Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1911-06-01
WILL RETIRE
FROM THE DISCUSSION

Editor News:
A change in my affairs makes it ne
cessary for me to abandon the argu-
ment on Socialism, which has been
carried on for several weeks between
Mr.. Brannan and myself.
The suggestion of "Citizen," of
Tracy City. is a timely one, and if
were in a position to continue the dis
cussion, would readily agree to
adopt it, and am confident that Mr..
Brannan would agree to the same
thing.
Mr.. Brannan has had one advantage
of me all along, due to the fact that
he is near to Seauachee and gets his
mail earlier than | do, but while that
is true he has labOred under the great
disadvantage of having nothing on
which to base a good, sound argument.
In my feeble way l have tried to ar
que as l think, but it seems to me that
it is not accomplishing much in the
way of making an impression except
with the Socialists, and that leads me
to the conclusion that some other cor
respondent, some good writer, would
do we'll to take my place in this argu
ment. l would like very much to see
the discussion continued, and will GER
tainly be an eager reader in following
it up if it is continued.
The Arkansas man from the Missis-
sippi bottoms, claims that | have con-
verted five in his immediate neigh
borhood He didn't tell me to what,
but from the tone of his letter, he
surely meant to Socialism.
I have never heard from any source
that 1 have converted anybody from
Socialism, and this leads me to the
conclusion that l should abandon the
discussion and give place to one more
able.
A friend of mine, after reading the
News exclaimed, "Is there nothing
else but Socialists in that country"
l told him thought there was-that
Socialists were few and far between
when came away from there five
years ago. He drew his conclusion
from the fact that a number of the So
cialists were butting into the argu-
ment between me and Mr.. Brannan,
while others were keeping hands off.
l am not complaining of that, for l
cussion and rather like to have them
butt in. 1t makes it look like they
are getting alarmed for Mr.. Brannan,
when they get touched up and want
to help him. | want to tell Mr.. Bran
nan that have no personal malice to-
ward him for anything he has said or
done in this argument, although he
has been about as abusive to me as
have to him. I may try in this letter
to make him little argument, which
he has the liberty of handling as he
thinks proper l may also refer to
Uncle Tom" and some other cores
pondents who have given me the liber-
ty by butting in.
| placed Sal, Jane and Peg in the
class who are constitutionally opposed
10 work, not the laboring class. al
so said that they, assisted by the thief,
Jones, looted the Socialist store. To
his Mr.. Brannan replies that | have
,lassed the laboring mems wives as
thieves. Is that your definition of a
aboring man? I'm sorry. But you
ay "Uncle Tom," knows they do |
work. l don't believe he will say
hat, much as he has complimented
you. True, a short while ago, he was
/ democrat, as l thought, of the dyed
type. A little later he
himself social democrat,
md now, from the sweet tones in
which he says, Comrade Brannan, II