Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1907-12-21

muchly Overworked question of reform as sore
heads, Not very relke most of the ardent re-
formers Mr. Mercer no doubt feels like it is in ord
er for him to say something about his last years
hobby, and what else could he say. From time
immemorial it has been the custom of men when
they are confronted by the disastrous results of
the follies for which they responsible to re-
ply to argument with abuse.
fEBut editor Mercer is wrong if he thinks that
his scheme will work this time-It will not.
''The truth about reform is what the people
want now, and not vituperltion and abuse-and
they are not altogether ignorant on the subject
either. Reform has already been doped out to
them in broken doses-a good many thousand
workmen all over the county are idle because of it
the saw mill men have seen their profits drop
from fabulous sum. to nothing-the turpentine
operators see ruin staring them in the tace-the
bankers are confronted with the most serious stu
alton in years-the farmers ought by rights to be
selling their cotton at fifteen cents per pound but
they are not-there is the situation as it is often
the government state and national has been in the
hands of the reformers for months.
sENow are the reformers responsible for the
situation they say that they are not.
E!But let it be remembered that for the past
two or three years in almost every state in this
Union the most radical legislation against corpora
tions and capitol has been urged Legislation OF
the most radical kind has been placed upon the
statute books. What has been the result of OF all
this3
'The result has been that men with money to
invest are not making investments. 1t is no long
er possible to borrow money In the open Market no
matter what collateral may be offered.
"The reformers say that present conditions are
caused by the dishonesty of the Wall Street crowd
Yet they have always been dishonest men and we
dare say that men are honest as they have
ever been-the gamblers as they are called are no
doubt in part responsible for the depression which
exists, but surely the law is strong enough to
reach the man who violates it without making all
the people suffer.
Sin all seriousness we ask if in view of existing
conditions, which have followed the enactmen of
so many reform measures is it any wonder that
there are some "sore heads?'-Ocilla Star
Editor Mercer is not going to quarrel with
the Star. 1t has been too generous and kind to u.s.
We are willing to use any term that the Star Will
suggest to designate those who were opposed to
Hoke Smiths election, who want to see his admin
stration failure ard who lose no opportunity to
dscredit the administration. We are willing to
call them reactionist belyachist or tarnatonist OF
any other name that will convey correct idea of
their political identity.
There are plenty of good business men in every
community in the United States who expected the
financial crcis several years before it arrived and
lit had come two or three years earlier some
other administration would have received credit
CD for it--bonc the brunt Of criticism and cen
sure, for the administration must, in oursystem Of
politics, play the part of the victim in every case
of public lit rest.
Let us grant that Hoke Smith and the Presl-
dent that the Georgia legislature and the Congress
responsible, what could have been gained by de-
lay. The change was bound to come, the spirit of
speculation graft and corporation domination must
be checked. 1t can not be supposed that it
could go on ndefn itely.
But we are not worried about the adminiStra'
tion when Hoke Smith goes out of Office it will be
to step up higher and the record he will leave
will be to his credit and the states everlasting gain
We have no quarrel with those who differ
with us on this subject. 1t will be several years
before the sears of the last state campaign dsap
pears Those who dislike the governor and
opposed his candidacy very naturally charge
him with everything that has gone or will
go wrong during his administration.
run for Fitzgerald or Pull Out
Fitzgerald celebrated Arbor Day by planting
one hundred sycamore trees A good example
for the rest of the state If the school children of
every town planted number of good trees every
year, it would not be many decades before Geor-
gia towns were among the prettieSt in the country