Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-01-22

Mr.. Johnson. Yes, sir.
Tho Chairman. How many white
people are there In Georgia7
Mr.. johnson, About 100000 I'M
der the census OF 1910.
The Chairman. About how many
are there now?
Mr.. Johnson. About 10000 APP
FrCsimately.
the Chairman. Do you know about
The proportion Of Nllerates, illiteracy,
III the colored race IN Georgia?
Mr.. Johnson. Yes, sir. We exceed IN
lltitcracy tho white people i'm Georgia
hy Just ABOUT or 6 per cent now.
rho Chairman Five or six per cent?
MIR, Johnson. Yes, sir. We have
made considerable strides and wo
have had lot OF benevolent dnstitu
lions helping us: good many teach.
ers from your State. Senator, have
come down there, and we have been
trying Nike everything 10 reduce It.
Tho Chairman. They are good peo
ple are they not?
Mr.. Johnson. Oh. all of them are
very beautiful people. Now I want 70
make this statement and sav that mt
one dino OF tho money that has ever
been spent in Georgia has been given
10 delegate that was at this con.
reh''oh' not ono dime. This money
there, a1l Of it
inc chairman. Well, that is hard
~ true' because the money was sent
10 you' ana you were n delegate.
Mr. Johnson. Surely, sir, but this
whole thing is centered around this:
rake the Lily !Uh'tna Harry Ed.
wards. Hastings. McClue, Boatwright
and all that Lily White crowd; they
had n conference with the national
committeeman Of the State of Geor.
gilt. l understand on good authority
that tho evening before the Lily
White convention met there was q
meeting between Mr. Harry Stillwell
Edwards and Il chief member of the
Democratic national committee, and
they dined together; and the next day
Mr.. Harry Stillwell Edwards was put
out as candidate for United States
Senator. becausd they anticipated
that tho Republican Party was going
to put forth Mr.. George Williams, of
Dublin County in his fight for the
United States Senate on that day. So
to anticipate 1t, the Democrats both
er around with our politics more than
they do with their own. ~
The Chairman. They brought out
Republican candidate you say?
Mr.. Johnson. They brought out
H. S. Edwards as a Lilly White candi
date for United States Senator, anG
that was done that day, when tho
evening before Mr.. Edwards dined
with chief functionary OF the Dem
ocratic Party in that State. Now,
that was done to anticipate our nom
ination Of Mr.. Williams. We ran Mr..
Williams in 1918 for the Senate and
wo carried some counties. Let mo
toll you what we did. There is abso
lately utterly nothing in a name Sen
ator. Mr.. Harris. the sitting Senator
personal friend OF mime Of many
years standing since the days he
was with Senator Clay there-Mr.
harris, tho Democrat, carried Lin
cplh County, Ga, overwhelmingly.
Mr.. Williams the Republican car.
ried JEFF Davis County overwhelming
~. That Is true. It just happened to
DO that down In JEFF Davis County we
nave 70 per cent Negroes, and up in
Lincoln County the white people have
about 75 per cent so you can lust
make your choice rs to loyalty there.
The Chairman. There Is nothing
in name?
Mr.. Johnson. There Is nothing
whatever in name.
The Chairman. You have q good
many Johnsons down there in Ganr
Sia and yet Hiram Johnson did uot
have many delegates.
MIR. Johnson. Well, no was not
without friends, Senator. He was not
my friend, exactly, because I do not
a'ko the Senator very much on 40
count or the color question, and his
love Tor Senator Vardnman down in
mississippi, the letter the Senator
wrote to Senator Vardaman. which 7
ana not like very much, pike all the
rest of it, I love all Republicans:
Just so You say "Republcan," am
right there.
The Chairman, They all look alike
to you.
Mr.. Johnson. But I did not like
that letter to Senator Vardaman
down In mississippi
The Chairman. l do not rememhor
that.
Mr.. Johnson. Yes; saying that 1t
would be a calamity to be Common
wealth OF Mississippi not to return
senator Vardaman to the Senate.
Tho Chairman. You had quite n
spirited Democratic contest down
there, did you not?
Mr.. Johnson. How IS that?
The Chairman. I say, they had
quite spirited Democratic contest
down there?
Mr.. Johnson. We sang when there
was trouble at our State convention,
bu. we had no other means of enter
tainment. The public press said that
Wnen they met they not only sang,
but they had other inducements that
did not sound good to Mr.. Roper,
who has charge Of the Volstead Act
enforcement. And another thing; My
campaign was far less expensive than
that OF our mutual friends, the Dem
ocrats. Now, I call to mind Senator
Thomas Il. Watson, Of Georeia-not