Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-08-15
BIC CROWD HEARS
JOE POTTLE SCORE
HUGH M. DORSEY
Candidate for Governor Makes
a Powerful Vote-Getting
Speech and Wins Hundreds
of New Supporters Here

Every seat on the lower floor of the
Grand opera house and every seat in the
balcony was taken, with men standing
ten feet deep behind both rails wher
Joseph E. Pottle. Of Milledgeville. can
diddate for governor Of Gorgia, al
dressed the voters OF Fulton county
Thursday night.
candidate. The tremendous audience is
considered a great tribute to Mr.. Pot
ties ability as a speaker and signid-
cant indication OF the manner In which
Atlanta voters regard the issues FOL
which he stands in the gubernatorial
race.
The capacity OF the Grand is 5000
Thursday night the lower floor was
filled. the balcony was filled. the boxes
were filed. the topmost gallery was
fIled except for the last few rows and
several hundred sat on the stage. And
with several hundred standing down
stairs. IL is conservative TO say that
between 2.5OO and 5000 Atlatnians heard
him.
Now and again Mr.. Pottle was forcei
to pause while irrepressibles shouted
You've got 'em, joe Pour IL into en-
Joe, Tell US some more"
once Mr.. PottIe stated. IF you don't
like me well enough TO vote for me. i
hope you'll like my platform wen
enough: and II you don't like my plat
fern well enough. 1 hope you'll Ike me
we'll enough"
He was interrupted with a yell I'VE
like 'em both And cheers and hand
clapping began again
While Mr.. Dorsey himself was not
present to answer these charges. a num-
Der OF Dorsey adherents-chosen. ap-
nareutIy. because OF their undenied
Irnnr-nower-were distributed through
ont the audience at well-spaced inter
walls. and did not fail TO make their
presence known
Al every mention OF Dorsey's name,
they seized the opportunity TO yell
s.Hurrah for Hugh" Mr.. Politics. ref
erence to the DOrsey's prosecution OF
the Illnesses brought forth loud cry
OF He done his duty" while now and
again the slogan varied TO "Hurrah for
Dorsey and Tom WatsOn!"
Mr.. Pottle took these interruptions
xoodnaturedly. An especially vehement
outburst from the gallery. was follow
ed by a voice from downstairs IN
vfte some Of that loud-mOuthed crowd
down here II they want TO talk. Joe.
Mr.. Pottle laughed and replied. That :
all right let 'em go their route They II
be crying a little later" Laughter ana
cheers greeted the remark.
Mr. Pottle's speech follows In part
Ladies' and Gentlemen. Friends and Fell
low-Citizens:
do not understand that I owe any
citizen Of this state an apology or eN-
cuse for my appearance here tonight 10
address the people of this city in my
own behalf as a candidate for governor.
Atlanta Is the capital Of our great state
and I, like every other patriotic Geor-
Eian. take infinite pride in its progress
and prosperity. The city's fame Is just
IL extended all over the nation. and that
fame is shared by every community OF
the state.
When I determined TO become a can
didate for governor / resolved that as
far as God would give me strength,
would meet the people OF Georgia face
to face believe il is the right OF the
people who are asked by a candidate for
their support. to give them as far as
possible opportunity 10 see him. 70 hear
him. TO criticise him. and reach a conciu-
sion upon his merits
shall do this to the utmost OF my
ability. and with the peoples verdict
shall be content In my effort TO make
good this resolution. / have in the past
ten weeks visited nearly every section
Of Georgia: have spoken TO and have
been greeted BY more than sixty thou
sand of my fellow-citizens-politi
friends and political foes alike-and /
nav to them the grateful tribute that
they have. without any exception what
soever. treated me. though a stranger
TO many OF them. always with UNIFORM
courtesy, uniform KINDNESS anu uhiAOEH ia
hospitality
Upon my announcement, I made an
other resolution which I have kept and
which I shall keep to the end OF this
campaign II was. that under no circum-
stances would 1 conduct a campaign ex-
cept on a high. exalted and honorable
plane-a plane becoming gentleman
and a man-and that 1 would not. come
what may, utter a single word which
would bring the slightest blush OF en-
barassment TO the cheek of the most del
icate and refined women in all this state
While / want TO be elected governor.
and while / expect to be elected COVER
nor. 1 will not wade through filth 10 do
so, and il in the exigencies OF political
fortune, / shall fail. 1 shall return to
the privacy OF my home and to my wife
ana children with my seIf-respect fully
preserved and with no stain Of dishonor
on my personal or political character.
While / admit that / have been more
or less of a partisan in politics all my
life this Is the first occasion upon which
I have ever opened my mouth in my own
behalf. although I have held the high
offices OF solicitor general OF the great
OcmulEee circuit GVuApOSSu Vi NAe
splendid middIe-GeOrgia counties, for
nearly fourteen years. TO which office
was elected four times without Opposi-
ton
One OF the candidates opposing me In
this race is Hon. Hugh NJ Dorsey, a res
ident of this city. II isn't my fault that
he isn't here on this rOstrum TO discuss
together with me and in the presence
and hearing OF the people Of Atlanta, the
- IN
1 recently extended TO him courteous
invitation 10 Join me in this discussion,
not only here. but in some place In
each OF the twelve congressional dis
tricts in the state His final reply, re-
fusing to do so. is based on two So
called reasons:
First: That he does not consider me a
sufficiently formabIe factor in the race
TO Justify his descent from the exalted
pedestal OF ability. virtue. popularity and
patriotism, which he has arroganuy
built for himself
Second. That he deems my invitation
to him. alone. a discOurtesy 10 our other
two opponents. whose cause he seems @
think il is his business TO champion
So far as l have seen he has. in no re-
ported speech. made any explanation Of
the charges which appeal to men OF in
telligence, nor any denial OF the main al
legation Of fact 1 think I am justified,
therefore, in making the statement
which / now make-that Mr. Dorsey $
excuses for refusing 10 accept my court