Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1908-05-28
Hon. B. E Wilcox Announces for iiOke Smith
and Gives His Reasons Clearly Sets
Forth the Issues in The Campaign.

What is the main issue in the present COVER
nors racer
Here it is plain and simple. Shall the corpOr-
atoms again get control of the political machinery
of Georgia, or shall the people remain in controR
During the four years of my public service as your
servant in the Senate and House. | found that the
corporations, through their friends in the Senate,
had complete control of Georgia politics. | speak
what have seen and heard and testify to what |
know.
Something over three years ago Governor
Smith went before the people of Georgia asking
them to elect him Governor of Georgia as the PEG
pies governor. In that Governor Smith said
that if you will elect governor and enough sen
ators and representatives who agree with me, we
will pass certain methods which are necessary to
the uplifting and betterment of this great common
wealth. Gradually the masses awoke to the polit
ical condition of Georgia and their hatred of cor
poration control become so intense and their en-
thusiasm for popular government became so fixed
that the people almost as one man and GOV
ernor Smith was overwhelmingly elected and with
Governor Smith enough senators and representa-
tives who stood with the masses to completely
overthrow corporate control. Great things had
been accomplished, yea, even greater than we rea-
lie at first, for the common folks who brought
about this great political revolution were not
aware of the fact that liquor men in Georgia were
absolutely dependant on the corporations to re-
tain liquor in the big cities of Georgia. Witness the
first act of the Legislature when corporations do
not control.
The bows so to speak, took the bits in their
mouths and ran away with everything else until
they had passed the Grand Prohibition Bill. Then
came the Railroad Commissioners Bill which safe
guards capital labor and the public and makes
it impossible for Hartman, or Ryan, or any 9th
er rich railroad thief to rob the people of good old
Georgia Next came the Disfranchisement Bill
which, if ratified this fall at the general election
will put out of Georgia politics approximately 80
per cent of the purchasabe negro vote and at the
same time not disfranchise a single white man
who ought to vote. Governor Hoke Smith is
largely responsible for the passage OF these last
two bills and he is indirectly responsible for the
passage of the Prohibition Bill by reason of the
fact that he is largely responsible for the overthrow
of corporate rule in Georgia. Also the present
administration has many other good bills under
way that will benefit the masses, namely: The Ina
bility Act' which will entite an employers wife
and children to collect damages for injury or death
of husband or father. Such is not the case now.
The Anti Lobbying Bill, the Auti-Pass Bill and
others that could mention if l had space. BY
the way was about to forget the fact that Hoke
Smith has been an outspoken advocate of union
labor for 20 years more.
The above is some of the reasons why the
corporations so violently hate Hoke Smith. But
mind you no act of Hoke Smith since he was in
augurated Governor of Georgia has been detrimen-
tai to the rghtfu and Constitutional interests of
the corporations. The Commissions Bill simply puts
corporate control in the hands of the state instead
allowing the corporations to control the state. AS
free liberty loving people Judge for yourselves
which is best Now the corporate interests by the
aid of part of the press of Georgia have misled not
few honest men in this almost unprecedented
campaign, but at heart every honest man wants to
vote for the man for Governor who stands for those
principles and politics that will best promote and
perpetuate the highest and best interests morally,
materially and intellectually at the citizenship of
this great commonwealth.
Mr.. Joseph NJ Brown is being supported al
sOlidly by the corporate interests in Georgia
think am perfectly safe in saying that 80
ar cent of the men who last year were directly
engaged in the liquor business are supporting Mr.
BroWn. Hon. Seaborn Wright, the feerleSs prohi-
Eion leader, says that Eight Governor
a attempt to unhorse the people. .