The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-03
HOch der HOkei

SATURDAY was n Gay OF hump AT
Atlanta, and Georgia's capital had gath
cred in her beauty and her chivalry. In
the ranks Of the latter we see the familiar
faces of the Hon. THOMAS JEFFERSON
BOTTOMS. who was the life and move
ment Of the great gathering in the Pied
mont Hotel. the art palace Of the Hon.
HoKE SMITH; Of the Hon. SANDY BEAVER,
the Hon. RANDOLPH COSBY, the Hon.
HENRY T. MASH, the Hon. A. BLACK
SHEAR, and. most splendid and sumptu-
Gus figure Of all, the Hon. JASPER NEWTON
SMITH, more famously known as JACK
SMITH," who glittered in the parade
wearing a white beaver hat plumed with
a long crane feather. JACKS carriage
was close behind HoKE's;
Though for more than half q century he has
stuck 10 = black plug hat. II was for this occasion
cast aside and In It's place shone the spotless crown
OF a brand new white beaver. The crane feather.
as Mr.. SMITH explained. symboized the strength.
speed and perpetuity Of the great family whose
name he bears. The crane is q going on forever
bird be recently remarked. and that's Why I'm
going to wear one OF Its feathers"
The Hon. JACK SMITH and the feather
Of the going OF forever bird were cheered
unanimously. There were soldiers SHIN
mering in their yellow regalia"; there
was a tempest of brass bands, there
were Hoke Smith clubs innumerable,
and countless crowds Of citizens" In
the tender words of the Atlanta journal.
IL was the peoples day, a throbbing
human example Of real Democracy"
From the same great wellhesd of pas
sionate speech bubbles up this description
of the grandest and greatest day that
Georgia has seen and celebrated:
Not since the Colonial patriots gathered At
Savannah to declare Georgia q sovereign State has
there been an event. In her history more memorable
for what II and what It foreshadows
than the Inauguration at noon to-day OF the Hon.
HoKE SMITH as Governor. Behind the simplicity
OF that midday ceremonial stretched troubled
months Of battle for popular rights. Futureward
doomed years OF high statehood with the dawn OF
practical rerosmf already golden upon their borders.
AS for the noon hour itself. II was rs n the State.
halting a moment on the margin Of history. garen
out across helds OF giant labor"
The archaic form "gazen," the old
forgotten, mysterious word "rerosmf"
may seem a little artificial or artistic,
vet they are but the veil over a deep
emotion. the hankercher that hides the
tears. The Hahira band pours out a
sweeter vet a stronger note:
a massive platform buttressed against the cap
itol walls and crowded with lawmakers. Judges and
other dlgnltaries, a slope of green lawn alive with
thousands of faces, In a wavering crescent OF
human expectancy. long lines Of soldiery nanked
by bands of music and circling al, in a great lost
ling frame, people from every nook and corner OF
the Commonwealth.
" when men and women cheered IL wss with an
excitement as natural as that OF a child. Deep.
primitive emotions were at play-the feeling that
men have when they witness tho accomplishment
of a great end for which they and their comrades
have s,riven. And So the programme itself par
took Of this elemental quality unfettered by elab-
crate ceremony
40 artihce OF words or spectacle had been
invoked to add mprcssiveness. But people real.
lied as they stood In a moments hush under the
azure OF June's last day tina, a fresh epoch had
opened for Georgia, a cycle OF purer laws and more
splendid purpose"
4 lifesize picture Of the Hon. HoKE
SMITH bore the legend The Next Presi-
dent" and attracted the sympathy and
plaudits of the crowd, at least Of the
Atlanta Journals reporters. That gifted
contemporary paints for us the Hon. HoKE
SMITH garlanded with the Governorship
by a female figure labelled Georgia.
but which anybody with even the most
superficial knowledge of Greek art will
recognize as a draped and otherwise
slightly changed replica Of the Gal at
the Fountain. The shield in the left
hand is adapted from a highball tray
in the same museum.
Wild cries of "Hurrah for Hoke,' rent
the happy air. Bright was the golden
dawn of practical rerosinf. Somewhere
beyond those splendors and clamors,
quiet, scorning applause, sat the Hon.
Poke BoGos. the brain that conceived
and the hand that won this triumph Of the
Hon. HoKE SMITH.