New-York tribune., 1907-06-30
HOKE SMITH GOVERNOR.
Urges Limitation of Franchise IN
Georeia in Inaugural address.

Atlanta, June 29.-Hoke Smith was inausuia'eu
Governor of Georgia at noon to-day. Ihe oath u
office was administered by Chief Justice "iiiiaiii
II Fish of the Supreme Court before the joint ses-
sion of the two branches of the Legislature ~ncn
began its annual gathering this week
Governor Smith then delivered his inaugural ao-
aress from a platform erected in the open air on
the west front of the Capitol He suggested spe-
cial legislation to prevent corporations from USING
improper influence to control legislation ana ne
advocated that all representatives of corporate IN
terests should be required TO register with inc
secretarv of State The Legislature. he salu'
should prohibit the railroads from issuing ree
passes between points Within the state Inc III ~
tribution OF money for political purposes ~ Sa
porations or special interests, the GoVerhor u
clared should be prohibited by state law ne
urged requiring candidates for public once 20 SUI SUI
nit sworn statements of money spent III c'44A-e''
its purpose and its source. -, .Lo
The state constitution should be amended, I ttle
Governor said, to provide a new standaru iot @ lI
elective franchise and he suggested the Ala
law as model He referred 10 the provision III .iIe
Constitution OF the United States which d~ecIaIe9 ~
that he right of the citizens OF the United states
TO vote shall not be denied or abridged py lIle
United States or any state on account OF Iaee'
color previous condition OF servltuue. -
State of Georgia, he maintained had the rishO -
fix legal standard, the qualifications pelile go l
uuired of all, without reference 10 race OF coioi
This amendment. he suggested should ui'lue '''
voters into six classes as follows;
First-An persons who served in any war OF tiIe
United States the Confederate States, or the state
of Georgia.
Second their lawful descendants:
Third: all persons of good character VINO uhuel
stand the duties and obligations OF ctizehsnIp' Ui
Fourth can read and write correctly In EnSllsh
any paragraph of the federal or state consututlon
Fifth. owners of forty acres OF lana on "hicn
sixth owners of $500 worth of taxable property
",rhe right 10 qualify under the third provision"
Governor Smith declared. should expire on Jahu-
erv 1910 and under the first and second pro-
visions. January l. 1915. ANY person quaIIylns
under the first second third provision Is quai-
fded IN vote for life unless he fails to pay his
taxes commits a crime or does some act suose-
quentIy to prevent his voting.
The regulation of party primaries the SpeaAvl
said should be transferred from machine poi-
ticians to state officers. chosen by the legislature
or Governor The primary, ne sald. shou'u o ''''O
more than sixty days before the election
Discussing the questions Of the controi OF ralF
roads and public service corporations OfoVeIuTI ~
Smith said: 1T is especially important at TINS
time when MANY are ready transfer 10 the ma
tiona government all such control, that the state
shouts show its capacity to meet it's part of the
responsibility" He advocated Increased power lot
the State Railroad Commission and urged that tne
courts should not Interfere with the Work OF % Ine
commission by temporary restraining orceIs- me
finding OF the Railroad Commission. ne sald; shouIo
be suspended by the ex-parte alnuaV" oi
railroad official -,
and the protection of dry" communities from the
jug trade" urged
ANY plan for the negroes which falls to recos-
nize the difference between the white and the
-. - ,riu f,u he went on. The honest
.t,daDt of history knows that the negro had fun
opportunity for generations 10 develop before the
davs Of slavery that the negro race was improved
bv slavery and that the majority OF the negroes
IN this state have ceased to improve since slavery
Few have been helped by learning from books
All have been helped who have been taught OF
made work.
The negro child should be taught manual Ia
bor and how 10 live. The negro teacher should
be selected less by book than by character exami-
nation The negro school should help the negro.
not I'm fIre him. Racial differences cannot be over
come by misguided philauthropists- superiority
49, ro+ t,stIfy cruelty The man who breaks the
law 10 punish a criminal IS himself a criminal
There Is no place In Georgia for riots and moos
1t Is the duty Of the Governor TO exhaust the
rov-or ~ his Office to enforce the law and 10 pre-
vent ynchnE. and I shall perform this duty
recognize the duty OF the white man 20 be abso-
luteIy Just tho negro