Tell em about the three-dollar tag, Gene!

By Dink NeSmith

March 25, 2013

I gotta a Eugene dog. I gotta Eugene cat. Im a Talmadge man from my shoes to my hat! That was a chant youd hear during Gov. Gene Talmadges political heyday in the 1930s and 40s. Public speakingfor someis a fate worse than death. But for Gene Talmadge, he lived to get before a crowd. He capitalized on his political image as a farmer with calloused hands. He knew plenty about bustin a furrow with a mule and a plow, but he was far from unschooled. At The University of Georgia, Gene made a name for himself as a firebrand debater. Never weighing more than 130 pounds, he didnt back off from a fightwith his fists or his mouth. After leaving Athens, he divided his time between farming and running a country law practice in McRae. Photo courtesy of Georgia State University Special Collections Department When speaking to a crowd, one of Gene Talmadges signature campaign moves was to remove Those two activities planted another seedpolitics his coat to show off his red suspenders. And hed bellow, You folks only got three friends in his mind. Thats when he strode into the pages of who never let you downGod Almighty, Sears Roebuck and Old Gene! Georgias history. His first ballot appearance was for Agriculture Commissioner, unseating Elbertons J.J. would nod, tug on his red galluses and bellow, Im a-coming to Brown. Browns initial mistake was challenging Gene to a debate. that! Thats when Gene took off his sweat-soaked coat, hooked his Thanks to a mutual friend in Madison County, Spratt Bullock, thumbs in his red suspenders and plowed past the incumbent. I met a grandson of Sam Haggard. Robert Haggard lives a few Georgians either loved or hated Telfair Countys Wild Man blocks from my office. Over lunch, Spratt and I listened to Robert from Sugar Creek. But Genes reputation spread like wildfire, fill in the blanks of his famous family who lived near the Franklin reaching the red hills of Madison County. The spark caught hold County line between Jot Em Down and Fort Lamar, not far from with farmer Samuel Gray Haggard and his six sons. Gene was their Pocataligo. Roberts father, Mell Verner Haggard, was the same man, and they became a fixture in his campaigns. age as Genes son, Herman, the future governor and United States Genes style of speaking engaged the audience. He bantered senator. with the crowd. People would shout out comments or questions. Roberts five uncles were the tree-climbers. Roberts dad, the In the middle of the revival-like atmosphere were Sam Haggards youngest of the six, stayed close to home. Somebody had to work boys. They were notorious for piling into their 1930 Model-A Ford the farm, Robert explained. and putt-putting to wherever Gene campaigned. Even if it meant Scattered across Georgia, Gene Talmadge worked the campaign leaving home in the middle of the night, thats what they did. trail with the aura of a brush-arbor campmeeting. And when he Before long, Wras, Jim, Guy, Alvin and Tom Haggard had fueled his rhetoric to a feverish pitch, hed boast, You folks only got become famous, too, as the Tree-Climbing Haggards. When three friends who never let you downGod Almighty, Sears Roebuck Gene stepped up on a campaign stump, the Haggards climbed and Old Gene! a tree close to the platform to get a better view of the rally and But for Gene himself, he left off the list five friends who would holler out questions. As plants in the throng, they often would never let him down: the Tree-Climbing Haggards. yell: Tell em about the three-dollar tag, Gene! And Gene dnesmith@cninewspapers.com

Samuel Gray Haggard, seated in front, was father of Madison Countys Tree-Climbing Haggards, who became famous along Gene Talmadges campaign trail. From left are William Wras, James Bascer, Samuel Guy, Alvin Lee, Thomas Watson and Mell Verner Haggard. Mell Verners son, Robert, now lives in Athens. Ironically, late in life, Samuel Gray Haggard was confined to a wheelchair after climbing onto a roof, falling and injuring himself.

Robert Haggard holds a photograph of his grandparents, Samuel Gray and Mattie Jane Lord Haggard, who are standing by Guys Model-A Ford that was used to ramble across Georgia, following the politicking of Gene Talmadge. The five brothers became known as The Tree-Climbing Haggards, who called out suggestions like: Tell em about the three-dollar tag, Gene!