The Savannah morning news., 1902-05-18
BETTING ON THE ELECTION.
''TERRELL WILL GET NEARER ~
THAN 100 COUNTESS

So Says One Man, and Puts Up $50
10 Back His Judgment-A North
Georgian Says Col. Estfll Will
Carry Fourteen Counties of His
SectiOn-Whnt the Politicians ut
the Capital Are Saying About the
GubernatOriaI Race.
Atlanta, May 17.-As the time for the
state primary draws near politicians
are more open in their expressions of
doubt as to the result. Those who were
predicting a short time ago that there
was no doubt about the election of
Terrell are to-day looking upon the
election of Col. Estili as more than a
possibility. And they are not hesitate
ing to say so. Two Capitol officials
have expressed the opinion this week
in talking to friends that Col. EstilPs
chances seemed better now than those
of any other candidate in the field.
Bets on election results do not
always tell the true story, but they are
interesting as indications of the way
things are looking. An interesting and
rather an unusual election bet was
made between two Georgia politicians
who met at the Capitol yesterday. The
bet was one of $50 that Terrell would
carry nearer to twenty counties than
he would l20. A Terrell man took the
Terrell side of the bet, while an Es-
till man was on the other. If Terrell
gets less than seventy counties the
Estill man wins. The wager came
about as a result of the discussion of
Hon. Warner Hill's claim made early
in the campaign. that Terrell would
carry 120 counties, so il would appear
that his supporters are not now max
ing anything like the claims they were
a few months ago.
The Estill man, by the way, is
North Georgian. He mentioned four
teen counties in his section of the state
which he said were practically sure to
go for Estill, among them being Hall,
Habersham, Rabun, White, Dawson
Lumpkin, Clarke, Oglethorpe and sew
eral others in that part of the state. II
was surprising, he said, the strength
that Col. Estill had developed up in
the mountain country, yet he consid-
cred it but natural that it should be so
among the people there whom
.0Ol. EStlll ldu o6Nll anu with nAlOli Az
had talked.
Hes Just the kind of man those peo-
pie take to-" he said. Free, open and
fair in his discussion and his methods,
they realize at once that there is no
sham about him; that he is man of
the people who understands the people, |
and he is just the Kind of man they !
would like to see made governor of the |
state. They have never seen and |
talked with the other candidates as
they have with Col. Estill, and they |
are always inclined to give their sup
port to a man whom they know rather |
than one they have only heard Of"
EstiII Is Gaining.
From all parts of the state comes the
report that Col. Estill is rapidly gain
ing strength as the campaign pro-
crosses.
Il hear from every quarter that Col. |
Estill is becoming stronger every day"
remarked a prominent state house Off |
cial to-day The information l get |
comes not alone from those who are |
the South Georgia candi- |
date, but from visitors to the Capitol
from all parts of~the state, many of
whom are pronounced supporters of the
other candidates. l am inclined to be-
lieve from what / gather here, that
Col Estill has made more gains with
in the last few weeks than both of the
other candidates put together When |
the campaign first began many of the |
politicians pretended not to look upon |
him as a formidable factor in the race. |
They let him alone to conduct his own |
as he desired. Now they are |
realizing their mistake, and 1t is too |
late for them to stem the tide. Query |
and Terrell men alike, though still |
inclined to claim that their can
didates are in the lead, are
admitting freely that Col. Estill's re-
markable strength is something they |
had not counted on, and they are in
leep doubt. We'll, Col. Estill will make
a magnificent Governor. He has in
him all of the elements of success as |
mis- personal success has demonstrated, |
and such a man as he is cannot be 9TH
erwise than successful in handling the |
lffairs of state. l believe he would |
give us a practical, businesslike admin
stration that everyone would be proud |
Of The people can make no mistake
Il they send Col Estill to the executive
chair"