Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-10
jLEPSSW|N
RICHMOND
BANKERS
MEET
Eloquent Plea ExtoIIing Virtues of
Mintin "Wet" Town De-
featS Atlanta.

BOSTON, oct 1O.-The fragrant
and delicious mint julep lost Atlanta
the 1914 convention of the American
Bankers Association. That is the
consensus of opinion among the del
sgates here to-day.
This insiduous decoction, whose po-
tency every true Southerner insists
4 would divert the course of empires,
. was powerful enough to sweep the
delegates to vote for Richmond, Va,
as the 1914 convention city after At
& lrs admittedly had the gathering
pledged and practically delivered.
A Calmly reviewing Yesterdays ac-
. tou it appears almost unbelievable
Sthat body Of coldly calculating, I'M
Imaginative jugglers of figures and
interest tables could be swayed by
8and sentimental argument, but the
sober fact remains that at the magic
mention of the Souths most famed
libation the bankers were stampeded.
|Thus Atlanta lost.
How It Happened.
Here is how it came about. At
anita had made a valiant fight. Her
claims ably had been presented by
John X. Ottley. His remarks were
seconded by Sol WeXler, of New Or
Deans. other good speakers from the
South followed. Victory was hover
\ ing over the banners of the Gate City.
There appeared no hope for any of
the rival cities.
Then Thomas B. McAdams took the
floor for Richmond. The delegates,
out of courtesy, We're willing to listen
. to him. but they did not propose to
change their minds in the least. They
3 had dscided irrevocably upon At
f lanta.
Mr. McAdams conceded to Mr.. Ott-
4 Icy all of the claims he had made in
behalf of Atlanta He was more than
gracious. The delegates were even
more confirmed in their selection of
the Georgia city.
But he added-and here the
bankers began to take some interest
in his marks-"Richmond has all
the advantages of this other Southern
& city and one thing else"
What could it be? Every separate
banker stirred in his seat and prick
Cd UP his respective ears.
And Here 1t Is.
Then exactly at the psychological
moment McAdams told them. 1t was
NE festive mint julep!
There was an undignified whoop of
appreciation. McAdams let the sig
|n aLce of this Overwhelming ad-
vantage sink into their conscious
AesSzs and then he subtly suggested
4al II they came to Richmond they
"ou.o not have to go TO a club every
me hey desired moist refreshments.
Auanta. he warned the bankers. was
dry town. Richmond was not.
Dsa'aes the mint julep abounded in
'0'nn IN the highways and by
ess Of the Virginia capital.
mat was enough. There was a
sasp, short struggle. Atlanta did
~, give up without a fight. 1t re
-.Fed two votes, but the mint julep
nssument won. The convention which
lew seconds before had been al
Ss' unanimously of one mind for
"''atJa had been changed like magic.
-. Praises Hearst Papers.
me bulk Of Georgia delegates, flo
S"'hg q days outing at Nantucket
go VIII leave for their homes to-
sAL That Atlanta lost the conven-
NJ Is nothing to the discredit of
!. ottley, who led the fight, or any
us lieutenants. At the close of
W. convention Mr.. Ottley said:
am surprised that we were de-
@set Up to the last minute l be-
5,ro we would win. The Richmond
n, atoms put UP better fight on
n moor Of the convention and won.
eqnsratulate Richmond. | want
Adnk the Hearst papers for their
n s'ylort They aided us more than /
explain in this interview"