Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-09-21
WALKER DECLINES
TOMEET HARDW|CK
IN JOINT DEBATES
Candidate for Governor Says
Such Debates add Meth
er Dignity Nor Profit to
Political Campaigns"

Clifford Walker, candidate for gov
ernor against Thomas w. Hardwick
in the turnover primary, has address
dto Mr.. Hardwick a letter declin-
ing his invitation to meet him in
a series CT joint debates.
The letter was made public Sat
urday afternoon for publication in
the Sunday papers. In it Mr.. Walker
declares that political joint debates
add neither dignity nor profit to
political campaigns" He quotes
Editor Mcintosh, of the Albany Her
aid, in recent editorial, as saying
a dog fight would be preferable to
a joint debate as a means of draw
ing crowd to Albany, if a choice
formanceS
Upon receipt of Mr.. Walkers let
ter Mr.. Hardwick issued state
ment in which he declared that the
reasons upon which Mr.. Walker
bases bases his refusal are wholly s sPP
Walker knows full well that in a
few joint discussions, well located
through the state, we could give
the people of Georgia an opportun-
ity to judge fairly of the issues be-
tween US, after. hearing us both dis
platform, face to face. He knows
that in this way the public would
get the fullest light and be able to
form the. fairest judgment between
us. but that above all else is what
he wishes to avoid.
Duty to Public
ut was peculiarly incumbent up
On MIN to accept my invitation and
20 attempt to maintain in person,
faee to face, the false and scandal
tous charges he has made through
out the state against me, in my alb
sence and to my back. If he lacked
the courage to do that, then he at
least owed the duty to the public TO
make full retraction of the state
ments he has made in his speeches.
AS lar as I am concerned, I would
never make any statement about
any man in his absence and to his
back that I lacked the courage to
make in his presence and to his
face. If L did | would not expect
any decent man to have any respect
none for myself
Along with Mr.. Walkers letter the
Walker campaign headquarters gave
out statement claiming the
support of Garland NJ. Jones. cam
p n 1hs manager sinss for John n Holder
: Burwell. former speaker of the house
and, prominent supporter of Mr..
Holder; Dr. j. C. Bennett, a
brother-in-law of Mr.. Holder and
chairman of the Jackson County
Holder club; w. W. Williamson, bus
mess manager of the Jackson Her
aid, of which Mr.. Holder is owner
md editor: State Senator Boyce
Ficklen. Sr., of Washington, prom
:nent Holder supporter, and of num-
erous others who took an active part
n Mr.. Holders campaign.
no Fraud
The Walker campaign headquar-
ters statement characterizes the
Hardwick complaints about the
conduct Of the first primary in
Barlow. Decatur and Walton counties
as q desperate effort to becloud
the real ISSUE" 1t says there was
no charge of fraud in either of these
counties. and that none could have
been substantiated if it had been
made.
The third point of the statement
is an extract from the Congressional
Record showing that Mr.. Hardwick,
while a member of the United States
senate, voted for the passage of the
espionage bill. The statement &C
cusses Mr.. Hardwick of the most
brazen effrontery' in denouncing in
Georgia the espionage bill as an in
vasion of free speech and free press,
while voting for the bill when it
was placed upon Its passage in the
senate.