Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1908-04-19
PUNCTURING A FALSE CLAIM


The Atlanta Georgian is doing the
public a great service by calmly pune
turing the claims of the Atlanta
Journal and certain frenzied supper
tiers of Gov Smith who labor under
the impression that prohibition is
doomed unless Hoke Smith is re-
elected to save the prohibition law.
1t is fortunate that there is a daily
paper in the capital city which can
not be accused of favoring the whis-
key side when it tells the plain truth
about the opposing candidates.
1t was the only Atlanta daily cham
pioning the prohibition bill.
One of the Georgian's subscribers
took that paper to task on the ground
that Hoke Smith is the only Simon
pure friend of the prohibition cause.
Mr.. F. L. Seeley, the publisher OF
the Georgian, thus kindly labors with
this subscriber:
My Dear DR.. Lovejoy:
Your intentions, I am sure, are
the best, but your method and dis
trust is disastrous to the cause you
would help.
You are not alone, tho; you have
such men as Judge Covington and
Judge Freeman-and even Mrs. Ar
mor-with you in your error, and
since the only safe course the cause
of prohibition had has been thwarted
by the indiscretiOn of some of its
friends, the responsibility rests with
you and not with the Georgian or
myself. We will talk of the distrust
in a moment.
I saw that Mr. Smith intended to
make prohibition the issue Of his
campaign, and if you are familiar
with politics you are aware that when
man makes a. thing an issue it is
his plan to make his opponent take
the other side.
I | also saw that it would be most
unfortunate if prohibition should at
this crucial period be made a foot
ball in a political campaign, and
saw that the friendliest thing I could
do was to try to avert it.
A little patience, [ believe, would
have made it necessary for Mr..
Brown to meet Mr.. Smith in his pro-
misses on prohibition We hope he
may, and then the law would be
guaranteed protection whoever wins.
Impotence can but antagonize.
Now, we are talking plainly and
unbiasedly, doctor, and this is no
time to mince wOrds-there is too
much at stake So, there is some
danger that Mr.. Brown may be elect
ed governor of Georgian fact, no
less an authority than Judge COving-
ton, whose letter the Atlanta Journal
is Boosting Of in its Endorsement Of
Mr.. Smith, wrote me four days before
his letter to the Journal as follows:
Really Mr.. Brown has Mr.. Smith
beaten at this moment"
You see, Doctor LOvejoy. I have no
prejudices. | see and others see
that we have no guarantee as to who
may be governor of Georgia the next
term, and you, see-nOt by my word
aIOne-that l have endeavOred to re-
frain from denouncing a man who
has not seen fit to use the kind of
English we want, hoping he would
take as strong a stand and thus re-
move prohibition from danger.
You may call it diplomacy or what
you ike, DuJ / call II tlSCI6IIOll-- anu
most timely discretion-and in view
of the fact that Mr. Smith failed to
make himself clear on the prohibition
question until last Friday and delayed
thus long for reasons of his own,
and which he has never explained, we
presumed Mr.. Brown was delayed for
reasons of his own which he may not
be willing to explain, tho it is hoped
he has no hidden purpose in SO doing.
Prohibition should not be the issue
of the campaign-especi the cam
paign for the governOrship. 1t was
fought out and won by the represent
tatives Of the people who carried it
through our legislature, and the gov
ernOr frankly and honestly 'tOId\ us
he was not in favor of it, but would
sign it, If a bill affecting the prohi-
bition law were passed by the legis-
lature-requiring a majority yote,-
and a governor should veto it.
twO-thirds vote of the Legislature
could pass it anyway over his head
so, by all the law and the prophets,
prohibition should not be kicked
around in the campaign arena. 1t
is too much like joining the church
for business reasons.
Be careful of your representatives
and senators if you wish the prohi-
bition law to have a fair try out"
When leaders like Judge Freeman
and Judge Covington rush into print
they show indiscretiOn.