The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-04-02
Brown Looms Up As Big Fac
tor Over In Georgia
MOST UNUSUAL SITUATION
Not For 30 Years Has Governor Been
Opposed For Second Term and
For First Time Nomination
Is BY Popular Vote.

race appears to have taken on little
warmth though interesting develop
ments are promised. 1t has at least
set the state agog with political talk,
for there is no doubt that it is heard
on every hand.
The Georgian who comes to Atlanta
these days is sure to be asked about
politics in his county and section, and
there can hardly be any question that
the Brown reports have dominated to
the present time.
Whether this is due to activity on
the part of the Brown men, or is in
dieative of the true state of public
feeling, 1t is hard to say as yet.
THE truth is said a well known
Georgia politician who does a good deal
of travelling. that it is not so much
sentiment for Joe Brown as it is
against the administration. A great
many men are going to vote for Joe
Brown a rebuke to the administra-
tion but among the farmers I am sat
isfed that there will be many who will
not vote for either. l have talked to
hot few of the and they tell me
that while they are not satisfied with
what the administration has done or
failed to do, they do not feel that they
can consistently vote for Brown.
AS result of this feeling in some
sections, and also that the primary
comes at a busy time with the farmers,
there seems to me that there is going
to ba Of q ttor
that will cut down considerably the
total vote in the democratic primary"
Against Hoke Smith.
A man who came into Atlanta today
en- train from north Georgia said ne
polled the train, and out of 81 votes
found So for Brown, 10 for Smith aad
five undecided
So far very little polling has been
done, and the results of polls have not
been publish ed so freely as they We're
two years q go. 1t will be recalled thas
Tolls played a prominent part in Gov
ernor Smiths first campaign.
According to state capitol official,
a prominent resident of Ben Hill coun-
ly, a strong supporter of Governor
Smith two years ago and at the pres
ent time, who was In Atlanta the other
day. said unhesitatingly that Joe Brown
would carry Ben Hill county.
Mr.. Brown has scarcely gotten into
his campaign as yet Some seem 10
think he Is a little slow about it. It
is said he is now at work preparing al
address to the public celebrating his
platform which will probably be issued
the latter part of this week. In the
meantime he is keeping a number CT
atenographers busy in his headquarters
in the Kimball house sending out lev
iers to all sections of the state.
Adding To Speech Programme.
Governor Smith is reported to have
said when Mr.. Town first announced,
that he did not view Mr. Browns can
oidacy seriously, and would make 20
change whatever in his previously an
rounced programme which he expected
to comprehend one speech In each COZ
gressional district of the state. The
indications are now that he will aud
number of speeches to his programme
and will do considerable talking over
the state. Since then he has added ona
new speech to his list this week.-Mrs.
Waycross speech on Friday-and there
is talk of others.
The governor spoke ir Gainesville
Monday. Tomorrow he will speak to
the county school superintendent at
Brunswick. and later at Waycross AMI
in Savannah.
The situation is most unusual one
In Georgia. Not since the adoption of
the constitution of 1877, more than 80
years ago, has a governor been opposed
recognized policy of the democratic
party to give a governor a second
term without opposition. Some Are
finding 1t difficult to reconcile this
rev turn in political affairs.
An interesting feature of the situa-
ton to which some attention has al
ready been called is that the nomina-
tion goes this year for the first Tina
in the states history, by popular
vote. Under this plan it would be
possible for one candidate to carry
some 40-odd counties with the largest
population and win the nomination
while the other candidate might carry
100 or more counties with small vot 2
and lose 1t.
Power of Small County.
The power of the small county in the
convention has been done away with.
Heretofore it's two convention votes
counted for something; now they tr ,
meaning less Already the county ma.