Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-08-21
ELOQUENT ADDRESS BY
HON. JOE HILL HALL.
tie Got Down to Rock Bot
tom Facts
Riddled Claims of the
So-Called PRO gres-
sive Democracy" in
His Speech.

4AS 0AsCOSA4s
For almost an hour and a hal
Hon. Joe Hill Hall, of Macon, ad-
dressed a large crowd of the people
of Sumter county in behalf of the
candidacy of Joseph NJ. Brown foI
governor in the opera house yester-
day at IL o'clock, holding the undi-
vided attention of his audience from
the beginning to the end of his mas
terly argument The lower floor o.
the opera house was entirely filled
while many stood up in the aisles and
at the rear of the seats Others were
compelled to seek the gallery in order
10 find seats.
The size and enthusiasm of tho
crowd was alike. The speaker wa
applauded when he first made
Ills way into the building, and tn.
applause continued until the end o
the address whenever he made one o.
his numerous effective thrusts at the
Inconsistencies of the Smith admins
tration and the ex-governors policies
Mr.. Hall was introduced to the AUDI
ence by Judge ]. A Hixon, who paid
an eloquent tribute to Mr.. Halls abil-
tiles as a man and statesman Mr.
Halls sharp wit and happy phrases
kept the crowd continually in a goot
humor
Tie first statement that MIR. Hal
made in his speech was that there was
no reason for the present gubernato-
rial campaign except the interests Vi
certain politicians in Atlanta. who
for selfish ends are opposing Gov
ernOr Browns administration. Afte2
Smith had kept tIe state in tormoi.
and disturbance for a long time dur
ing the last campaign. said he, the
people in sober sense and judgment
lad turned him out of office. The
speaker then stressed the kigh-handed
egotism and recklessness of the ex
governor, which made him a danger
Gus man.
What makes Mr. Smith danger
GUS man, according to Mr.. Hall, is the
fact that he deals most recklessly with
The biggest questions of the day ana
questions which concern the welfare
Of every citizen of the state Instead
Of being "the greatest constructive
statesman in the South" as his admir-
ers are fond of calling him, Mr.. Hat
said that Mr.. Smith is the most de-
structive politician who has ever an
peared on the political field of Geor-
gia.
In contrasting the reckless and an
constitutional procedures of the for-
mer governor with the democratic and
.egal proceedings of Governor Brown
the speaker cited the arbitrary en-
largement of the railroad commission
10 five members by Governor Smith
and the recommendation to the people
and the legislature by Governor Brown
that tRe commission be reduced tc
three members, the other two mem
bers being an unnecessary expense
With reference to the Durham Minee
affair, Mr.. Hall said that his great
est regret was that an ex-governor oi
the state could get his consent to sac
rifice his dignity in entering such d
Gmsy charge against Governor
Browns attempt to protect the Wo-
men and children, compelled to fea
from the mines, from the attack of a
mob of Italians.
The reckless antagonism of the ex-
governor toward tie railroads and
others seeking Investments in the
state, the speaker said, had kept ou:
of the state large manufacturing in
terests and had a hindrance to busi-
ness, progress and prosperity. Tc
the legislature of the state, which had
begun the work necessary for the
abolition of the convict lease system
five years before Hoke Smith had even
thought of it, said he, belonged the
credit for that reform. He riddled
the attack made on Governor Brown
for advocating the issue of bonds for
paying the school teachers of the
state by showing how the ex-gov-
ernor had been checked only by tae
legislature in his efforts to float $20.-
100000 to extend the Western & At
3antic railway, which would have been
milestone around the neck of tAe
state that he would not have been
gotten rid of other than by repudiag-
ing the bonds.
In conclusion, Mr.. Hall showed the
weakness Of the so-called ."Progres-
sive Democracy" which was only ap-
ing the Republicans and was offer
ing the people unsafe principles for
the tried and true principles of the
old democracy. There was an Out
burst of applause at the conclusion OF
the speech that rang with cheers for
Joe Brown and lasted for several min-
utes, while a throng of the listeners
crowded on the stage and shook with
the speaker.