Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-07-23
HARRIS LOYALTY TEST
RIDICULED BY HOWARD
Congressman Makes impress
Sive Speech to LoWndeS
County Citizens

VALDOSTA, Ga, July 2O.-The fact
that William ]. Harris is supported in
Lowndes county by well organized
following who assert that Georgians
are neither loyal nor patriotic unless
they vote for him for the United States
senate did not prevent william Schley
Howard from filling the Lowndes coun-
ty courthouse with an audience of rep
resentative citizens who gave him a
most enthusiastic hearing at IL o'clock
yesterday morning.
1t was very evident from expressions
of feeling given to Mr.. Howard after
his speech, and from expressions heard
among the men dispensing from the
courtroom that the Harris test of 10y
atty which the Harris club has under
taken to establish in Lowndes county
is not very pleasing to the rank and
file.
1t was very evident that the men of
Lowndes county, like those in other
south Georgia counties where Mr.. How
ard has spoken, are bound and determin-
ed to remove Thomas w. Hardwick from
the senate, but they do do relish the
proposition that a vote for William j.
Harris in that connection is the sole
and exclusive hall mark of patriotism.
William Schley Howard met this
! proposition fairly and squarely in his
| speech with an answer that drove home
like a sledge hammer blow.
Mr.. Harris and one other gentle
man." said he, were busily engaged for
several months in telling the great pres
ldent of the United States that the di-
| vision of sentiment in Georgia was ex-
/ tTemPlV TnlA he
| ident that the farmers of Georgia were
holding back that the people were not
| In sympathy with the war, that the Sc
| lectlve service law was extremely I'M
! popular. They filled the presidents
| mind with great alarm concerning the
outcome of the senatorial election in
this imperial state whose people are
the purest Anglo-SaXon stock on the
continent of North America. And What
were the fects?"
Here Mr.. Howard paused a full mo.
ment before presenting the opposite
side of the picture.
You know the facts" said he, land
know the facts, and William j. Har.
| rls knows the facts and knew them
| then although he did not present them
| correctly to the president. Did he not
| know that every county in Georgia
went over the top in the third Liberty
Loan? Did he not know that the honor
| flag is proudly floating from the GU.
pola OF every courthouse in Georgia
| Did he not know that every county in
Georgia over-subscribed it's allotment
of the Red Cross fund? Did he not
| know that every county in Georgia has
| pledged itself to subscribe it's quota OF
| War Savings Stamps? Did he not know
that the farmers of Georgia arc pro-
duclng more food crops than they ever
| produced before? Did he not know that
men and women all over the state are
wearing old clothes in order to econo-
mize and invest their savings in the
securities of their government? DID
! he not know that the people are will.
! lingly and cheerfully complying with al
| the rules of the Food Administration,
! Did he not know that an honor flag is
! shining over the doorway of thousands
of Georgia homes? Did he not know
! that the mothers and fathers of Georgia
| have sent their boys away with a smile
| and are keeping the home fires burning
while they fight the great battle fol
| democracy three thousand miles away?'
Again Mr. Howard paused a full mo-
| ment while his audience pondered these
| questions. Then, said he.
What constitutes patriotism? What
constitutes loyalty? Not these duties
! faithfully performed. Not these serv-
ices loyalty rendered. Not these sacri.
! fices periodically made. No, my fell
! low citizens, these things are not the
! substance of patriotism. You have done
| these things, and Georgians all over
| the state have done these things, but
| they do not make you loyal, they do not
make you patriotic You must walk uI
! and promise Mr.. William J. Harris tc
vote for him whether you want to vote
! for him or not, whether you believe he
| is qualified or not, whether you have
| seen him or not. He must bestow his
! blessing upon you as the priest of 10y
! atty He must give you the unctior
! of his exclusive mark and calling. He
must sprinkle few drops of the holy
water of his priestly virtue upon your
unworthy head. Then you will be {
| loyal citizen. Then you will be a pa
| triotic citizen. Then you will be true
! American. But not until then
Mr.. Howard spoke for an hour and
twenty minutes, delivering his usually
forceful and interesting and effective
speech Congratulations came thick and
| fast from men in the audience who
| crowded around him to shake hands. II
was the common expression heard on all
| sides that he made many new friends
and won many new votes in Lowndes