairly distributed.
At this stage of trv game Governor
Smith made somewhat remarkable
proposition, and one which fell with
a dull thud. For some reason he
wanted everybody who rode on trains
to hold up their hands. Few. if any
hands were raised. The point was
evidently lost by the coldness of his
audience, and he passed on. Regard
ing freight rates he said that when
business was again normal he favor
ed a reduction in rates and thought
they could be secured.
He claimed that his administration
had saved the people a million dol
lars by reducing passenger rates.
Port rates were discussed briefly,
the speaker saying that there had
that than anything else. He said he
wanted to lower rates for Atlanta
Americus and everywhere in Geor-
gia The change of the method of
paying old soldiers was taken up, the
speaker finding that his way was the
best.
In defending the charge Of in
creasing the expenses of the Rail-
road Commission, he said that Joe
Hill Hall, one of his worst enemies,
had put that in the bill. "Why don't
you jump on him?" he exclaimed He
did not think that a few thousand dol
airs increase in expenses for the com
mission should be considered when
the great sums saved the people were
viewed. by my hallidome" or
words to that effect the Governor de-
clared that the L. & n Railroad was
not goingto scare him from saving
money for the people, The L. & N
had Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alaba-
ma, but while Gov. Smith held the
fort there would be nothing doing in
the domination line in Georgia.
The Cosmopolitan Club dinner in
New York was touched on, and il
was pointed out that complete equal.
ity with the negro included mar
riage. The speaker was against high
er education for the negro as being
harmful. He thought the negro ought
to be taught TO work the soil as he
went to school.
Few Honest Joe Brown Men
What have I done that you won't
vote for me2n asked the Governor Of