The Washington herald., 1906-12-16
CAPITOL GOSSIP.
Prospective Georgia Vacancy.


With the expiration of the Fifty-ninth
Congress on March {, Senator Bacon's
second term will end. and from. that date
until the Georgia legislature assemblies At
Atlanta. in June that State will be rep
resented on the Senate roll call by only
one name. unless. pending the interval,
Gov. Terrell appoints Mr. Bacon or some
body else to ill the vacancy. Senator
Bacon was unanimously nominated by the
Georgia Democrats IN their primary elec-
ton last summer but under the peculiar
arrangements now existing in his State
the legislature that has been instructed
TO return him 70 the Senate viii not meet
until June. Al that time Gov. .-elect HOke
Smith also will be inducted into Office
Heretofore the Georgia Legislature has
met in October. and usually elected
/ United States Senators In November Mr..
Bacon's first election occurred In the last
named month There is, of course no
doubt whatever of his reelection by the
unanimous vote Of the Democrats in the
legislature. but news from Georgia indi-
Gates a bare possibility of Gov. Terrell
giving the temporary appointment 20
somebody else merely as a compliment
and without any intent to reflect upon
Senator Bacon. A question also has been
raised in Georgia as to the authority OF
Gov. Terrell to fill the short vacancy at
all, and the politicians of that State are
getting worked up over this question.
Senator Bacon is in line for promotion 10
the floor leadership Of the Democrats TO
succeed the late Arthur Pue German.
though It is understood that he does not
want the responsibility Of that position.
Mr. SIaydeu NfsreDresented.
The attitude Of Representative Slayden.
Of Texas, on the Capitalization question
has been distorted by the newspapers un-
Intentionally. He has been quoted as
approving the bold and radical stand re-
Gently assumed by Secretary Root, when
he insisted that just the opposite is his
position. what I tried to say 10 the
newspapers when applied to for an inter-
view on this vitality interesting subject"
said Mr.. Slayden yesterday, was that
IL his New York speech Secretary Root
had performed a service OF great public
value by the warning he gave OF the rapid
drift Of our government into centraliza-
tion. I abhOr the Capitalization that Is
preached and practiced by his party. but
l recognize that because the State gov
ernments have failed signaly in their
duties ali the powers OF our governments
are being centralized here in Washington.
I hope Mr.. Roots speech will have the
effect Of arousing the people TO the true
condition Of things. TO the end that they
may strengthen their State governments
50 that the States viii perform the func-
tions the builders Of this nation imposed
upon them Until that is done we may
expect the national government to ag-
grandize and exercise the powers that
belong 10 the States. recognize as We'll
as anybody does that the national quar-
antine law which vas demanded by the
South. is a long step toward Centraliza-
ton; but the State governments failed to
afford the people Of the States involved
the necessary protection. and there was
nothing to do but apply to the govern
ment at Washington for the protection
We have secured.