Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-08-16

ingtor, inefciently administering the
affairs of the federal trade commission.
Right to Free Choice
IF l am tainted l deserve no con-
sideratioE. But if | am loyal, if l have
ability, if 1 have record that the peo-
pie approve, if they want to send me
higher, why should hey be deprived
of their right to make q free choice:
fApplause.)
I'm the last ten days the Harris clubs
have disbanded and disappeared in the
following counties"
Here Congressman Howard read a list,
including White, Rabun, Habersham.
Franklin, Hart, Ebert, Wilkes, Gwin-
nett, Madison and numerous other coun-
ties.
President Misinformed
"And yet in spite of this collapse of
the Harris propaganda, which has been
growing more and more pronounced in
the past three weeks, the Hon. Clark
Howell, Democratic national committee
man from Georgia, and editor of the
Atlanta Constitution, recently held a
conference with a professional politi-
clan who has fought nearly every meas
ure for human uplift and political prog
ress introduced in the Georgia legisla-
ture in the past twenty years, and these
two men have decided that Howard
won't do. They have decided that they
cannot control Howard. They have de-
cided that Howard will not play their
game. And because they cannot control
him and make him play their game. they
decide to STAY HI mwith a bludgeon ana
kick him out of his party. So they go
to the great president and lay before
him pile of newspaper clippings, taken
from the weekly press which has sepa-
rated William j. Harris from something
like $25, 1000, and they tell the great pres
dent that Georgia is clamoring for
Harris, and that Howard is 'muddying
the water and the great president, bur-
dened with the stupendous responsible
ties of the war having no time to make
a thorough investigation. takes their
word for the situation, and writes let
ter expressing a preference for Mr.. Har-
rls.
I'm South Carolina it was clearly
stated that the administration would not
take a hand and had never taken hand
between loyal Democrats, but by de-
Ieption and Misrepresentation the Hon.
Clark Howell attempts to nail my hands
upon the cross of his own private greed
and his own private motives of selfish
ambition.
Loyal to the President
My friends, this is a fight to the
finish. (Applause) L have been as
loyal to the president of the United
States as any man in this country, and
though he STAY me-. yet will 1 support
him. applause and cheers.)
"In speech at Carrollton Mr.. Harris
tells the people that a vote for me ls
a vote for the kaiser. Does he think
1t would give the kaiser any aid and
comfort for you to send to the senate
a man who denounced and fought the
infamous McLemore resolution; man
who voted to approve the presidents
action in severing diplomatic relations;
a man who voted for the declaration o.
war; a man who voted for the selective
service bill; a man who voted for food
control and fuel control and railroad
control; a man who voted for the espion-
age bill and the sedition bill; man who
voted for every measure TO prepare the
nation for war; a man who worked fif-
teen to eighteen hours a day on the ap-
preparations committee preparing bills
to pay every dollar of the cost of our
stupendouS war program? Do you think
it would give any aid and comfort to
the kaiser to send a man to the senate
with that sort of record in congress?
In 1912 I went on the stump in sew.
Cral northern states and delivered cam
paiCn speeches for Woodrow Wilson
Where was Harris? Managing, or l
should say mismanaging. a preferential
campaign in Georgia that lost the state
for Wilson and gave it to Oscar Under
wood. In 1916 1 again went on the
stump in northern states ard delivered
campaign speeches for Woodrow Wilson.
Where was Harris? Looking for a job
with a bigger salary. On the floor of
the house l have fought the battles o.
the Wilson administration. In COM
mittee rooms l have fought the battles
Of the Wilson administration. Last
spring 1 had the honor of going to New
Jersey and speaking to the annual BAN
quot of the Democratic leaders of that
state. And although L Travelled on White
House mileage, and although an aide Of
the president accompanied the party,
Harris would now deny me the credit
for even that.
Il entered the race for the enate be-
cause ASIA Georgians in eleven days
wrote and telegraphed me to Washing
ton, urging me to run. l went TO che
president He stated to me that he had
neither counseled nor advised Mr.. Harris
to make the race, but he feared the
entrance of any other candidate would
re-elect IIardwick. II other words, he
told me that he feared that any consid-
cradle detection of the loyal vote would
send the junior senator back to Wash
ington. He did not even know that
three candidates besides Harris were
then in the race. He was under the i'm
preston that the disloyal element in
Georgia was very large. Who gave him
that information? No Georgia congress-
man gave it to him. No Georgia politi-
cal leader gave it to him. William J.
Harris gave 1t to MIN, and the reason
was plain and the motive was plain
Mr.. Harris feared my opposition, and
gave the president false information to
make mis- fear any opposition. And then
Mr.. Harris caused articles to be publish
ed In the Washington and Philadelphia
and New York newspapers, asserting
that the disloyal element in Georgia
was very large, and the farmers of Geor-
gia were holding back and he was
coming down as the great high priest
to lead them out of the wilderness.
Harris Support
And now who is supporting William