The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1912-06-27
MERCER TELLS FOR WHAT HE STANDS

III DlAlNUD
themselves are piling up enormous and
swollen fortunes, we realize that the
menace from the special interests Is
great. That they should maintain Hobbies
and seek to control the law-making bodies
Of the country is peril that should be
handled with severity and dispatch.
DANGERS oF INrEpLRANcE.
am IN favor Of all laws that tend to
suppress and restrict intempeTance in the
use Of alcoholic liquors and deleterious
narcotics. Just how to handle the pro-
bIem 10 as to secure the desired results is
a matter for the serious consideration Of
all good citizens. ! am well aware that
in many cases a strict legal prohibition
Of the sale Of spirituous liquors has the
effect Of adding to the evils which 1t 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 in stern check ought
TO be made part of our code. am in
favor OF having the truth concerning the
dangers of alcoholism and ether intem-
perance impressed upon the youth Of our
land, and believe that our schools should
teach as far as possible what these dam
gers are and what they mean to the flu
tire 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 "LooPHoLE" LAWS
/ strenuously oppose laws that are
framed with fjokers" or loopholes for the
purpose of defeating OF 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 whohave no parents
or disabled parents. Such children are
the very ones who should be provided
with an education III order that they may
be enabled to maintain themselves and
become useful citizens The government
ID able to provide an education for this
class and should see that it is done. An-
other example of the 'loop-hole'' law is
the framing Of law against unlawful
business deals and then leaving to some
court the Interpretation Of such terms as
unreasonable restraint of trade"
favor 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-.
phasis that such an appointment would
lay upon democratic freedom from class
would, I believe, go far toward strength.
ening the bonds between the government
and labor. 1t would not only be O merieG
recognition Of this great element of oul
national population, but sure methoG
of securing desirable and friendly co
operation.
Six YEAR TERM For PRESIDENT.
favor an amendment to the Constitu
ton fixing the term of the President at
yeas and making him ineligible to re
election for the succeeding term. Th'
1 ordinations and recriminations indulgeC
by the candidates and their advocates II
1 the present race by both the great parties
/ regard as regTetable by all good men
This amendment will serve to preclude
the probability Of such 4 spectacle in flu
ture contests for the highest office Of tn,
greatest government on earth.
The foregoing are the main features o
the platform on which | ask your sup
port. believe these to be the tenets 0
the true political faith, and for them, j
elected, | shall stand firmly. Ii YOU
honor me with election promise no grea
or sweeping revolution, no visionary re
forms. / can and dopledge to you, how
ever, fair, honest and conscientious dis
charge Of every duty connected with tn,
high office of your representative in Con
gress. i believe in the application Of con
servative and sensible business method
to the duties of the office 1t is grea
honor to represent such constituency
and if you should bestow it upon me
shall esteem it a sacred trust, and employ
lmy very best endeavor to serxe you &C
ceptabiy and in such amanner as to meri
your fullest appreciation.
! Is Nor POLITICIAN.
| AS to the methods am using in IN,
race may say this word? / am not fol
lowing the tactics ofthe average politician
| am plain man and am content to run
my race in a plain way Because of baC
roads, press of work and bad weather
have thus far travelled the district but lit
tie
] am not sending out circular letter il
the hope of making the people think
am writing to them personally. / dono
| like the idea. 1t strikes me as rather bac
taste to thus address a man whom I have
never met and whose name is known tc
me only through list paid for at so much
per name.
AS to stump speeches, think the peo-
pie are weary of them. / shall not infIict
upon the district aseries Of oratorical fire.
works and long talks. / want to reacn
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 ! viii 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 (TerrelD 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
Salfsps. hnfOrn tho pla0fion I IN, old foe