Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-06-21
A GROUcHY OLD SCOLD


Macon telegraph, spends most of her time
adays in fussing The Journal Always out-ofsorts
with the universe in general, she is never quite SO
touchy as when progressive Democracy is mentioned.
That subject invariably goes her spleen so that
she loses her head and forgets her manners. Were
We less mindful of the good beldam's inrmities, we
might retort properly enough that we are no ward
OF hers and that she would do well to mind her own
business, But, as everybody knows, the Telegraph
simply must have something which to vent a
chronic peevishness and so. If it is relief to
the old souls grouchiness by all let her scod
US to her hearts content
Our only purpose in taking any note whatever OF
our contemporaries course is to set right certain mis-
statements into which its i'll humOr has led 1t and
which. uncorrected. might mislead some people. 1t
AYERS. for instance:
NOBODY kHolcs better than the Atlanta Jour
noI that as a leader and HtOuIder Of political
opinion in this state its brief is at end.
Three body bIot0s out Of four rounds in the ring
ten its otCH tale; and noo fleeing to the goods.
IL has resorted to 0ueriHa scorfcre, to bush
Chacking individuals"
The Journal has never posed as "a leader and
mouIder Of political opinion" Whenever an issue
between good government and bad government has
been drawn whenever battle between public rights
and special interests has pitched have voiced
our convictions as emphatically as knew how, we
have fought corrupt politics earnestly could
and We shall continne to do. That we takesit. is
no more nor less than the interestof thousands of
good citizens in political affairs.
When the Telegraph. adopting the Rooseveltian
phrase asserts that the progressive wing of Georgia
Democracy has suffered three body blows of four
rounds IN the ring it betrays memory that is either
very weak or very slick for the occasion. For these
Democrats instead Of receiving three blows out Of
four have dealt three four. They elected their
candidate for governor in 1906 They lost in 1908.
But in 1910. they named the governor again and in
1871 through progressive legislature. they named
the United States senator The special primary held
last winter TO MI unexpred term in the
shin involved of those issues that made memoir
able the preceding campaigns. It settled princi-
pies Tor 1t involved none Nor did the presidential
primary this year involve any Of the issues formerly
at stake or draw the line between factions hitherto
opposed.
The truth is the result Of that primary when
viewed in the light Of the methods by which it was
obtained. not victory for either faction. but
for a huge corruption fund and interruptions
sIanderer.
We say this with no view whatever to disparage
the successful candidate Mr.. Underwood His record
convinces us that no one would condemn more
promptly than he the of libel and the iegitimate
use OF money In a political campaign, IL he were
aware that such, Influences were being employed. But
the fact remains independent Of Mr.. UnderwoOds per
sonsity that the presidential primary in Geor-
ga was carried through methods that the Telegraph
and every other good citizen should repudate and
strive to make impossible.
As TO that guerilla warfare" which the Tele-
graph charges with waging. it exists only in our
eontemporary's faded imagination. Should Mr.. I'm
derwood be nominated Baltimore we should sup
port him as earnestly as we wish for Democratic
victory next autumn. We trust and believe that the
nominee will be Woodrow Wilson, but whoever he
may be we shall give him our stanchest support for
the principles Of the party of vastly greater i'm
portance than any man.
We have never "nagged" at Mr. Underwood Not
once during the entire campaign did we utter word
against his personal or political integrity on the
contrary we gave him credit for everything he has
accomplished We did criticise his advocacy of the
pernicious Bristow amendment because that measure
Is a menace to the South's most vital interests The
Journal had opposed IL year before Mr. Under
wood was even mentioned as a candidate for the
nomination and the Telegraph, too, had opposed it,
Never have we charged Mr.. Underwood with being
accountable for the degrading means that were en-
ployed in behalf Of his campaign in Georgia We
have deplored the fact that any group of Georgia
Democrats should trucked to their partys most
contemplate traitor and foe. We have appealed to
all good Democrats. regardless Of their former align
ments unite in purging the partys affairs of Wat
sonism and its debasng effects This is not guerilla
which, We are sure the great majority of the people
Of Georgia agree
wOl1sn never measures her years by the num-
Der Of her birthdays.