The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1916-08-31
Tribble'S Answer to Browns
Challenge for Joint Debate.

people Of the Eighth District can not
be benefited by a controversy over
personalities in this race-both can
dIdates are Democrats.
You state three reasons in your
letter for a joint debate, and state
only one national issue on which we
differ. L will state my position on
that one issue that you may have
the full benefit of my stand on that
issue, thereby eliminating any con
troversy as to my attitude on the one
issue you raise of national import
ance.
First.-You state that you favor
civil service; that is to say, the
method of selecting all government
officers by standing an examination,
and appointment of the person MAX
ing the highest mark. You correctly
state in your letter that / oppose
CIVIL service. | have always fought
1t with all my ability, and do not
expect to change my views on this
question. There are more reasons
than one why I oppose it, but one is
all-sufticient for me. The civil service
examination provides the only
method whereby the negro can be
appointed to government Offices.
contend that negro office holding
tends to destroy the good order and
peace Of the Southern States, and
directly handicaps the South in con-
trolling the ever present race
question, and is menace to the
South's conception Of the proper
method of handling the race
question. We have had re-contruc-
ton, negro voting, threats of force
bill, and now we have civil service
providing equal opportunity for the
negroes to hold government offices.
Civil service was forced upon us by
the Republican Party. The Repub-
lican platform Of 1908 boasts of Re-
publican achievements on this cues
ton, and says under the head of
NEGRO PROBLEM, page 100, as fol-
lows
''The Republican Party wrote in
the organic law the declaration which
proclaimed the negroes civil and po-
litical rights. Fl. We demand equal
justice without regard to color"
It is true the Democratic Party
later declared in favor of civil
service, but no man will contend that
in order to be loyal to any political
party one must approve every plank
in the party platform. You will not
find Democrat who has approved
every plank in the party platform,
but his party loyalty is not
questioned. l oppose civil service
because I refuse to approve negro
Office holding, and no man will
question my democracy. The negro
question would not have been
mentioned by me in this connection,
but you have made only one national
issue on my record in your communi-
cation; therefore, | feel called upon
to justify my reason for opposing
civil service that you may have the
benefit of it. You would not appoint
negroes, but, my dear sir, your plat
form favors the only method by
which they can get offices.
Second-You say I am in favor of
the present rural credit law, and that
| base my right to reelection on that
issue. In this you are very much
mistaken. The trouble with your
understanding my record is the fact
you refuse to investigate it and as
certain the facts Instead of per-
sonally investigating my record you
employed a stranger to the people Of
this district to make record Of me
and paid him $50 for same, which
record you know, as we'll as does that
man Carpenter who compiled it for
IN n IN OFT iC