The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1910-07-14

so grave a menace to free govern
ment as followed upon the heels of
the war, would have made our peo-
pie more tenacious in their devotion
to their former ideals. But extreme
and sudden poverty following fast
upon the possession of great wealth
filled our people with an extreme de-
sire for riches; riches at the expense
of everything in which they had be-
lieved for almost a century, and
which should have become doubly
precious in the hour of their loss and
misfortune.
But, however this may be, you
have done much in the way of re-
establishing the old landmarks, as
we'll as the ideals of citizenship, once
peculiar to our Southland.
Even your enemies are compelled
to admit it. You have done this
without the ranks of the Democratic
party. The members of this party
have realized the wisdom of the les
sons you have been teaching the peo-
pie. Of course, coming from the lips
and the pen of an enemy, the lessons
were not readily received, nor will
ingly accepted. Despite this fact,
they have done their righteous work
upon the minds and conduct of thou
sands of men within the ranks of the
Democratic party. They have been
awakened to the danger of Especial
interests and aggregate wealth; and
on the other hand, they have been
taught the inestimable value Of those
old principles of Democracy, which I
fear have been largely lost for the
time in the wild rush for riches.
This very fact speaks loudly and
highly for the candor and patriotism
of the men who compose that party,
and should satisfy you and every
body that with proper leadership they
constitute an excellent, if not the sole.
nucleus for a fighting force that is I'LL
timately to redeem the country from
the grip of especial interests and
restore to the people the possession
of their own.
If you could accomplish this much
outside of the party, it is difficult to
measure the good you may achieve
within it's ranks. 1t is, therefore,
with the greatest pleasure that | see
you once more in line with the one
party that constitutes the sole re-
naming hope of every patriotic citi-
zen
I appreciate the unselfish tone of
your assurance that you would fight
without asking anything for your
self. You can readily live without
an office in the pleasing conscious
ness that you will die, remembered
and honored long after the largest
majority of the present officeholders
are willingly forgotten. I think you
may safely say with old Horace,
"Some of me will escape oblivion.
But l sincerely trust that you will
not refuse to serve your people when
they CALL
If this letter, at first blush, savors
of flattery, let it's sincerity redeem it
from all suspicion! I have no rea-
son, personal or otherwise, to f1atter
you or any other man. [ have no
political ambition to crafty, and my
interest in politics now and hence
forth is simply that of a citizen who
has been long devoted to certain prin
ciples and policies; who has lived to
see them embodied in law in his own
State, and whose chief hope now is
to see honest, capable and patriotic
men placed in office, and his country
men return to the lofty ideals of citi-
zenship, which were once their no.
blest and proudest possession.
With best wishes, | am
Yours very truly