The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1912-08-15
DANGERS OF INTESlpLRANcE.

oi Ine SAFE OF Splr1tu0uS liquors has the
effect OF adding to the evils which it was
designed to remove. Whatever will teach
the dangers of intemperance and what
ever will impress upon communities the
immense Importance OF regulating the
traffic and holding it instern check ought
to be made part OF our code. / am in
favor OF having the truth concerning the
dangers OF alcoholism and other intem-
perance impressed upon the youth Of our
land, and believe that our schoolsshould
teach as far as possible what these dam
gers are and what they mean to the flu
ture OF the race. favor the legislation
already enacted looking to the safe
guarding of the shipment Of liquors from
other states into prohibition commune
ties.
OPPOSES 3LooPHoLE' LAWS.
l strenuouslY oppose laws that are
framed with 'jokers' or loopholes for the
purpose of defeating or offsetting the very
result which the law itself, or the spirit
of the law, was designed to secure. The
child labor law is an example of what |
mean. Exempted from the provisions of
this law are children who have no parents
or disabled parents. Such children are
the very ones who should be provided
with an education in order that they may
be enabled to maintain themselves and
become useful citizens. The government
is able to provide an education for this
class and should see that it is done. An
other example of the s'loop-hole' law is
the framing of a law against unlawful
business deals and then leaving to some.
court the Interpretation of such terms as
unreasonable restraint of trade. z
/ favor a strong Department Of Labor,
to be maintained separately from the De-
partment of Commerce. / believe that
the man who fills the cabinet office Of
Secretary Of Labor should come from the
ranks Of the laboring people. The en-
phasls that such an appointment would
lay upon democratic freedom from elias"
would, believe, go far toward strength
ening the bonds between the government
and labor. 1t would not only be a meried
recognition of this great element of our
national population, but sure method
of securing desirable and friendly CO.
operation.
SIx-YE EAR TERM For PRESIDENT.
| favor an amendment to the Constitu=
yeas and making him ineligible to re-.
election for the succeeding term. The
ordinations and recriminatlens INDUCED
by the candidates and their advocates in
the presentrace by both the great parties
/ regard as regretable by all good men.
This amendment viii serve to preclude
the probability OF such spectacle in fu-
ture contests for the highest office Of the
greatest government on earth.
The foregoing are the main features Of
the platform ON which / ask your sup
port. | believe these to be the tenets Of
the true political faith, and for them, if
elected, | shall stand firmly. Ii you
honor me with election promise no great
or sweeping revolution, no visionary re-
forms. can and dopledgeto you, how
ever, fair, honest and eonscientiou
charge of every duty connected with the
high office of your representative in Con-
gress. believe in theapplication of con-
sentative and sensible business methods
to the duties of the office. It is a great
honor to represent such constituency,
and if you should bestoW it upon me /
shall esteem it a sacred trust, and employ
my very best endeavor to serxe you ac-
your fullest appreciation.
Is Nor A POLITICIAN.
AS to the methods / am. using in my
race may ] say this word? ] am not fol-
lowing the tactics ofthe average politician.
/ am a plain man and am content to run
my race in a plain way. Because of bad
roads, press Of work and bad weather
have thus far travelled the district but lit
tie
am not sending out circular letter in
the hope OF making the people think l
am writing to them personally. / donot
like the idea. 1t strikes me as rather bad
taste to thus address man whom have
never met and whose name is known to
me only through list paid for also much
per name.
As to stump speeches, | think the peo-
pie are weary of them. / shalInotinflict
upon the district a series Of oratoricstl fire.
works and long talks. want to reach
them with the least possible loss OF mo-
ton, thus saving their time and mine.
am not in favor of hiring managers
to conduct my campaign for me, paying
| them either in money or in promises of
appointment to office after election. The
only statement have made in regard to
appointments is this: That / will APP
point, if elected, my secretary from the
county in the district that gives me the
largest majority of votes, by per centage,
regardless Of whether it is my own coun-
ty (Terrell) or not.
AN 0LD-FAsHIoN DEMOCRAT.
/ shall not form clubs as do not
believe in this threadbare old trick of get
ting unsuspecting voters to commit them
selues before the election. am old fas-
hionably democratic enough to believe
that every voter should wait until the day
of election and then express his own con-
victions at the ballot box, regardless OF
heelers, fxers and so-called leaders.
/ have told you simply and, trust,
eomprehensively what l believe and how
/ I hope to. secure your votes. | ask your
careful attention to every word of the
foregoing, and I feel assured that if you
viii consider all the facts shall be per
fectly safe in your hands when election
day comes.
If you endorse my platform and my
methods give them the seal of your ap-
proyal by casting your vote for me on the
day of the primary.
Very truly yours,
JOHN R. MERCER.