The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1913-07-01

trict, comprising some of the Oldest
and richest counties in Georgia, rich
in the fertility of the soil, rich in nat
ural resources, rich in its towns and
cities, rich in the character of its
citizenship and in their traditions
and achievements. He had gone in
amongst them as school teaC ker, law
yer, editor, solicitor general and
judge, and as candidate
for congress was ubiquitous. He
knew the people by name, by
face, by their homes, their fire.
side; he knew them with an open
mind, an open heart, a warm sym
pathy; he knew the rich and the
poor; he knew their struggles and
their problems; he knew them and
loved them, and knowing them he
dedicated every talent of head and
heart to their service, happy in the
confidence of their trust in him; sin
gle-minded, loyal-hearted to their
every interest, and knowing that
their interest we'll served meant that
his country was also served.
The republican party was then en-
trenched in power. 1t remained in
power through all the years of his
service. A democrat, with his party
in the minority, could do no more
than protest. But Griggs was new
man, of new blood of new genera
ton. Born in 1861, he was in con-
gress in 1897. Mighty changes in
those years. War had come and
gone. Reconstruction with all of its
horrors had passed away. With the
coming of a new generation there
came new issues. The steadily main
tanned tariff taxes since the war had
vastly enriched the class of manu-
facturers, and the corrupt era Of
railroad expansion had gripped the
natural wealth of the country in its
relentless grasp from ocean to ocean
from lakes to gulf. The era of cor
porate monopoly was enthroned anC
the republican party defended it II
the name of prosperity. The indus
trial demand for labor stimulated
immigration from all Europe till the
stream swelled to a million year
With these came seeds of socialism
which in trsnsplanting are becoming
domesticated, and the reaction upo1
our structure of government is more
menacing year by year. Some o.
these conditions were plainly visible
when Griggs first went to congress
others of them arose on the horizon
during his service, and still Others
are visible to the eye of the prophet
The day of the South-hater was pass
ing in the republican party. TIT
day of the Bourbon democrat wa
fading in the democratic party Thes,
were the relics of war. By mature
they would die out. But there re
NAMED and grew steadily the more
UNEQUAL distribution of wealth from
the causes I have alluded to, causes
which were destined to challenge TIL
strength and courage of the masses
to their overthrow. This was tn
stage setting upon which Griggs en-
tered as an actor repeat, new
man facing new issues formed ant
forming. His mind grasped will
comprehensive power all these PROB
lens of government. His horizon
was as wide as the country. While
partisan in the sense that he was 10y
al to his party and it's creeds he wa
tolerant of the man who opposed nj
views. He was uncompromising will
a principle, but never lost thu
large-hearted quality of fraternlt!
with those whose opinions differed
from his own. In a way, this ac
counts for the fact that he had per
sOnal friendship with republican
and democrats alike. This was th'
manner of man, this the place ant
these the scenes that surrounded hin
when in reply to Mr.. Dingley, wis
had complained that conditions il
the South were responsible for tn
depression of cotton manufacturing
in New England. Griggs replied u
the author of the Dingley Fill In nj
first year of service: Th1
talk of a low standard of living il
the South, Mr.. Speaker, is amusing
to those who know Southern condi
lions and Southern people. The fac
tory Iaborer of the South is native t.
the soil. He is contented and hap
nv. He Is from the same stock tina
wintered at Valley Forge, bivouacke'
at Yorktown and fought at King
Mountain. He is the same blood tina
was with Jackson at New Orlean
and followed Taylor In Mexico. Should
the necessity arise today he and nj
people-the men of the South-w1l
unite with you in carrying the fiai
of freedom to bloody but gloriou
victory" Dingley charged that tn
South consumed itself with agitation
and the over-production of cotton
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UnnuA3Am AKAM