Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-06-07
CHARGES CANDIDATES HAVE
COMBINED TO DEFEAT HIM
W, j, Harris Declares Hard
wick Men Would Beat Him
to HumiIiate President
BY BRADFORD BYRD
Journal Staff Correspondent

CIN&A w OftDN LILLE, Ga, June o.
In his speech in the Taliaferro County
courthouse here yesterday, William }.
Harris, candidate for the United States
charged a combination between other
candidates to defat him.
Realizing that their candidate is hope
lessly defeated, Mr. Harris said, the
Hardwick element was doing all in it's
power TO see that he (Harris) was de-
feated also.
Next to Hardwick's election" said
Mr. Harris they desire my defeat above
all else so as to humiliate the President
Mr.. Harris discussed the correspond
ence between President Wilson and Con-
gresham William Schley Howard and
claimed that the letters had eliminated
Mr.. Howard from the race. He was
given a cordial hearing, after being in
troduced by r. ID. Mcdowell, Superin-
tendent of the Stephens High School.
Want Harris Defeated
Next to Hardwicks election" said
Mr. Harris, nothing would please the
Hardwick crowd more than my defeat.
They realize that HaTdwick's defeat IS
certain and are now bending their et-
forts to defeat me. They would rather
see anybody in the race elected than 10
see me in the senate. They wish my
defeat so that they can humiliate PreSl-
dent Wilson. They would like to say
to the rest of the country, Georgia has
repudiated the administration. Watch
the lineup.
Several instances have already come
to light where the Hardwick men are
combining on another candidate to de-
feat me. Look at Chatham county
Steve Harris, a cousin of Congressman
Cs,t1 Jrxxy1 I'd Il.
a few weeks ago was a~Hardwick sup
porter. is now championing Mr.. Howard.
AS soon as Howard entered the race
Steve made overtures to the HardWlcK
men and tried to form combination
against me. The Howard and Hardw1ck
forces in Chatham are working mana In
hand to defeat. me. You know steve Is
the candidate of both Hardwick and
Howard for collector of customs at Sa-
yannah.
Action of Morris
Another instance which shows that
the Hardwick men desire my deIeat
more than anything else is the acton OF
Judge Newt Morris of Marietta. Judge
Morris was openly for Hardwlck until
several weeks ago. He got control OF
newspaper recently and openlnly an
,nounced that he expected to run against
Congressman Gordon Lee who has 10y
aT1v supported the President in peace
60 well as war. Mr. Morris, L am in
formed. made several trips to WASH
ington within. the past year and heId
conferences with Hardw1ck.
"Realizing that had HardWlck whip
ned in this campaign, Judge Morris eau
ed upon Governor Dorsey 10 enter the
race and | presume that Governor Dor
sew told him. as he has .Iold hundreus
of others. thar he would not oppose me.
Then Morris took up Howard Las
week in Tanning county Howard mace
a speech at the noon recess OF court
and Judge Morris introduced Howard
to all of his friends ,..- r.,
Evidently Judge Morris reallzed tnat
the presidents correspondence win
Howard, which, has, been p 9pllsneo'
branded Howard as making false rep
resantations because that; sol mi fntorn M
ed after Towards speech Judge MOT
ris, either wrote or inspired resolutions
which were given to the grand jury 10
he nassed. These resolutions urged
the entry of another candidate ana
stated that the people were not LOT me
Howard Ignored
"Mr. Towards speech evidently feIl
flat or they would not have ignored
him as a candidate altogether. IL Is
well known that Fannln county, MhlCii
has always gone republican, is Hard
wick stronghold l have never been IN
Fannin county and do not know the
members of the grand jury 1t was not
| who brought the presidents name
into this campaign. l resigned a WV
600 lifetime position rather than orlng
the presidents name into politics. HIS
name was brought in by an interview
which Mr. Howard approved after IL was
written and printed. The president
branded the Inference in that interview
as false and wrote Mr.. Howard a let
ter TO that effect This is how Mr.
wilson's name was dragged into TINS
caupaign ana Mr.. Howard has been
eliminated from the race as a result
of it.
sIn many ether counties the Hard
wick leaders are trying to get out
other candidates for the senate with
the hope of defeating me. They are
desperate, for they realize that i am
going to sweep the state
Mr.. Harris put in busy day In
Greene county yesterday. Besides speak
ing at the courthouse in Greensboro ne
visited the larger precincts OF the
county including Union Point, Whlte
plain SiIoani.- Woodville, Penf1eld ana
Creshamvflle. He left here this AFTER
noon for other points in Taliaferro coun-
~ and will go to Washington tonlghI'
fOYnOrrOW.