Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1908-05-01
AS THE CAMPAIGN PROGRESSES

The campaign now in progress in
Georgia is arousing as much, if MOI
greater, interest than the one of two
years ago when a half dozen men Of
State prominence were contesting fol
the governorship Not before, il
thirty years, has a governor who
entered office on a tidal wave of popu-
larity been so speedily called upon
to defend his public course anC
meet an opposition that represents
apparently a tremendous discomfort
with him and his methods.
What the outcome will be no one
can tell Six weeks remain and in
six weeks prior to an election trem-
endous changes are possible in the
! opinions of voters. On the one hand
we have a campaign of literature. On
| the other we have a campaign OF
| personal appeals to the voters. Gov
Smith and one or more of his supper
tiers are. endeavoring to cover the
state and by public addresses reawak-
enthusiasm for him and his cause and
check the tide that seemed to be so
strongly setting against them in GER
tain sections of the state.
Candidate Brown, on the other hand,
with a force of assistants, is kept
busy in Atlanta meeting visitors, re-
ceiving reports, and flooding the
state with literature presenting his
side of the case and dissecting the
Smith administration up to date. This
method, it is believed by the Brown
managers, will prove equally as eff
cacious as that of stumping the
State.
There is hardly a doubt that were
Brown an eloquent speaker a per-
sonal canvass of tn estate by him
would have made tremendous
inroads on the Smith strength.
The conditions apparently seemed
ripe for cutting a wide swath into the
governors strength. Whether the
presentation of cold blooded facts in
CICuIdI IeICSI5 Will accomplish ILLS
remains to be developed.
The situation is a rather unique one.
1t is hardly probable that in any
other state has there been a cam
paign conducted on exactly such lines
as are now being followed in Geor-
gia. With the result dependent on
the popular vote, and the majority
prevailing, the results will be await
ed with fully as great an interest as
were the returns two years ago. Whe-
Their straw ballots mean anything,
whether the newspapers are correct
ly representing the popular feeling,
will then become apparent. In the
meantime there is hardly any doubt
that Gov. Smith is getting his cam
paign into much better shape than it
was a fortnight ago. The tide in
many counties was at that time un-
doubtedly strongly against him. Whe-
Their he has succeeded in stemming
and changing its course, and whether
he will continue to do this in other
counties where the opposition feeling
has become strong, will determine the
election. In the meantime both sides
profess absolute confidence as is al
ways the case-and a general air OF
doubt hovers over the man who is not
an intense partisan. Smith may &c
down in defeat, he may win by a
narrow vote, and again, he may by
the vigorous efforts now being put
| forth, succeed in reawakening enthu-
siasm sufficient to return him to of
fee by a handsome majority. The
I told you sos'' will be quite numer-
Gus the day after the election, but il
the meantime the man who really
doesn't know makes up the greater
part of the white vote.