The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1915-11-18
A Legislator With a Message.

That was a magnificent address de-
livered in the legislature on Monday
by Hon. Spencer r. Atkinson, an old
Brunswickian, now a member Of the
house from Fulton county, Judge
Atkinson, as he is best known in
Brunswick, and Glynn county, was de
Tending the rights Of a free and I'M
trammeled press in Georgia against
the Mangham anti-adyertlsing bill
one of the freak prohibition measures
passed by the general assembly-and
his effort on the occasion in question
has been pronounced to be the most
eloquent the most brilliant piece OF
oratory attempted in the legislature
since the days Of the immortal
Toombs. Judge Atkinson takes the
broad position that the anti-advertis-
ing bill is unconstitutional on the
one side and seeks to destroy the
principles of manhood by stabbing to
death a free and untrammeled press
on the other; that il will not stand
test in the federal or the state
courts and its passage comes in the
ng tf,Ili.
gence of the people of the state of
Georgia. But the particular point we
wished to stress in connection with
this able address of this distinguished
Georgian was the utter discourtesy
that the members of the majority dis
played toward him, while he was de-
liverng his address. Scores of them
deserted their seats, thus showing
rudcness to perhaps the ablest, GER
tainly the most prominent, member of
that body, former member of the
supreme court and a former member
of the state railroad commission. I'm.
daunted by This overt act of unfair
ness, disconr;sey aa1 rudcness. Judge
Atkinson SAID. Let them go, Mr..
Speaker, but | am goint to deliver
this message ! have in the interest of
Georgia, il I've got to involve this
country in civil warfare TO do it.
He then proceeded to deliver what
has been termed the ablest, most log
ical address delivered in legislative
halls in Georgia in years and writer
in the Augusta Chronicle describing
1t says:
His treatise OF the constitution
of the state and the United States
was the most highly Illuminating
effort ever heard in the legisla-
ture But he had no effect be-
cause, as he declared, "in the en-
thusiasm of the moment, famed
by a popular wave, there are in
Georgia men whose passions have
run away with their minds, and
yet no newspaper, no periodical
| in the state has the courage to
speak out against this horrible
disregard for the intelligence of a
people. this ridicule and con-
~, 81 thn
constitution of the United States
and the state of Georgia, And
! vet, they both lay down to a free
people the injunction no law shall
ever be passed to curtail or re-
] strain the liberties of the press
But there isn't line in this bill
but which not only violates the
guarantees OF the constitutions of
the state and the country, but.
| as well, strikes down the right of
an upright man to print his
| thoughts.
Indeed Judge Atkinson is high au-
thority on constitutional law and we
do not doubt for minute the cor
1
rectness of his position, but how much
Itruer is his declaration lin the enthu'
siasm OF the moment, famed by pop
ular wave, there are in Georgia men
whose passions have run away with
their minds
Leaving out the question of prohi
bition entirely, but viewing this Incl
dent in its plain aspect, we cannot re
frain from asking this beautiful morn
ing: Where, where are we drifting
in Georgia?
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