Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-08-26
.DUCKWORTH REPLIES
TO WATs0N's THREAT
Threat to Prosecute Sounds
Like PrattIing of School
Bully, He Says
Editor Atlanta Journal:

Editor Atlanta Journal:
Owing to the fact that 1 was away
from home did not have an opportuni-
ty- to reply until today to the card of
Mr.. Thomas E. Watson which appeared
in the daily papers of August 20, in
which Mr.. Watson exhibited, as usual,
his unmitigated gall and lack Of men
tai balance.
What right has Mr.. Watson to prose-
cute any one for criminal libel when
for the last several months he has not
only been libeling the publishers Of the
Farmers Union News, but every other
good man in Georgia who has openly
opposed his dictation?
The first intimation we had Of the
desire on the part of Mr.. Watson to
line up with the New York bull-bear
cotton speculator. Dan Sully, was when
he asked that 100000 Farmers union
men send Dan Sully 81 each to be used
for the purpose Of bulling the cotton
market" And in this request the farm
ers were asked to send their money
without condition. We never knew
what part of this fund Mr.. Watson
, hoped to receive for his own. service In
agitating the proposition.
! Immediately following this recommen-
dation to the farmers by Mr.. watson
Mr.. Sully showed up in Georgia, an
nounced the purpose of building chain
Of warehouses through the south. MT
Watson gave his unqualified indorse-
ment to this New York cotton gamblers
. scheme and Immediately began his at
tacks upon the Farmers union warehouse
plans and extended his criticism to their
co-operattve enterprises and every MEM
her and official who dared to openly
question Mr.. Watson's right to saoole
upon the farmers a warehouse scheme
promoted by the New York cotton gam
blers who had for years been fleeclng
the farmers.
The Farmers Union News opposed the
sending of this money to Dan Sully ana
opposed rtthe ly-Hammond-Watson
warehouse scheme" In criticising us for
our position, Mr.. Watson says: Come
along. Dan! Duck doesn't like 1t, but
we are not living and working just 10
nlease Duck" This advising Sully and
the public that he and Sully were not
working to please Duck" is an admission
| by himself of some kind or connection
with Mr.. Suly.
The Farmers union made a desperate
fight during the last session of congress
against the New Y ork cotton gamblers,
in which fight the union was assisted by
many southern congressman, some OF the
most active of whom Mr.. watson mas
most bitterly assailed. namely: Lon f.
Livingston, VIM. w. Howard, Thomas w.
Hardwick Charles A. Edwards, Gordon
Lee, Tom Bell, Charley Bartlett and w.
c. Adamson. Some people have thought
the attacks upon these congressman at
this time was inspired mainly by their
activity In rendering assistance to the
Farmers union in their fight against the
cotton gamblers; that a part of the ex-
pense Of the campaign against the con-
gressmen was met by those directly or
Indirectly interested in the gambling in
cotton futures.
The above facts were known to us when
we wrote the editorial headed THE Suily-
Hammond Watson Scheme" in which
we said in part:
1--WE have felt all the time that Mr..
Watson was attacking the Farmers
union, its officials and enterprises, that
some man was paying the fiddler. But
1t never occurred to us that this money
, was being furnished by a company
which now has control Of the Egyptian
cotton
There is an effort being made to get
the state and local cotton men to in
dorse this Sully scheme, and put It
through by pushing 1t over the farmer
with or without, his consent.
Mr.. Farmer, are you asleep? Are you
willing to have this New York cotton
gambler, with his English connection, to
come south and pay the fiddler, while the
congressman who halped the Farmers
union are attacked? And will you per-