Americus times-recorder., 1920-05-19

and sacrificed much in the hope that
when we came together here face to
face we would be able to agree upon
a platform. There are other planks
would like to see in it. | submitted
others but they turned me down and
in the interest of harmony | SUBJ
mitted."
By agreement of the committee, it
was announced, each side would take
80 minutes to debate the resolutions.
John l. Kelley, of Gwinnett, a Wat
son leader and candidate for con-
gress in the Fifth district, opened
for the majority report in 10 min
ute speech He denounced the
League of Nations in any form, gov
ernment control of press or speech,
conscription and other institutions
which Mr.. Watson has been denounc-
ing for long, time. He was fre-
quentiy loudly applauded by the
Watson followers, and Mr.. Watson
himself.
Appeals to Smith Men.
General Harris, evidently feeling
deeply and bitterly the thrust at the
president, his administration, and the
party itself as embodied in the ma
jority report, spoke with great earn
estness for 20 minutes, upholding the
administration for the last seven
years as the greatest the country had
ever known, Woodrow Wilson as the
greatest president, and the League of
Nations covenant as the very hope
of the nation to keep its young men
from having to fight on foreign soil,
as referred to by Mr.. Kelley. He ap-
pealed to the Smith delegates for
support, pointing out that Senator
Smith had endorsed the league in
principle and had also endorsed a
great part of the administration.
He took the majority planks one
by one, first upholdirg the league
covenant in great sincerity. AS toi
the thir term flank he declared the
minority offered no recommendation,
heartily concurring in it. On plank
No. 3, free speech, ETC., he declared
he opposed it not because of the
principles expressed but because it,
was a thrust at the administration.
eve, too, stand for free speech,
free press, local self government and
these other things guaranteed by our
constitution" said he. "And we
would support this section now if you
would add to it the words, which the
Democratic party has been trying tOI
give us. But there is no other pur-
pose in this than to denounce the ad-f
ministration-"
Correct" Says Watson.
'The gentleman is absolutely cor
rect Interrupted Mr.. Watson, who
was sitting near the stage, and his
followers burst into a pandemoniumI
of cheering, Finally quiet prevailed
and General Harris proceeded.
GAS to section s." he said, ''you
all know that l have been for COM
pulsory military training with all my
heart But l know, too, that with
the negro in the South we can't en-
force it, so | do not stand against.
that section.
"This is a serious time for the
country and for our party. If we
don't stand behind our party and our.
administration at San Francisco, we
haven't anything to stand on. If
we can't point to the tremendous
party achievements of the last seven
years, what can we point to as a,
demonstration of the fitness of the
Democratic party to control the gov
ernment for the next four years."
AS he concluded before his allot-
ted 30 minutes had expired, General
Harris offered to yield the remainder
of his time to any Hoke Smith dele
gate to discuss the subject, but none
cared to speak. Ex-senator Hard
wick, who was to have closed for the
majority report, declared that the
convention clearly understood the
subject, that further debate would
be waste of time, and called for a.
vote.
The roll call was on the adoption
of the majority report coupled with
rejection of the minority report
There were several defections in the i
ranks of Smith counties, several vot-
ing against the report and some not