Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-06-05
UNDERWOOD MEN
DENY 'FRAME-UP
Anderson Declares There Was
No Pre- Convention agree
ment" With Watson.

]. Randolph Anderson, Of savannah
who undertook to put through the pro-
gram agreed upon by the Underwood
leaders in the late Democratic state
convention in Atlanta, has given out
statement purporting TO carry the in
side" facts and the actual truth Of the
proceedings of that convention, as eff
fected by the preliminary understand
ing among the Underwood leaders.
Mr.. Anderson specifically denies that
there was any agreement" deal or
'trade" with Thomas f. Watson as to
what should or should not be done, and
that so far as he knows neither Gov
ernor Brown nor Mr.. Slaton was a par
ty, directly or indirectly, to any con-
ference Of Underwood men, prior to the
calling Of the convention to order.
The Savannah man does not deny
that Mr.. Watson was advised Of the
program agreed upon. and that he was
consulted upon certain points, and
asked his opinion concerning them.
"Wstson Had the Votes"
This. Mr. Anderson says, was largely
because an attempt had been made by
the so-called Wilson press" Of the
state TO make Mr.. Watson an apple Of
discord inside the convention and that
the Underwood leaders were deter
wfned that this plot should not sue
coed. If It might be defeated honorably.
He admits that Watson was elected
10 Baltimore because he had the votes.
Mr. Anderson declares that a per-
eistent effort has been made, since the
in, was
won by Mr. Underwood, upon the part
OF the Wilson people and press, to ere
ate discord and strife within the ranks
of the Underwood victors. He points
out that the Wilson attacks upon I'm
derwood have been even more bitter
and unfair since Underwood won his
victory in Georgia than it was before,
whereas the Georgia campaign surely
should have ended the criticism
In their blind rage, says Mr. Ander-
son. the Wilson people seem to have
lost sight of the fact that by undertake
ing TO make the state convention a row
rather than love feast, they destroyed
whatever chance there might have been
that the Georgia delegation, somewhere
along the line. would be willing to vote
for Wilson in the convention
Denies "Frame Up" Story.
Mr.. Anderson takes particular excep-
ton to a statement in The Atlanta
Journal. in which that paper stated
that "frame-up" was arranged, just
before the con~ention met. in which a
Watson fight Nas avoided, and that In
the "frame-up' figured with Mr., An
derson. such we'll known leaders as
John NJ. Slaton. q r. Hutehens, Jack
ID. Spalding. William A. Dodson, Gov
ernor Brown and others, and that
through this arrangement an open
row was avoided between Fielder and
Watson on the floor of the convention.
Mr. Anderson denies that he either
met or communicated with Mr. Slaton
or Governor Brown during the progress
Of the convention or before It, upon
the subject of the convention, and that
he did not even see Mr.. Slaton until
several DAYS after the convention. He
saws that not only is that true, but that
nobody ever approached him with ref
erence TO any "frame-up."
The floor leader says there was a
conference held in his room the day be-
fore the convention, participated in by
numerous delegates to the convention.
and that at that conference he, after
some discussion, was requested to take
charge of the program in the conven-
ton It was put up to Mr.. Anderson,
he SAYS. bv that conference to secure a
bona fide Democratic convention with
a fair deal for everybody. all the way
around It was also put up to the Sa-
vannah man to see that the convention
got through with its necessary busi-
ness with as much speed as possible.
program Made For Fair Play"
Mr.. Anderson says the program he
first arranged was made up on the
presumption that there would be nine
candidates for delegate at large in
Guiding Mr.. Watson. one Of these can.
didates. Mr. Loyless states Mr.. An
derson. withdrew his name from the
conventions consideration the night be-
fore it met, and that he then proceeded
with the idea that there likely would he
only eight names put up.
Mr.. Anderson says that, in view of
rurnors OF war. he, az NJ Hutchens'
suggestion, called upon Mr. Watson,
and went over the proposed program
with him, and convinced him that IL
was all right, and made up in the in
terest Of fair play He says that he
found Mr. Watson lahoring under some
rnisa apprehension as 10 the way things
were going. and that after he succeeded
in convincing the Thomson man that
things We're all right, Watson said hc
was satisfied. ana oniy asked to name
in the convention the two men agreed
upon for temporary and permanent
chairmen, as both were satisfactory to
him To this both MI Anderson and