The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1912-04-04

AAto eoAiosAtNeAiSyg esttN - -" X
every possible way to see that they
got a square deal Every bill he in
troduced, with one notable exception,
was to repeal an unnecessary law.
This one was bill to relieve Terrell
county Of an oppressive dispensary Ii
cense tax. It this matter be hae
strong opposition from Joe Hill Hall.
Mr.. Mercer defended the right Of the
state to collect tax. He compliment
ted Hon. Joe Hill Hall, who had just
made q vigorous speech to establish
this very point. Mr.. Mercer also com
plimented the state upon having 80
valuable a swatch dog" for her treas
ury rs Mr.. Hall. He admitted that
ii principle the law was right; but
argued that it would be an oppres-
sion and imposition on the good peo-
pie of Terrell county to make them
pay thousand dollars tax on a bus
mess that could be and would be
closed out in few weeks as "rem-
nant sale" He carried his bill through
by a large and enthusiastic majority
The representative that the people
need is one that win fight to the bitter
end to secure the kind Of legislation
that will benefit them. To do this
he must thoroughly understand their
needs. He must be familiar with the
wishes and the requirements Of his
section and constituents. Is it not,
therefore, absolutely logical that #
this constituency is overwhelmingly
Of the agricultural classes and Of
those business men whose business is
bound up in the success Of these ag-
ricuItural classes-is it not logical to
say that the best man to represent it
is one of its own kind one Of these
very same agriculturists? When this
zone Of themselves" happens to be
"plain farmer" with a successful
record behind him, with experience in
legislative procedure, with an open
mind, with thorough knowledge Of
the needs of his section, and with a
clear grasp of the situation in gener-
al, why should the people hesitate to
put him in the Office for which he
eo.i,e 4ho;,. a,4y,Y,o,f
There seems to be some quarters q
sort Of aristocratic seepticism as to
the propriety of sending a plain farm
er to Congress. To any one who may
be blinded by such WOO! over their
eyes we commend this thought: The
rugged honesty Of the plain farmer
and his sincerity Of purpose go long
way to Offset this lack of superficial
culture and his so-called country
ways What the people want and
need in Congress is something more
than a man who can shine by reflected
light. They need man who will I'M
seIfshly serve them to the end that
their district may be built up and be-
come he greatest in Georgia. Elisha
got EIjah's mantle and was proud Of
it. But let us remember what old
Plutarch said: "It is, indeed, desir-
able thing to be well descended, but
the glory belongs to our ancestors.
Mr.. Mercer stands on his own record
and on his own strength. He is not
counting for votes on the record Of
any other man. He stands for him
self before the people of his district,
and if they honor him with their suf-
frage he will serve them well. He
will see that they get representation
that counts big in their favor.
The editor of the News has an ac-
quaintance with Mr. Mercer Of more
than twenty-five years, and during
that time has known him only as a
big-hearted, progressive man who has
spent his life helping his less fortu-
nate fellow-beings over the rough
places and in developing and advanc-
ing along material lines his commune
ty and section. And through all of
his busy life he has not neglected the
higher and better things. He has
been loyal TO the church and contrib
uted literally to its support.
Don't let this good old Third Dis
trict, with its smiling farms, its pros
porous towns, it thousands Of wide
awake, progressive people, 60 before
the world as one that sets its great
farming class in the background. Let
them not forget that the true son of
the soil is the true lover and friend
Of his home and country. Let them
remember that the great state of
Georgia is pre-eminently an agricul-
turla state whose wealth can be best
increased, whose resources can be best
conserved and whose vital interests
can be best upheld by men who love
her for her own sake and who, in the
halls of state, viii stand by her and
her people through all the storms of