Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1908-04-18
Gov. Smiths Statement.
Savannah Morning News.)

Gov. Smiths statement given to
the public on Friday, and published
in the morning papers yesterday,
shows conclusiyely that he has awak-
ened to the fact that there is very
strong opposition to his candidacy
for another term. The purpose of
the Morning News is to give both
Gov. Smith and Mr.. Brown a fair
hearing, so that the people may be
in a position to decide which of them
they prefer.
Until few days ago the Governor
evidently thought the opposition to
him wouldn't amount to much, and
that therefore it wouldn't be neces-
sary for him to give much attention
to his campaign. His original pro-
gramme included only few speeches,
with, perhaps a little campaign lit
erature The new programme means
vigorous contest from now until
the day of the primary. The sudden,
unexpected and extraordinary out
cropping of Brown sentiment in all
parts of the state has amazed and
alarmed him. This is shown by his
statement. q
But it is a question if he hasn't
mistaken the reason for the Brown
been worked up by "hired politicians"
the whiskey interests, certain rail-
road interests and the opponents of
Acknowledgement. 1t is doubtful if
he states the real reason that SEN
timent. If hired politicians the
whiskey interest the railroads or the
opponents of disfranchisement had
been stirring up opposition to him the
fact would have cropped out long ago.
| In fact, no movement of any imDOr-
lance to prevent his reelection could
have been conducted without having
attracted attention and been noticed
| by the newspapers. Besides it was
| only a week or two ago that Mr..
Brown decided to be a candidate
The real issue of the opposition to
| Gov. Smith is found in the paralyZed
| condition of business and the indus
| tries. 1t may be urged that nothing
| he has done has caused the saw
mills to shut down, the cotton mills
to curtail production the railroads
| to take off trains or that has paraly-
zed business or kept down the price
of cotton, but it is widely believed
that the speeches he made in his
campaign two years ago, in which he
| attacked the railroads and other cor
portatiOns, an dthe legislation he rec
| commended after his inauguration help
| ed to bring about the condition of
| affairs from which the state is now
suffering. The idle wage Garner looks
at it in this way, and no amount of
| explanation can convince him to the
| contrary, and the cotton farmer feels
| that the reason cotton hasn't gone
| to Is cents is that the check that was
given to prosperity destroyed the
ability of the people to buy cotton
| goods as freely as they did when there
1 was employment for everybody.
| Therefore the Governor in his state
ment to the public doesn't appeal
| strongly to the voters when he talks
about a conspiracy of hired politi-
| clans" lobbyists, whisky interests and
| certain railroad interests to defeat
| him. The average voter knows that
the whisky interests never regarded
| the Governor as a prohibitiOnist and
| he also knowns that the disfranchise-
ment question is practically settled
| that that question isn't really involv-
ed in the present contest for Cover
nor Judging from the results of the
| election two years ago the disfranchise-
ment amendment will be carried by
| an overwhelming majority. The ne
| groes alone are active in opposition
to it, and they don't seem to be eager
| to register.
| These comments are not made with
| the view of antagonizing the Cover
nor, but simply for the purpose of
| pointing out what seems to be his
mistake as to the foundation of the
| sentiment for Mr. Brown
1