Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-10-10
DENIES WATSON WILL
RUN FOR PROGRESS|VES
State Chairman Edwards Says
Georgian viii Not Make
Race for President

Harry Stillwell Edwards, of Macon,
state chairman of the Georgia Progress
sive party, has issued a statement max
ing a denial of the report that the Pro-
gressive party OF Georgia would pre-
vail on Thomas E. Watson to be the
candidate for president on the Progress
sive ticket Mr.. Watson states that
the Progressive party has endorsed the
candidacy of Hughes and Fairbanks.
Furthermore, Mr.. Edwards states that
so far as he knows, Mr.. Watson would
not permit the use of his name as a
candidate on the Progressive ticket for
president. The statement Of Mr.. Ed
wards is as follows:
"Our attention has been called to an
interview and statement purported to
have been made by James l.. Sibley in
regard to the political situation in
Georgia Mr.. Sibley makes his state
ment in the Saturday morning issue OF
the Macon Telegraph and among other
things says that the Progressives or
Georgia hope to prevail upon Thomas
E. Watson to run for president on the
Progressive party ticket with Parker,
of Louisiana, for vice president. He
states further that there are two Re-
publican tickets already filed in Geor-
gia but no Progressive party electors
Furthermore, Mr.. Sibley states that ne
is campaign manager for the Progress
sive party of Georgia and that he will
open headquarters in Atlanta should
Mr.. Watson agree to allow the use OF
his name. We wish to say that the
following are the facts in the case:
AT the Progressive party state con-
in Nav IA both G
W. Mcclure and Mr.. Sibley being pres
ent as delegates, Harry StillweH Ed
wards was named state chairman by
Unanimous vote of the convention and
later delegates were named to attend the
Chicago convention. These delegates
later selected II. V. Hastings as nation
al committeeman of the Progressive
party BY unanimous vote at the May
convention power was conferred on the
state advisory committee to name ana
place in the field an electoral ticket-to
Furthermore have the authority to act
on all matters concerning the Progress
sive party of Georgia when the state
convention was not in session. This
committee met in Macon after being
properly called together, named an cleo
| toral ticket, which has been properly
filed with the governor and secretary
| of state under the name of the Progress
sive party, and Furthermore named a
campaign committee to advise WIN
James S. Sibley, campaign manager, pro-
vided Mr.. Sibley wished to abide by the
wishes of the committee and support
Hughes and Fairbanks. Otherwise the
committee was to proceed with the cam
paign and have full authority to depose
Mr.. Sibley Mr.. Sibley showed absolute
| ly no desire to cooperate in any way
and consequently was removed from the
| position of campaign manager and also
removed from the electoral ticket. We
| might add that G. w. Mcclure attended
the meeting that Endorsed Mr.. Hughes
and voted to make such Endorsement and
accepted the position of elector-at-large
en- the Progressive ticket. He later at
tended the boiling meeting of few
discounted Progressives at Indianapo-
lis and resigned as elector.
1--WE wish to state, furthermore. that
the Progressive party is conducting an
i've fight in this state with the coop
Grafton of 80 per cent of the Republi-
| cans, practically all the Progressives
and thousands of Populists and Demo
Gratis who wish to see two strong par
ties in Georgia. The campaign in every
county is under the leadership of the
leading citizens and a straightforward
clean campaign will be waged for
Hughes and Fairbanks on ticket that
| all will be proud to support.
| Regarding Mr.. Watson, we wish to
say that we have positive information
| that under no consideration will Mr.
| Watson allow the use of his name in
any manner as suggested by Mr.. Sib-
ley.
HARRY STILLWELL EDWARDS,
state Chairman" .