Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-08-05
YOU'RE A fLATHEAD!
YOU'RE A BILLIkEN!
You're Personally OffeOs-
i've, is Said of Gray.
You're a Band Wagon
Artist, is the Answer
to Howell.
EDITOR GRAY ON EDITOR HOWELL
{ Atlanta Journal

(Auldnta 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
genuine "Billiken." 1t is a sort of
spurious imitation, cheap kind of a
"Billiken." Nevertheless, he at
tempts to be 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. "Billi-
KEN is funny little fellow, with 4
large, fat jaw and a simian-shaped
head, chubby little legs and exuberant
little toes, that give him a very conf
cal appearance. He is made of COM
he can exercise some potent influence
in shaping the trend of things that in
vests him with any Importance. He is
supposed to be the god of things as
they ought to be- He's a cute little
god, this "Billiken."
Our Georgia "Billiken" is not the
genuine article, and he is not exactly
the god of things as they ought to be.
"On the contrary quite the reverse, :"
as Sam Weller would say. He is rath-
er disposed in so far as he has the
ability to lead in those things that
ought not to be. Therefore, while he
resembles 'BilHken" in a way, he is
also different.
"Billiken" has little use for facts.
He prefers to misrepresent and to
deceive. He, therefore, garbles the
record and misrepresents it's 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"
effort to discredit the friends of the
previous administration
Nothing could more forcibly illus
trate this "Billiken's" character.
Without initiative or the ability to
lead, he is ever ready to dog the heels
of those who really have sought to lift
10 Of hN
of dirty commercialism to plane
where the intelligence and the charac-
ter of the people will be reflected in
the character and intelligence of their
public officials.
Tom Watson, at whose heels this
"Billiken' 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 administration
has come in representing the opposi-
ton to all freight rate reductions, and
especially rates from the ports to the
interior, his piping voice is loud in
condemnation of that which he advo-
Gated two years ago, and his comical
antics in opposition to the best inter
est of the people of Georgia, who so
ANONYMOUSLY defeated him. when he
aspired to be governor of Georgia, are
absurd beyond description.
He treasures the six counties which
he says he saved from 'the cyclone of
promises made never to be redeemed"
Of course, this is something to be
proud of.
With all of the political machinery
back of him and all of the railroads
and corporation influences in the state
to help him, he did carry six counties.
We doubt capitally if he could carry
one now.