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 ef-
fected BY the preliminary understand
ing among the Underwood leaders.
Mr. Anderson specifically denies that
there was any agreement" deal or
trade" with Thomas Z. 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 par
~, 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 Mt Watson was advised OF the
program agreed upon. and that he was
consulted upon certain points and
asked his opinion concerning them.
"Watson 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
mined that this plot should not sue
ceed. II it might be defeated honorably.
He admits that Watson was elected
70 Baltimore because he had the votes
Mr.. Anderson declares that per-
sistent effort has been made. since the
presidential primary in Georgia was
won by Mr. Underwood upon the part
OF the Wilson people and press, to Gre
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 10 have
lost sight Of the fact that by undertake
ing to make the state convention row
rather than a 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 statement IN The Atlanta
Journal. in which that paper stated
that a "frame-up" was arranged. Just
before the copvention met, in which a
Watson fight WAS avoided, and that in
the frame up figured, with Mr. An
derson. such well known leaders as
John NJ. Slaton. G. R. Hutchens, Jack
]. 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
says 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 II was put up to Mr. Anderson
he says. by that conference to secure a
bona fide Democratic convention, with
a fair deal for everybody. all the way
around 1t was also put up to the Sa
vannah man TO see that the convention
got through with its necessary bust
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
GLIDING Mr. Watson. one Of these can
didates, Mr. Loyless, states Mr.. An
derson. withdrew his name from the
conventions consideration the night be-
fore IL met. and that he then proceeded
with the idea that there likely would be
only eight names put up.
Mr. Anderson says that, in view of
rumors Of war. he. at Mr. Hutchens'
suggestion. called upon Mr. Watson,
and went over the proposed program
with MIN, and convinced him that Il
was all right and made up in the in
terest of fair play. He says that ne
found Mr. Watson laborne under some
nisa pprehension as TO the way things
were going and that after he succeeded
II convincing The Thomson man that
things were aN righ,. Watson said he