Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-08-06
FINAL FIGHT IN HOUSE
TO DISMISS M'LENDoN
Continued from page One

20
6e equivalent TO making the railroad COM
mission nothing more than the "merest
mouthpiece of the executive depart
ment :
The only honorable and fair way to de-
eide he case. he believed. was by i'm
parchment II the house had all the evil
3ence brought before IL that way, IL
could never vote 10 support Governor
Smiths charges.
and West Point road. 10 investigate con-
5itions. but he went without paying his
fare. In q private car. in the company OF
the president Of the road And yet he
pretended TO make that trip in the capac-
lty OF an unbiased Judge.
Mr. Burton Of Carroll insisted that in
deciding the case. the house must not go
outside the allegations made by the gov
ernor. but must act simply on the charges
made by him He opposed the suspension.
He said the free pass matter might have
been an error in Judgment. but that there
was no real wrong in it. II was too friv-
olous a thing on which 20 turn a man
out OF ONCE. II was grabbing at straws 10
ruin trusted public servant merely from
political motives
As TO the western railway increases.
SIR Brown thought Mr.. McLendon was
justified by the fact that the higher rates
were reasonable-at least IL they were
not. II had never been proven.
In accordance with the method Of pro-
cedure decided upon previous to the open
ing OF the case. each speaker was given
IS minutes TO make his argument.
Mr.. McElreath OF Futon followed Mr..
Brown He said the only real question 20
Re decided was whether an officer had a
right TO take advantage OF his ONCE TO
advance his own private business affairs.
20 the detriment Of the public interests
intrusted TO his care. The evidence.
thought Mr.. McElreath. proved Mr.. Nc
Lendon's guilt
MR. MLENDON DEFENDED.
Mr.. Ellis Of Bib said he had been in
formed that before this jury Cthe housed
had ben empaneled. a majority had al
ready decided 20 convict McLendon be-
cause political expediency REQUIRED IL. He
Rad at first repudiated the miserable sug-
Eestion- He could not believe that Geor-
gas representatives were so unprinci-
pied. so vindictive. so dishonest. so un-
fair. Yet he was compelled to believe IT.
20 believe that even before the 'indict-
ment' had been prepared. the Jury had
agreed TO its support. II was q political
persecution.
They say he has no friends. am here
90 tell you that he has a friend in the
person OF every Georgia citizen who loves
justice. And IL the sentence which you
nave previously agreed on Is imposed up
on him. hope he will go out TO tell the
people OF the state. face 20 face. the po-
litfcsl crime that has been committed
against him. and when he does he will be
eternally indicated In their eyes"
Mr.. Persons OF Monroe said he had hop
ed partisan politics would not be dragged
into the discussion. He did not know
what other members OF the house were
going TO do. but all should rise above
questions Of political bias and decide the
matter IN a way that would leave their
consciences clear in the presence Of Their
fellow-men and Of their God. He wa,
IN favor OF Mr.. McLendon's removal be-
cause the railroad commissioner had been
unfsithful 10 his oath Of ONCE.
Mr.. Boyd OF Spalding said that az