New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-08-23
REFORM IN GEORGIA.

Georgia has seen the coming and going Of a
reform" Legislature. and It's politicians are
now trying to balance accounts and get their
bearings. Everybody is disposed to admit that
the old order has been more or less upset but
no two experts seem TO agree IN measuring the
damage done to It by Governor Smith and bis
reform allies In the Legislature. AS was to be
expected, "Ihe Atlanta Constitution" Is most
Impressed by the extent of the ''wreckage" 1t
speaks lugubriousy Of the "late Georgia Democ-
racy" whose supremacy In the state ii con-
siders brutality IL not impiously, shattered. Ac-
cording to 1.-THE Constitution" the wreck OF
organized Democracy" which only ten years
ago would have been Viewed with horror In
Georgia." has now been accomplished with
out q ripple Of excitement" 1.-THE Constitution
sympathizes absolutely with the plant of the
Hon John Sharp Williams, that men pretending
to be Democrats are listening to the specious
sophistres Of q "Populist' like the Hon.
Thomas E. Watson, and practically accept his
leadership. Mr. Williams views with horror"
the alliance In Mississippi politics between Mr..
Watson and Governor Vardaman. 1.-THE Con-
stitution' laments that the Georgia Democ-
racy has been Watsonized by an alliance be-
tween the ex-running mate Of William ]. Bryan
and Governor Hoke Smith
Yet counting up the achievements Of the
Hoke Smith administTatlo it Is hard to see
sound governmental the two were ever in any
way reIated-has been betrayed and trampled
under foot. The Legislature passed prohibit
ton law but that law had the passive rather
than the active support of Governor Smith. 1t
passed q suffrage test law which he favored,
but which organized Democracy" can hardly
be said to have opposed Under outside press
ure and by virtue chiefly of the personal ex-
ertions Of Governor Smith at the final all night
session. the Legislature enlarged the State Rail-
road Commission and allowed the Governor to
appoint enough additional members to give
him control The Senate did not want TO make
this concession and reversed itself to do 1t
as q result of what an "old order" Senator de-
scribed as the "buttonholing and toetreading
methods Of Governor Smith" Yet the Old
Guard stood firm In defeating two Of the Gov
ernor's pet reform projects-the ant-free pass
and anti-lobbying bills. The anti-pass bill
failed because In the view Of the organized
Democracy" distances are too great IN Georgia
and passenger rates Mt present too high. The
anti-lobbying bill failed, as '"The Charleston
News and Courier" explains because zone
fourth of the ladies and gentlemen Of Georgia
"are professional lobbyists and the other three
"fourths expert amateurs"
The Governor himself helped to demonstrate
the untimeliness of this second reform; for he
did not hesitate to tread toes and pull but
tons" to save the Railroad Commission enlarge
ment act 1.-THE Charleston News and Courier
"a truly impartial Observation-Disclosures his
eleventh hour Intervention as follows:
So splendid, so adroit, so moving were the ex-
ertions that under the glare of the electric
lights all in twinkling, certain Senators brave
" and publicly changed their skins, coming out
of their glossy corporation hides and putting on
the horny integument of the people and Smith.
Clearly lobbying in Georgia has still a mission
Of its own and chance to survive the assaults
of the Watsonian "wreckers." A first spasm
Of reform legislation may seem to some minds
much like a continental convulsion Yet so
far as an outsider can tell, Georgia has not
been shaken to its foundations by the Atlanta
lawmakers. THE Constitution should cheer
I'D. Even IL "the late Georgia Democracy"
has "gone to the scrap heap other means may
be found for saving and speeding the common
wealth. The state may be able TO worry along
without the services Of organization with