Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1908-01-02
TO THE VOTERS OF GEORGIA.

shall be candid lte for Prison Commissioner
at the next general election. Col Tom Elson will
not again ask for the office he has caDably filed
since the Prison Board was created.
There are no issues involved in my candidacy
and have no special claims on the people OF the
State. l shall not make my campaign on the de-
merits of my opponents if they have any. ask
only those to vote for me who believe me to be fit
and proper person for the office | am as sincere
in asking those to vote against me who do not be-
lieve that l am capable and worthy.
shall not undertake to buy the Office or
barter for influence. In the first place, am very
much opposed to the use of money to influence re-
suits in competition of this kind. In the second
place haven't the price At the close of the
campaign, whether | am elected or not, | will
publish a statement of my expenses.
AS publisher, / believe in the legitimate use
of the press in bringing candidacy to the notice
of the voters and / am willing to pay space rates
for this announcement, when bill is rendered for
the same. Will not pay penny for the editorial
support of the press of the state, weekly or daily
and shall not risk offence to any contemporary
with an offer of thatnature.
1t lis not necessary to say what my policy will
be, if elected am old enough to have well formed
ideas and opinions upon public morality and civic
virtue, and | have published paper i'll the state
long enough for these ideas to become fairly well
known. In all probability | shall not be very
different man in the office, and rest my candidacy
on my reputation as it has already been established
OF course expect to be elected, or l would
not make this announcement. | am not in the
race for fun. have every assurance from numer-
Gus friends from all parts of the state that my car
didacy will be well received, and that shall have
the support of maly of the best people in almost
every county in the state. / know enough about
politics to know that man can have that sort of
support and then be defeated and it may be that
some better man will receive the endorsement of
the people at the polls. We will know better
about that the day after election and | will be
among the first to congratulate the winner, if by
any turn of fortune the congratulations arc not
coming my way.
Let it be understood, at the beginning that |
have made up my mind to abide the result with
the utmost cquanimity, as shall not spend much
money and shall be too busy to lose great deal
of time in campaigning. have numerous friends
who believe that can be elected and insist that
will make satisfactory officer; am yielding to
their Judgment and their wishes, promising to re-
tire from the the moment it appears that can
not conduct the campaign on high and clean plane
devoid of rlncor, 'aad with fair open handed work
on the part of my friends.
l shall probably have assistance, voluntary
and without price in many of the countiec, and in
no case, with my consent and knowledge, will
anything be done that is dishonest, unfair or nm
just.
l will greatly appreciate the votes OF my friends
and their assistance in bringing my candidacy to
the notice of the people who do not know me.
Yours for fair fight and fast race,
Sincerely,
Jesse Mercer.
IriAuoornLd Co January st 1QnS -