The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1911-11-25
HE MADE SPEECH
At TIE nITV uRII
HI I'LL UIll HRLI
RECEIVED THE ATTENTION OF A
LARGE CROWD FOR AN HOUR
OR MORE LAST NIGHT.
Devoted Long Part of His Speech
to Local option-No Doubt But
That the Talk of the Former Bruins.
wlokian Was Vote-eetter.

Judge Spencer r. Atkinson, an old
brunsWiekian, former member of the
supreme court and ex-railroad com
missioner, addressed an enthusiastic
audience at the city hall last night in
the interest of Judge R. B. Russell.
local optionist candidate for governor
IN the present campaign.
The First Regiment band was on
hand and early in the evening and
again just preceding the address dis
coursed its usual good music much to
the pleasure of the audience, In
few we'll chosen remarks Judge At
kinson was introduced by Col. R. d.
Meader and the speaker was greeted
with real ovation as he neared the
clerks desk in the city hail. from
where he delivered his speech.
In the opening the Judge referred
to his long residence in Brunswick
and advised that he came not to ad-
wise, but to counsel with the friends
of his young manhood; friends who
had sustained him in the struggling
days of his early professional career
and that he would not have them mis-
take the purpose of his visit.
Home Rule Cardinal Principle.
Plunging into the discussion of the
cardinal issue of the present guberna-
torial fight Judge Atkinson stated
that It was prohibition-or that is the
present prohibition law. The very
keynote of the foundation plank in
the American life, he declared to be
the right of home rule: the right TO
govern ourselves and to solve our own
material problems as best suit our
needs and our condition He cited
the fight of years of Ireland for the
privilege and pointed out that the very
basic reason that led to some mem
bers of the audience following Lee and
Jackson was that of home rule. In
defining the attitude of the Russell
theory in the campaign the speaker
very frankly stated that if there was
a man in the audience who was sat-
isfied with the present prohibition law
and the manner in which 1t was en-
forced, then that man ought to vote
for Brown-Pope or Joe-for both
of them stood identically alike on that
very law. But, if there were those
who believed not in the wisdom of
that law and who wanted the right
handed back to the people to regulate
their own affairs, then those holding
that view should vote for Judge Rus
SELL
Judge Atkinson here pointed out
some of the drastic portions of the
present law: the clause against the
physician prescribing whisky in Ill
ness; of the druggist mixing 1t in
prescriptions of the Stiffness in legis
lating against the good house wife
and her old-fashioned blackberry
wine, etc. Every violator Of tnat
portion of that law becomes a crimi-
nal," stated the judge, and / stand
here tonight, he said, and say that
such law is not sustained by rea-
son or in the forum of conscience that
would make criminals out of the
physician prescribing brandy to a
dying child or to the good wife who
makes for home consumption a gal
Ion of blackberry wine.
Pope and Joe Platforms.
Judge Atkinson here entered into
discussion of the platforms of the
two other candidates in the race. Joe
Brown, he said, straddled the ISSUE
and demanded the state executive
committee to refer the question to the
people. Yet he had stated that he
was satisfied with the present law
and would not amend it in any fash
ion. He was rather severe on Lit
tie Joe's" demand" upon the commit
tee and brought down the house with
the statement that "Joe Brown still
thinks he is running against Hoko
Smith; he cannot forget a year or 30
back"
With reference to the statement Of
Little Joe" that prohibition is not
an issue in the race. Judge Atkinson
pointed out that each year there is
a deficit in the revenues of the state
of practically 100000; the constitu-
tional limit has been reached in the
tax rate and this shortage has to be
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