The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1910-08-18
Thomson, Ca, Aug. 8, 1910.


rAIHEN Hardwick declared, in his
M thomson speech, that if his
H friends has SO decided, his
1J V1tuperative speech against me
would have been delivered at ma
'front.' door, he gave evidence of his
lack OF good taste, good iudg-
ment and good principle. The more his
statement is thought over, the less re-
spect will be felt for the man who made
10 exhibit such a fragrant disregard of
the proprieties-not to say the decencies
OF lite, is not to be wondered at, when
we consider who it was that made the
exhibition.
Is it not about time that the intelli-
gent citizen took dispassionate view of
the situation in the Congressional dis
trict in which Alexander H. Stephens
lived and in which his fame was made?
The Hardwick campaign has dwindled
down to mere abuse of Watson That
citizen is not candidate for any office.
His character and career are not relevant
issues in this campaign. His motive for
declining to support Ex-Governor Smith
Tor second term has had nothing to do
the Tenth district in Congress, Watson
himself not being in the race
Hardwick persists foolishly in contend
ing that my loss of the pitiful sum of
$3.50 was the reason why [ did not sup
port Governor Smith the second time.
The persistent misrepresentation of me
on this matter when it has nothing to do
with the issues that are being threshed
out in this campaign justifes me in max
ing quotation of letter written by ex-
Governor Hoke Smith himself to a gen
tleman who is friend of both of u.s.
The letter bears date of August 2, 1910,
and is signed by Hoke Smiths own hand
The passage refers to the matter which
Hardwick has been discussing: 81 note
what you have to say relative to the atti-
tude OF Mr.. Watson in the present Guber-
material campaign. / am certainly glad to
know that Mr.. Watson does not expect
to oppose me in this race 1t was a mat
ter OF deep regret to me that Mr. Watson
saw tit to oppose me in my last race. [
have never impugned his motive in the
slightest in the position that he took.
This is free country and every voter
has the right to support any candidate
and principle that he sees fit. I am sure
that Mr.. Watson did what he thought
was right in opposing me and as stated
before, | have never questioned his mo-
tives in the slightest"
When you carefully consider the trb-
ute paid me by Ex-Governor Smith in that
letter after the virulent abuse which
Hardwick has been heaping upon the man
whose indispensable aid at a critical
hour sent him to Congress, and whose
continuous and unselfish support kept
him there, you will have striking illus
tration of the difference between q BIG
man and little one.
The 20year-old charge which has so
often been repeated and which has never
been proven and which can never be
proven (fOr there are no facts for it to
rest upOn) that Watson sold out to the
Republicans or was ever controlled in his
speeches, his editorials and his conduct
by the Republicans, has nothing in the
world to do with the campaign which is
now raging in the Tenth.
Mr.. Ed Barrett, who was private secre-
tary to the late Speaker Crisp and who
came to my home and urged me to sup
port Mr.. Crisp in his candidacy for the
Speakership, became greatly angered
with me because [ stood by my pledge
not to enter the Democratic caucus,
where my hands would be tied by ma