Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-06-12
TWO TOMS BELAB0RING EACH
OTHER.

I viii be a relief to the state when
the congress- onal campaign is over IN
the Tenth and Tom Hardwick goes
back to private life and Tom Watson
turns to other topics. Day after day
the Atlanta and Augusta papers de-
vote columns to the attacks these
erstwhile bosom friends are making
on each other Each Tom is casting
about for the meanest, nastiest ana
most degrading things he can say
about the other Watson evidently has
the advantage, not only in his vastly
superior mental equipment, but in the
fact that every enemy Hardwick has
made doubtless tattles to Watson ev-
eTything he has ever seen or heard
derogatory to the congressman. There
are lot of mighty little fellows, with
out the courage to vent their i'll will
personally, who will load up a courag-
eous and somewhat reckless man like
Watson with liberal installments of
their own spleen, use him as a med UNI
for evening up their own accounts
with Hardwick and others. It is
said that Watson is in this way con-
tinuously being made the depository OF
facts and suspic .ons regarding men in
public life in Georgia, that to this fact
is 7lme the fear that many have of him
Watson's latest attack on Hardwic1
is the most ferocious that he has yet
pubIished-not quite as rank as that
on Edwards, but closely approaching
| it in severity and defamatory charac-
ter AS an illustration of the extent
to which Watson and his former "Me-
Too Tom" have fallen out, the follow
ing extract from Watsons latest
public letter is given. It may all be
true, and it may not be, but it shows
the forcefulness of Watson's style and
clearly indicates that quite a number
of concealed parties are doubtless
suing him as a clearing house for their
own grievances. Says Watson:
Mr.. Hardwick denies that he repud'-
ated a gambling debt in Macon. For
obvious reasons witnesses in a matter
of that kind are reluctant to come for
ward. The danger of prosecution for
gambling is not the only motive for
this reluctance. But I viii make Mr.
Hardwick proposit on: Let him name
a Macon friend; | will name a Macon
friend; let these two gentlemen select
a third man, and let the issue be SUBJ
mitted to those gentlemen under oath
at a private hearing. Let them sum-
mon the witnesses whose names I will
furnish; let them hear these witnesses
behind closed doors and let the report
of the arbitratOrs be sworn to and
published. What say you Mr.. Hard
wick? | cannot only prove it satisfac-
tofilY to any court and jury or any
board of arbitrators, that you have re,
pudiated your gambling debts, but
can prove that the brother-in-law of a
prominent official of the city of Macon
tore UP your repud ated check, threw
the scraps in your face and 'cussed
you out" for your dishonorable con-
uuct IN refusing to meet your losses in
a game of cards
Yes, your reputation among the
sports is, that YOU pocket your VIM
nings and repudiate your losses. I can
prove that, and if you accept my chal-
lenge, I will do it.
Your reputation among the Macon
sports is so bad that they determined
to attend your meeting there, in the
spring of 1908, and to jeer you. In al
fusion to the repudiated check, whose
fragments were flung into your face,
the sports meant to yell "Checki
Check" Their purpose leaked out, and
the local Hoke Smith supporters had
TO use their utmost influence to pre-
vent the public demonstration against
you.
Furthermore, you went to bed in the