The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-07-04
A!ddress of G. ov.:
s: Hoke Smith
A New Standard for Fran.
chiae. : ! Embracing the
! !. Grandfather Clause T.
=. fiis Advocated <..'~ v

OF office was administered by Chief,
Justice VIM. H. Fish, OF the Supreme
Court. before the joint sessions of
the two branches Of the Legislature,
which began its annual gathering
this week. - = : -, - = y : \
IN his inaugural address Governor
Smith suggested special- legislation
to prevent corporations from using
Improper influence in securing the
passage of laws. &C.,. E-..7,> "a
The Legislature, he& said, should
prohibit the railroads from issuing,
free passes between points within
the state. =, -. 80. .:-.'.7
The contributions of money for DO
lfsfcal purposes by corporations 'or
special interests, the Governor de,
claEeG, should be prohibited by law.
He urged the requiring OF canN-
dates for public office to submit
sworn statements of money spent, It's
purpose and its source, -. .. :. -.#
New Standard for Franchise. -
The state constitution should be
amended, he said, to provide. q new
standard for the elective franchise,
suggesting the Alabama law as o
model. He returned to the provision
in the Constit,ltion'g Of the United
States which declares ''that the
right OF the citizens OF the United
StA$es to vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States or any
STATE on account of race, cofor or pre-
vlous condition Of servitude." The
State Of Georgia, he maintained, has
the right to fix legal standard, the
Qualifications being required Of all
without reference to race Or color.
This amendment dle suggested
should !, divide the voters into six
classes as follows: r:: .~''>r TX. =. ( !. II 4:
: -. r< All persons who served in any
war nf the United States, the Con-
federate States or ,shey state of, Geor-
8 {: .f. u rhgtg deaaeeenaants, s-@s
81. .lAH psfa6gis OF good character
who understand 4 the: duties and OBJ
ligattoaa sof 90 tisanbh hip; or :. - e..
=. Can read and write correctly
E-<Englfsh any phragraph of the Fed
eral or State Constitution.
8. Owners of 40 acres of land on
which they live;~> or
6. Owners of $500 worth of tax
able property In the state.
"The right to qualify under the
third PROVISION" Governor Smith de-
1915. Any person Qualifying under.
the first, second or third provisions
is qualified to vote for life, unless
he fadls to pay his taxes; commits a
crime or does some act subsequently
to prevent his voting .. ..
Regulation of Primaries.
The regulation of party primaries,
the speaker said, should be trans
ferred from machine politicians to
state officers, chosen by the LegIsla-
ture or Governor. No primary, ne
said, should be held more than so.
days before the election.
DigcuSaing the question of the con-
troll OF railroads and public service
corporatlons, Governor Smith said:
1T lis ESPECIALLY important at this
time. when many are ready to trans-
fer to, the National Government all
such control that the state should
show IT'S capacity to meet its part Of
the responsibility"
He advocated increased power for
the State Railroad Commission, and
urged that the courts should not In
terfeTe with the work OF the commits
sion by temporary restraining orders.
The control OF the liquor traffic by
local option and the protection OF
dry" communities from the "iug
trade''t was urged. I
Continuing the Governor said
The Negro Question,
ANY plan for the Negroes which
falls to recognize the difference be-
tween the white and the black races
Will fail. The honest student of his-
tory KNOWS that the Negro had full
opportunity for generations to de-
velop. before the days of slavery; :;
that the Negro race was improved by
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 or made to work.
THE Negro child should be taught
manual labor and how to live. The
Negro teacher should be selected less
by book than by character examina~
tiohs. =. Phe Negro school should help
the Negro, not injuFe him. Racial
differences cannot be overcome by
misguided philanthropists.
Superiority does not Justify cru
city. The man who breaks the law
: to punish q criminal is himself a
criminal. There is no place In Geor-
gia for riots and mobs. 1t is the du-
ty of the Governor to exert the DOW
er of his Office to enforce the law
and to prevent 1ynching, and shall
perform this duty. ] recognize the
duty Of the white man to be abso.
lute1y just to the Negro"
Military Display.
The feature of the occasion was
the parade Of troops and citizens, es-
cor&ing the Governor elect from his
home. to the Capitol. The Fifth
Georgia Regiment and two troups of
the First Cavalry, besides numerous
coke, ,SH1ith Clubs from all parts of
the State aid 71ilndfehs OF nftSzsnn.