Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-04-03
STATE POLITICAL GOSSIP
Secretary
cubernatoriaI Candidates Very Energetic
BY T. J. SIMMONS, JR.


The last days of the campaign are now
on. The candidates are humping as they
see the day for the primary growing near
er and nearer. The most interesting part
is yet to come, however. The candidates
get buster when the home-stretch begins
to yawn before them and more work can
be done in few days than in months be-
fore the day of the primary is announced.
AS the situation now appears Terrell
seems to be i'm the lead with Query sec
ond and Estill third. Changes may come
about, however, as there is never any tell
ing what will happen in politics. Terrell
has the advantage of having his forces
thoroughly organized. 1t is hardly prob
able if there ever was before in the state
such a superb organization of men in the
different counties as the Terrell force
seems to have.
Dupont Guerry is rapidly perfecting an
organization. He is working as hard as
he knows how and is getting his affairs
into the best shape possible. He has been
q candidate since last August, and has
made things merry ever since he an
bounced. His organization, however, is
not as complete as that of Mr.. Terrell
and although numerous clubs have been
formed in his interest, they have not been
in force long enough to accomplish the
work which the Terrell supporters seem
to have done for their. candidate.
Colonel Estin is pursuing a very quiet
sort of campaign. AS is well known, and
has been stated many times before in
these columns and elsewhere the colonel
never makes a speech. Estill men say
that Terrell is second choice with them in
the event Colonel Estill. does not secure
a sufficient number of votes to nominate
him some of his supporters will go to Ter
rell. Mr.. Query is also second choice
with a number of the people in the state,
and will get lots of the Estill support in
event Colonel Estill fails Of the necessary
nomination. Should Mr., Terrell fall short
of the requisite number of ballots to as
sure him of the gubernatorial chair his
supporters would no doubt go to Colonel
Estill, who is very popular with every
body.
Present indications point to the fact
that Terrell will carry majority of the
counties. This statement is made after
careful investigation of the conditions just
now. AS I stated before. however, chang
es are likely to occur, and things are like
ly to happen that will cause a reversal of
present conditions. Many men have been
assured of success up until the very day
of election, when there would come a
turn in affairs that would give the NOM
ination to somebody else.
While it is conceded by many mat Mr..
Terrell is in the lead, it is not certainty
by any means that he will get 120 counties
as has been predicted. If he should carry
that many only seventeen would be left for
Mr.. Query and Mr.. Estin to wrestle over
and it is a sure thing that these two men
together are going to make great inroad
into the 1877 counties that Georgia boasts
of.
Mr.. Query doubts, and doubts very Sc
riously that Terrell will get 100 counties.
He is making no claims, but is of the
opinion that he win have a say in the Sc
curing of that 100. Colonel Estill also has
his views on that matter, which views are
decidedly adverse to Terrell getting so
many of the votes.
The conditions are very interesting just
now. Each candidate is thoroughly con-
fident of election, and the friends of each
candidate seem as confident as the can
didates themselves. Bets are already be-
ing made and in many instances the
money has been put up. The
were three months ago, and the indica-
tions are that they will be cut down con-
siderably by June 5th. Terrell supporters
were offering 10 to l at the beginning of
the fight, but now the 10 to bet is scarce
ly ever heard of.
A majority of the committeeman who
attended the meeting here Saturday, and
they were representative men, stated that
Terrell was undoubtedly in the lead in
their section of the state. The committee
men are of course in close touch with
the political situation in their respective
districts, and are in position to hear
and see lots of things that the candidate
sometimes does not know about. There
were men on that committee. however
who held out that Query would carry
the state, and there were men, who were
of the opinion that Estill would be the
next governor but the majority express
ed the opinion that the former attorney
general would get the biggest vote.
Besides the members of the committee
there were lots of men from the different
counties who came up to attend the meet
ing and a majority of those with whom
talked predicted that Terrell would win
in the campaign.
In preparing the rules of the primary
Saturday the committee forgot that Sec
rotary Of State Phil Cook was to be elect
ed again or they thought that Mr.. Cook
was such a popular man that he would
not need to be voted on. The following
is paragraph one of the rules. which omits
the name of Mr.. Cook altogether:
That a general primary election be held
on June 5 next in every county in the
state. at which time all qualified white
Democratic voters, who have registered
In 1901 or within ten days before the pri-
mary in 1902, shall be given an opportunity