The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1909-08-11
YOU'RE A FLAT HEAD! YOU'RE A BILLIKEN"
you're Personally Offensive, Is Said to Gray. You're
Band Wagon Artist" Is the Reply to Howell
Editor Gray on Editor Howell.


From the Atlanta Journal.
Few people are aware that "Billi-
KEN" supposed to be 1.-The god of
things as they ought to be, - is again
endeavoring to cut some figure in
Georgia politics To be sure, it is
not a genuine "Billiken." 1t is a sort
of spurious imitation, cheap kind of
"Billiken." Nevertheless, he at
tempts to be a little tin god of things
as he thinks they ought to be, and
his idea of how these things ought
to be is that which will yield to him
some kind of undeserved Importance.
"Billikin" is a funny little fellow,
with a large, fat jaw and a simian-
shaped head, chubby little legs and
eXurberant little toes, that give him
a very cOmical appearance. He is
made of common mud, and it is only
the idea that he can exercise some
potent influence in shaping the trend
of things that invests him WITH any
Importance. He is supposed to be
the god of things as they ought to
be He's a cut little god, this Bill
liken.
Our Georgia "Billiken" is not the
genuine article, and he is not exactly
Il1C SOQ VI tllISc dS lllCy OuSuI "
be. ION the contrary, quite the re-
verse; as Sam Weller would say.
He is rather disposed in so far as
he has the ability to lead in those
things that ought not to be. There
fore, while he resembles "Billiken"
in a way. he is also different
Il
"Billiken" has little use for facts.
Il 70
deceive. He, therefore, garbles the
record and misrepresents its maker.
However, whether that record be
good or bad does not in any way con-
Germ the Journal. 1t was private and
not political. 1t is resorted to for
the purpose of deceiving the public
and to divert attention from the
scurrilous campaign Of abuse that
this "Billiken" of Georgia politics
is conducting in his effort to discredit
the friends of the previous admins
tratiOn.
Nothing could more forcibly illus
trate this "Billikens character
Without initiative or the ability to
lead he is ever ready to dog the heels
of those who really have sought to
lift the politics of Georgia from the
mire Of dirty cOmmeTcialism to a
plane where the intelligence and the
character of the people will be re-
flected in the character and intelli-
gence of their public officials.
Tom Watson, at whose heels this
'Billikin" is now trailing like a
whipped spaniel, once called him "a
little fat liar" We think the epithet
was too severe, considering his ina
bility to do any substantial harm.
The worst thing about "Billiken'
is the noise he makes.
When the pack is in full cry you
can hear his little squeaky voice
above the rest.
His ability to ride on any band
wagon is his strongest characteristic.
When the previous administration
was triumphantly elected nobody
was louder than he in the demand
for port rates. Now that a new adj
ministration has come in his piping
voice is loud in condemnation of that
which he advocated two years ago,
and his comical antics in opposition
to the best interest of the people of
Georgia, who so ANONYMOUSLY de-
feated him, when he aspired to be
governor of Georgia, are absurd be-
yond description
He treasures the six counties
which he says he saved from 1.-The
cyclone of promises made never to be
redeemed"
=. OF course, this is something to be
proud of.
We doubt capitally if he could !
carry one now.