Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-08-16
ThePublic RecOrdOfH OOper Alexander
Candidate for Governor
What Is John NJ. SlatOn'S Record?
TO THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA:

nor has refused to discuss the issues
of this campaign, either in joint de-
bate, or in the newspapers, or in any
public way, though he has been chal-
lenged by HOOPER ALEXANDER and
his supporters time and time again.
The campaign about to close now is in
many ways one of the most remarRa BILE
in the history of Georgia. Even his
own newspaper supporters have refus-
ed to discuss the issues of the cam
paign except to abuse and vilify
HOOPER ALEXANDER. They take
no notice whatever Of the Hon. Joe Hill
Hall; for the most part, they refuse to
publish the announcements Of HOOP
Err ALEXANDER'S speeches, and made
only scant mention Of the platform on
which he is running for the Governor
ship of Georgia They refused 10 pun
lish any account of the speeches he
has made in which he is attempting to
discuss the issues of the campaign be-
fore the people of the State, but a large
part of the daily press has taken no
stand whatever in the present guber-
material race. The Savannah Press and
the Macon News have given ALExAN-
DER a square deal in their news col
umns. The Atlanta Journal is the
only paper in the state that has treat
ed him at all literally. This last nam
ed paper has at least been fair enough
to publish his platform and public ad-
dresses.
But to be perfectly frank with the
people of Georgia, we counted on the
opposition of such papers as rhe At
Ianta Constitution, the Macon Tele-
graph and the Savannah News, as
political asset in a campaign like this.
On account of the prohibition issue, the
other city dailies have not seen ut 10
give HOOPER ALEXANDER their &C
tive support, though it is known that
many of the men connected with these
-papers are heartily in accord with his
views.
Mr.. Slaton has continued to the very
last week his "pussy-foot" methods or
campaigning, He absolutely refused to
come out in the open and discuss the
issues of the campaign. hut he has
waited until the very last week and mas
deluged the weekly press Of the small
towns of Georgia with eulogistic mis-
statements. in many cases occupying
as much as six columns of these papers
in the hope that voters in the small
towns and in the rural districts would
be deceived. Possessed of enormous
wealth, the expenditure Of 100000 or
100000 in this way means nothing to
months, he has had force of II or IS
stenographers, writing letters to the
entire list of voters as OBTAINED from
the registration lists of the various
counties. Many of you have received
as many as FIVE or six of exactly. the
same kind of letters, and You know II
to be true that at no tins has he yet
entered into any kind Of discussion as
to his views on the great public qlies-
tions of the day. We do not know
lust what will be contained la the col
umns of the weekly papers this week.
and it is too late for us to answer any
statements he may make, because there
will be no other issue of the weekly
napers of the state until after the pri-
mary on August 21st, and the daily
papers of the state, with the exception
of the papers above mentioned, have
refused to publish statements from
HOOPER ALEXANDER, except at
such rates per line as make 1t impossl-
BILE for him to address you in this way.
Hooper Alexander has refused to
pay out large sums of money to the
newspapers because he believes tnat
the time has come that some protest
should be made against reckless eX-
penditure of money in political cam
paigns for newspaper space AZ the
weekly and daily papers Of the STATE,
so that all we can do at this time is 10
present to you his public record.
HOOPER ALExANDER'S RECORD.
AS the editor of a county newspaper,
the DeKalb New Era, he educated the
state on the doctrine of the franchise
tax, and wrote the franchise bill ''hich
was finally enacted into law, ard has
added millions of dollars 10 the State
Treasury. This tax last year anlont-
ed to nearly $5O0,OOO.Oo for the state,
counties and cities.
AS a lawyer. he won the case for
lower passenger rates before the Rail-
road Commission, which has resulted in
saving millions of dollars to the peo-
pie of Georgia
AS a legislator, he has always been
on the side Of the people as against
the selfish interests. During the eight
years Of his service in the House, he
has been unfailing in attendance upon
the sessions of the House and the
meetings of its committees, and for
four years he has been the acknowl-
edged leader of the House. He has
never lodged a vote, ana no man has
answered to so many roll-calls, or
voted so consistently for the interests
of the people. 1t would be impossible
even to enumerate the measures which
he has advocated by vote and voice. A
few are selected to show his attitude
on public questions. In the session Of
1905, he voted on roll-call:
For the Anti-Free-Pass Bill.
For the State Refornatory for Ju-
venile Delinquents.
For the Bell Child Labor Law.
For a State Tax of 100000 on sa-
looms.
For an occupation tax on public ueil-
ity companies.
For abolishing the negro troops.
For amending Act for regulation OF
freight and passenger traffic.
For including telephone ana tleErapn
companies in the Jurisdiction of the
Railroad Commission.
In the session of 1906, he voted as
follows:
For State arbitration board for the
assessment of taxes.