Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1908-05-08
DIE. BRorGHT0N,s PRoTEsT

The action of petty little handful
of trustees of the Anti-saloon League,
seven in all, out of seventy
adopting a resolution endorsing the
candidacy of Gov Smith, has awaken
ed a storm of protests from the mem
bers of the league who object to a
minute minority attempting to com
nit the organization to the fortunes
of either candidate. AS a result the
action of the seven is more apt to
prove a boomerang and injure Smiths
candidacy than it is to promote it..
1t is usually the case when a few
people try to take snap judgment
that they do more harm to their cause
than good. Smith again suffers from
the indiscretion of his friends.
Dr. Len Broughton is one of the
vigorous protestants-one out of
many. DR.. Broughton does not hest
tate to condemn the action of the
seven, who waited until the number
of trustees at the meeting had dwind-
led down from thirty to thirteen be-
fore taking action. DR. Broughton in
a card to the Constitution has this
to say:
The headquarters committee of the
state Anti-salOOn League was seized
upon and urged to disregard this
action and come out squarely and
indorse Mr. Smiths candidacy for
governor. [ was not member of
this cOmmitte, and if | had been
would not have been present, for
was in DELLA, sick in bed. The head
quarters committee stood firm and
refused to commit the league in this
way. Not being satisfied with that,
these same determined forces called
together the trustees of the State
League. | happened to be a member
of that board, but | knew nothing of
that meeting, and had / known it
could not have been present for
was still sick in south Georgia.
Upon my arrival home this morn
ing [ was greatly surprised to find
that mere handful of the trustees,
principally those living in Atlanta,
and by no means all of them, had
come together, and after a great
wrangle, passed by vote of seven
to six the resolution indorsing Gov
ernor Smiths candidacy over that
of Mr.. Brown.
81 say again [ was surprised at
this. | was more than surprised. /
was panied. | was hurt. Never
mind what | think about the two men;
never mind how | am going to cast
my vote; | am more concerned about
he S,,+D r. 70, -
strength in Georgia and holding our
forces intact for future battles than
about the election of either one of
these men for governor at the pres
ent time. And l know this to be the
biggest blunder that ever good men
made.
"There are as good prOhibitiOnists on
the side Of Mr.. Brown as Mr.. Smith.
There may not be as many of them;
but they are there, and the league
simply had no right to go in the face
of the declarations of their candidate.
and put their banefuI Interpretation
upon them in favor the man of their
choice. Every man has IA right, and
should exercise that right to vote as
he pIeaseS, and every prOhibitiOnist
has right to Judge for himself as to
which of these two men has most
ability to carry out pledges. He
has "A right to Judge the lineup and
take his stand accordingly. But that
is right for the individual to exer-
else, and not for the league as a
body to undertake to do. | protest
therefore, as a member of the board
of trustees, of the league against this
hasty political wire pulling.
"The policy Of buIlragging and
brOwbeating carried on in the name
of prohibition is a thing that i find
myself unwilling to in any sense be
a party to, unless l felt better salts
fed about its sincerity.
''There is no doubt about il, boys.
you made a mistake, and if you don't
get sweet mighty quick you have
hurt both your man and prohibit
tom"