Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-08-22
TO THE VOTERS OF THE THIRD
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT:

| UPON entering the race LII NOA6ASSs
from the Third Congressional district
submitted to the voters my platform
of principles upon which ] intended tc
make my race, seeking their suffrage
In this platform / pledged myself as
| favoring and promised to support the
following issues, which are of vital
interest to the people of the district,
as well as to the nation at large:
1st. Cooperation of the federal
government in the rigid enforcement
OF State prohibition laws.
End. The enactment of rural credit
legislation which will in fact, instead
of theory, be of service to our agricul-
tural interests.
Bird. Favoring sufficiently equip
ped army and navy, to command peace
at home and respect abroad. Yet
shall urge the manufacture of army
and navy equipment by the govern
ment, instead of perpetuating the
present system, which has created q
limited number of fat-bellied pluto
Gratis at the expense of the toiling. tax
paying masses.
4th. A restriction of the present un-
restricted immigration laws, which fail
to adequately protect American labor
against cheap and frequently undesir-
able European competition.
9Th. I avow my unsuitable belief in
the time-honored constitutional prin-
ciple which forever separate all affairs
of CHURCH AND STATE.
9th. The extension and improve
ment of rural free relivery and parcel
post delivery.
Upon these principles, and with a
sincere conviction that l could serve
my people efficiently and effectively,
entered the race. Having, in the past,
served the people in various official ca
pacities, | was then, and am now, con-
tent to let them judge my fitness and
ability to represent their interest on
the issues hereinbefore outlined. The
thought of resorting to cheap political
MISREPRESENTATION and distortion OF
facts to besmirch the character of my
opponent, or to becloud the issue OF
the campaign, had never occurred to
me. Neither do 1 believe such prac-
tice appeals to the good, the fair-mind-
ed voters of the Third Congressional
district.
At the beginning l announced my
determination to conduct my cam
paign on high plane. This i nave
done. No word of personal abuse for
my opponent, or any of his supporters,
has passed my lips. If the Congress
ionaI race in the Third district can be
only won by vicious and unwarrant-
ed attack on the character and reputa-
ton of my neighbor, would decline
the honor. / know the citizenry OF
this district does not approve OF foul
and unfair methods in a political cam
paign.
UNFORTUNATELY, MY OPPON-
NENT SEEMS TO BELIEVE TO THE
CONTRARY.
He does not deem it necessary to
present a platform containing princi-
pies which he expects to promulgate
and defend. Finding the issue an
nounced by myself of vital interest to
the people, he merely HOPS ON THE
! BAND WAGON AND SWALLOWS
MY PLATFORM. Just why, through
out the four years that he has served
as Congressman he has failed to Sc
cure any of the legislative remedies
enumerated in my platform, seems a
rather pointed inquiry. The voters
may rest assured Mr.. Crisp has made
no effort along these lines; if he had
YOU should have been deluged by reason
of HIS FRANKING PRIVILEGE, with
full and amplified printed record OF
his flaming oratory. Instead of pre-
senting his record for approval, Mr.
| Crisp has seen fit to wage campaign
against my record as public official
and in order to impress his hearers
with my unworthiness he has know
ingly and knavishly distorted facts OF
record.
His campaign methods, it appears to
me. admit his personal lack of quail
fcation, but he apparently, hopes to
make out his case along the line; UN-
WORTHY AS / AM, MY OPPONENT
IS EVEN LESS WORTHY.
So let it be Let the voters of the
District, by theic ballot, decide this
issue.
MY RECORD AS A LEGISLATOR.
Before presenting the real facts con-
corning my public record. as injected
into this campaign by Mr.. Crisp, de-
sire to acquaint the public with Mr.
Crisp's openly expressed confidence in
me, when in 1912, following the legis-
lative investigation of the department
of agriculture, aspired to guberna-
tcrial honors. My life has ever been
an open book, and all of the records
Historically referred to by Mr.. Crisp
| in this campaign were known to him
on March the 18th, 1912, when from
the speakers room in the House Of
Representative at Washington, d
c.. he wrote me. as follows:
II hasten to write to express my
profound thanks and to assure
you that am for you for Gov
ernor, and / stand ready to do all
in my power for you, and l have
SO written others since your an
nouncement."
Now Mr.. Crisp knew my record wher
he wrote that letter as we'll and better
than he does now. Would he have
recommended me, as he said he was
doing, to others, for Governor, If h'
Thought / was unfit for the position, az