The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1906-08-25
HOKE SMITHS CAMPAIGN.

Latest returns from Georgia election
shows that Hoke Smith carried 110 coun-
ties, an overwhelming victory, after one
one of the longest and most bitter OF
State campaigns ever waged IN the
South-a campaign of vltuperation and
SANDER never equaled, so the press spe-
cials state.
Not since the war has there been
race for the office of governor in which
so much bitterness has been displayed
and so much personal abuse has been
practiced. There were not less than
FIVE candidates: Hoke Smith, former
secretary of the interior in the cabinet
of Grover Cleyeland; Clarke Howell,
former speaker of the house and former
president Of the senate OF Georgia, and
now a national committeeman and editor
of the Atlanta Constitution; Col. j. H.
Estill, editor and owner of the Savannah
Morning News; Judge Richard B. Rus
sell, formerly of the superior court; and
Col. James H. Smith, Of Ogelthorpe
county, in Northern Georgia, about the
only millionaire farmer IN the State.
Hoke Smith was formerly owner of the
Atlanta Journal, and that paper helped
him in his campaign. 1t is believed
that the Journal was largely instrumen-
tai in getting Hoke Smith to enter the
race, because of its rivalry with the
Atlanta Constitution.
There always has been a great deal Of
animosity between Hoke Smith and the
Howells, and for thirteen months Smith
and Clarke Howell haYe fought bitter
and vicious fight against each other.
Col Estill did not enter the race until
about seven months ago. His organ is
the Morning News, which he owns.
Col. Smith recently started paper of
his own to present his platform to the
people. There have been only fonr
Joint debates during the campaign, and
it is not believed that their influence
was felt by any cne of the candidates.
Hoke Smith openly charged that the
other candidates have combined to de
feat him. He declared that their can
didacy was merely trick of the State
machine to bring about his defeat. By
preventing him from getting a two
thirds majority in the State convention.
Hoke Smith had the most radical
platform of any of the candidates. He
stands for law to keep the negroes
l. r. 10 %afx AEnT
out of Georgia politics by the North
Carolina, the Mississippi or the South
Carolina plan. He worked this plank
for all it was worth, especially in the
country districts, while for the cities he
had another plank, demanding equitable
railroad rates. During the entire cam
paign Hoke Smita has had the warm
support of Thomas E. Watson, former
Populist candidate for President of the
United States. There are at least 20,
600 Populists in Georgia who worship
Watson and will undoubtedly follow
his lead. They will cast their votes
for Smith if they can manage to get
their votes in the ballot boxes.
3 Judge Russell has been running as
the poor mans candidate. He has
big family and is SO proud of it that he
seldom neglected to speak of it during
his campaign speeches. He has ten or
twelve girls, and one was born during
the heat of the campaign. In one of
his speeches he said that it would be
one of the proudest moments Of his life
to parade his cotton-gowned children
up Peachtree street to the governors
mansion.