Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-06-01
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course, are not permitted to get behind
the scenes. 1t is called a Democratic
convention, but the wire pulling and
the agreements were limited to the few
chosen souls-the very few at that.
Watson was to be the whole cheese,
so far as appearances went, at the
open gathering of the party in which
| T. e arrangements perfected were to be
offclally consummated
Mr.. Watson objected to something.
Mr. Anderson hastily rushed across the
stage. Side by side on a sofa at the
front of the stage they held a confab.
Diplomatic.
1t was really affecting.
THE Gentleman from Chatham. -
would arise.
: There is no real difference be-
| tween me and the Gentleman from
McDuttie," he would say, addressing
the chair and the delegates. Mr.. Wat
son merely did not catch the true
purport of the rule" or the resolution
Or whatever it happened to be.
After these incidents a delegate
from the rear bawled out: Have the
gentleman from McDuffie and Chat
| ham agreed as to what the convention
shall do?"
And the bunch of delegates from
Chatham looked on and wondered,
and then wondered some more.
The fine points Of the game seemed
lost on them.
They seemed to be scratching their
heads and wondering if they were
dreaming.
Was this Watson, the man they
travelled three hundred miles to as
sist in crushing, at whose final OBJ
sequies they were prepared to furnish
the pail bearers? Was this Watson,
( who seemed to be the whole perform
ance?
When the Chatham delegation left
Atlanta, by the way, it knew more
about Georgia politics than it knew
before it went-at least the novices
did.
But back to the story
Watson opened the ball. He made
the temporary nomination for chair
man as per agreement, of course. And
then he made the opening remarks,
| as per agreement, of course.
1t was the usual WatsOnesque plea
for the restoration of the county unit
system, for the suppression of the
power that had been grated on the
few big counties of the state. 1t was
a protest against the election of the
slate-ixed lists of delegates, district,
or at large, and a demand for the
voting by counties on the delegates
at large.
The thin, wiry statesman from Nc
Duffie stood among his friends from
home as he began the performance.
But there were cries of Stage, stage.
Ovation to Watson.
And as the old populist leader
wended his way slowly down the aisle
to the stage, he received an ovation
that might we'll have made his mag
| inc himself the king bee of the whole
convention 1t was as great an oYa-
| ton as Hoke Simth has ever had and
it lasted until the stage was reached
The stage is too high from the floor
| to ascend with ease. So the Gentle
man from Chatham rushed from the
right wing to assist the Gentleman
| from McDuffie' to a position to th9
left of the center. That's right, help
him up." shouted the crowd-or some
of the crowd.
1t was necessary to stoop low 10
do this, but with all the courteous
grace of a Chesterfield the Gentle
man from Chatham" assisted the
"Gentleman from McDuffie.
The audience laughed. 1t was all
good natured. The prologue was moV-
ing along beautifully. n
Then came the adoption of the
rules. OF course. this was all by
agreement. Mr. Watson had an
nounced that the delegates at large
must be elected by the county vote
4 cheerfully acceded to, as by agree
ment. -, 49,, ,
tleman from Chatham we are al
moved by the same ardent DESIRE 81
words to that effect.
And the Gentleman from McDul'
fie" looked upon the Gentleman IRON
chatham" and they both smiled. All
was as ioyful as a wedding morn. Inc
lion and the lamb were lying doWI
together and neither one was lnslG>
the other. $780,, -. a.
, Mr. Watson had declared at IN,
Kimball House address to his trleho'
that there should be no five minutes
limitation on the God-given right o
free speech. ALL ,,,in
: utes' limitation was made, with apoil
ogies to Mr.. Watson, of course, as, !
: was explained it was necessary u
have some restriction.
And so, by gentlemen's agreement
the rules went through.
4 Now. Mr.. Watson had come pre-
I T pared to make little speech-so
u, u is said. And the speech was IN IN
form of notes on number OF sheeI
4 Of paper. But the speech would TAX
more than fifteen minutes.
!, So the shrewd Gentleman lr0. 70.
u NcDufie"-how exceedingly pollt
> thev were to him in his initial acts
d announced that he had some resort
y ton to present.
The resolutions were the pages
n his speech, cut up, with a whereas
: (Contnued On Page Five)