Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1911-11-23
BEN PERRY WRITES REPLY
TO WILLINCHAN'S LETTER

In a card to the Atlanta Georgian,
Ben r. Perry, campaign manager LOT
j. Pope Brown, replies to the letter
by Barlow S. Willingham, card FOL
lows:
AS president of the Golden Age, an
inspira tional weekly OF this city, nav
ing for its motto, "Piety in the home,
power in the life and purity IN the
state,'' and striving in every honor
able way to elevate the home and
the citizen, on Thursday evening last
| essayed to ask plain, simple ques-
ton of Hon. Barlow S. Willingham OF
Forsyth stating that the question and
his answer would be used for publ
cation.
That question was this: I'm the
event that Joseph NJ Brown is elect
ed and his demand that the prohlbl-
ton question be submitted to vote
of the people, what attitude VIII
you assume toward the prohibition
measure, and what part will you per-
sonally take in such campaign?
Inasmuch as Mr.. Willingham had
posed as prohibition leader and was
heralded as the author of the VIII
bingham bill" which sought to enact
a statewide prohibition law, those OF
us who do not know Mr.. WillIngham
personally were surprised that he
should now appear to favor a back
ward step of such gigantic proper
tions-almost or quite a reversal OF
his former position 1t seemed
complete reversal and so utterly ana
defiantly inconsistent with the repu-
tation he had made as prohibition
list, that | could not understand now
such a position could be reconclled
with the attitude of any truly honest
and sincere prohibitionist. Accord
ing TO my view, when a people have
already gained that for which years
have been spent in fighting, walk
ND and ask that the fight be contin-
ued. with all to lose and nothing to
gain, is preposterOuS. Such prop
osition can consistently come from
the enemy, but from the real, true
friend OF prohibition - never! rs
pecially so, when, in moral question
like this, the most venal element OF
our voting population-the negro
can have the same voice as the white
man. However, Mr.. Willingham comes
back with the belabored reply cover
ing more than two columns in line
type. And yet fails utterly to an
swer the two simple questions l ask
ed him. Indeed, he states in sub
stance that because he does not con
template being a candidate for office
himself at any time in the future,
that he has no moral obligation in
the matter.
A very few lines were intended, we
presume. as a reply to the simple
questions asked him, the greater part
of his letter being taken up in an
attack on Mr. Pope Brown. With
that part of his TRADE | do not pro-
pose to deal. Mr. Brown will doubt
less give it the attention it deserves,
if any. In fact, Mr.. Brown pretty
fairly answered all the charges made
by Mr.. Willingham in his speech at
the Grand Friday night, although he
then knew nothing of Mr.. Willing
hams reply, nor the letter | had writ
ten him. Nor did the Pope Brown
headquarters, nor any member there
of, Notwithstanding Mr.. Willingham'
letter reached me through the Brown
headquarters and presumably was in
spired and written there.
There is one statement, however,
that Mr.. Willingham makes, personal
in it's application, to which | would
briefly reply, and that is the yelled
insinuation of trucking subserviency
in my support and endorsement of
pope Brown for the reason that | was
continued as chief clerk in the office
of state treasurer when he was ap-
pointed by Governor Smith to that
position upon the death of Capt. r.
e. Park. That insinuation is unWor-
thy any honest, true man, and only
can be fathered by a man who is
himself insincere and may be con-
trolled by sinister and impure mo-
tlVeS. 1t is SLrlk6 DeloW Tie pelt
and unworthy the man ! had always
supposed Mr.. Willingham to be, and
even now l do not believe that Mr..
Willingham means to make the
charge his words convey
Personally, 7 may say for Mr.. Will
lingham's information, ] have always
been a prohibitionist, both in prac-
tice and theory. I have never taken
drink of any intoxicating liquors or
beers and ever been a consistent adj
vocate of prohibition. This record is
known of all among whom I lived to
manhood in my native county of Cobb
and in my adopted home of more
than thirty years in Cherokee, and
more latterIy in Atlanta, and it is
the richest legacy I can leave my chill
dren.
Hence, why should I not support
Pope Brown? He is the only avoWed
prohibitionist in the present guberna-
toriaI contest, besides he is my friend.
Yes, he continued me as his assist
ant in the office of state treasurer,
and when he went out of that office
I went with him in his real estate