Judge John J. Hunt, one of those level-headed Democratic leaders who did his best to prevent the awful mistake that was made by the Men in Control, in 1896, was swift with his assurances of hearty co-operation and support. And my old college friend. Alex. Keese, of Atlanta, was not behind anybody in the warmth and vigor of his protestations against the wrong which had been done me by those knaves in New York.
Nor should I forget stanch W. S. Morgan, of Hardy, Ark., nor J. M. Mallett of Cleburne, Tex., both of whom were emphatic in their denunciation of the New York outrage:—Nor yet sturdy Jo. A. Parker.
From far-off Seattle, State of Washington, the voice of The Patriarch, was heard in scathing condemnation of what had been done by Col. Mann and DeFrance; and from New Jersey, Dr. Geo. H. Cromie was equally emphatic.
My good friend, C. E. Parker, of Bainbridge, not only enlisted under my banner, turning his back upon those New York knaves, but he remitted the largest individual check that was sent—$13.80—and the largest number of subscribers received in any one remittance.
From the Hawaiian Islands, came a cordial hand-shake from that veteran of the Reform Wars, John M. Horner. From Paris, France, spoke the sympathetic voice of John Adams Thayer—the brainy, nervy man who achieved such a wonderful success for Everybody’s Magazine.
Nor must I omit from the Roll of Honor the name of Prof. M. W. Parks, President of the Georgia Normal and Industrial School, and President also of the Georgia Educational Association. His letter was a noble tribute which I highly value.
Taylor J. Shields, of Vineland, Ala., has my sincere thanks for his generous words.
Bay City, Michigan, is the home of an ardent, personally unknown friend whose hand I hope some day to shake—his name is Francis F. McGinniss.
And I must find room to mention my untiring friend, Col. W. A. Huff, of Macon; R. E. Thompson, of Toomsuber, Miss.; J. S. Ward, Jr., of Thomasville; Ben Hill, of West Point, Ga., and Clarence Cunningham, of Waterloo, S. C.; Rev. R. L. Benson, Clay Center, Kan.; H. G. Sumner, Passaic, N. J.; Chas. Butler, Oakland, Cal.; Theron Fisk, Sioux Falls, S. D.; and Prof. Z. I. Fitzpatrick, of Madison, Ga.
And then there is W. F. Smith, of Flovilla, Ga., who has never flickered in his loyal comradeship any more than has that noble old Roman, Gen. William Phillips, of Marietta.