Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-01-27
ROME CRUSADERS
HIT BY NEPHEW
Of WRIHCT
Judge WiIIingham Says Law
and Order League Fanatics
Are Running Town.

ROME, GA. Jan. 27.-Hon. Wright
WilHngham. former recorder of the po-
lice court of this city, nephew Of the
famous prohibition leader SeaboH
Wright and prominent lawyer and
sunday school worker has created
genuine sensation here by denouncing
the local law and order league, or
committee of seventy" of which his
distinguished uncle is the head, as "a set
,of fanatical meddIers, more concerned
With sending a niger to the chain
gang for violating the prohibition law"
than with conserving the material and
reasonable interests of the city.
Rome has gone crazy over this law
and order business said MIR willing
ham in an address published. in part, in
The Rome Tribune Herald, and so
long as they can send viii Martin ct
a to the changing, some people are
perfectly willing to let the town go to
hell--and that is right where it is go
ing. unless the people wake mp to the
real condition and take more interest in
their affairs"
'hAlIlhlIlE NJ w MN manu- H'i'h
slow many men ran this town.
some say twelve, some say two, and
think the latter number is nearer
correct than the former But how are
they running it? We do not know. but
we see evidences of extravaganza on
every hand. with a constantly increas-
ing tax rate, that if kept up win ruin
the owners of property.
Leaders Have Gone Crazy"
What is the trouble? | viii tell you.
II is because our leading citizens have
gone crazy on the subject Of law and
order leagues, and care absolutely moth
ing about the town. That is the only
thing they take any interest in. If they
can get few poor devils in the chain
gang they are happy, and the town can
go into bankruptcy for all they care.
This law and order business is fun
ny. They have a big meeting up at the
big church with two speakers. To hear
these people talk you would think there
was no crime in the world except sell
ing liquor. They care not if you violate
all Of the Ten Commandments. except
the one against liquor selling that has
been added. They damn the liquor
seller while the good old sisters shout
hallelujah. and the good brothers have
electric thrills running up and down
their spines.
AN they want to do is to catch q
few Of these little scavengers. Finally
it got to where the scavengers would
have mobbed that Jaw and order bunch
they got after the big circus. the Elks
club. If they had done that first, win
Martin and his gang would never have
been so defiant of the law.
Wants to See Awakening.
what ] do want is to see our aver
age citizens, our strong. sensible COM
mon people wake up and begin to take
an interest in their own affairs. and
take the reins of government into their
own hands, instead of dancing to the
tune piped by "a few politicians If
they do not, God pity US all"
Mr. Willingham's reference to two
men running the town" presumably
means his uncle, Seaborn Wright, and
Judge John w. Maddox, for both have
been prominent in the law and order
activity. and We're the two speakers"
in the big church" meeting directly re
ferred to
- The closing of the Elks club two
months ago was effected through bring
ing Of an injunction against it as a
nuisance by Mr.. Wright Mr. Will
bingham is not a member Of that club,
nor any other in the city, but the clos
ing Of it evidently made a profound
impression upon him.
The utterances of the former recorder
of the city very familiar with its
status morally and otherwise, in which
he so severely lambasts his uncle and
the retiring Judge of the superior court.
is the one topic of conversation among
citizens today, and has aroused "a lot of
vehement discussion favorable. and
otherwise.
BY reason of the activity of the Law
and order league in Rome. every locker
club in town has been closed. all near
beer saloons have been abolished, sun
day selling of soda water and cigars
has been stopped and playing pool on
the loser pays-f for the game plan has
been cut ont