The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1914-11-19


State, and, in fact, has had
some considerable notice out
side the State of Georgia. 1t may
be said then to be of more than or
binary interest. This election in
Georgia has meaning. What is it?
There perhaps might be a differ
ence Of opinion as to what it means,
as all of us would not observe from
the same view point; and the mean
ing attributed be varied, according
ly. The votes received by Mr.. Nc
Clure and myself in our respective
races against Mr.. Smith and Mr..
Hardwick was not due to our per-
sonal popularity or activity. We
both have personal friends and ac-
quaintances over the State, but it
cannot be attributed to this, except
to a minor degree.
We had to fight all the power and
personality of the present Wilson
administration, with the personally,
power and relationship of every
Federal office-holder in the State,
including post masters in every city,
town and village-every newspaper
in the State to a greater or less de-
gree, except occasionally a negative
utterance by some conscious editor,
who boiled over with Indignation
about the state of affairs in general.
We had to fight the bluff, buster
and intimidation of the State Demo-
cratic Committee, with all the per
sonal and political influence Of it's
members. We had to face the
charge of being boilers of the pri~
mary, and our would be supporters
were threatened with disfranchise-
ment if they voted for us. In spite
OF all this, our race shocked the
whole State, and commanded great
attention from the whole country.
What does it mean?
The only thing that saved Smith
and Hardwick from defeat was their
so-called Democratic nomination,
protected by mistaken sentiment
tality An open race would have
sWamped them, in my judgment.
No party has a personality, per.
Sc. No party has any standing, ex-
cept as it is made up Of individual
members. A political party cannot
be pure and clean when it's mem
bers are corrupt This statement I
risk for challenge by any one.
The corrupt politician of today,
who afflliates with the Democratic
party, and, perchance, might control
its present policies, who, in order to
maintain that control, reminds our
people that the Grand Old Demo-
cratic Party saved our State in for
mer times, and preserved our inter-
ests and institutions, prostitutes
the fair name the party bore fifty
years ago, and this is where the
mistaken sentiment is used to pro-
mote corrupt enterprise, and one
in failing circumstances.
If we had the men of fifty years
ago at the head of the party in Geor-
gia, there would be no need for oppo-
sition-Judge Nat Harris had no op-
position. None had opposition save
the two who pulled through on the
sainted record Of men who did save
our State, and who did not sneak
into office on the record of another.
The one thing further | desire to
say is that the Democratic party of
today is not the Democratic party of
forty years ago, nor Of thirty, or
even twenty years. So do not con-
fuse the two for they are very dis
similar.
The Democratic party IN 1916 will
lose out, and the country will settle
upon policy more business like and
wholesome, avoiding the fatal errors
made by those now conducting our
affairs of State.