The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-06-04
BlI
BALLO1S {
gI,fg&
.Rya s. W. Press B Lsl;ls,o,,cfation.1

4 dAHt1lsbf LIE 4iA44!st Va . NTH tQE u HlhH
who wears the label OF Brown will be
the next governor OF Georgia IS the
principal matter to be decided in to-
days battle OF ballots, which brings
to a close one Of the hottest cam
| pafgns In the political history or tho
State. In which prohibition and negro
Observation-Disclosures have been the is
sues. At the headquarters OF Hoke
Smith, who Is seeking to succeed him
lself as chief executive of Georgia. re-;
parts are pouring in this morning
which indicate an OVERWHELMING VIC
\ tory for the Smith clan in to-day's
primaries. The supporters OF Joseph
NJ. Brown, Smiths opponent for. gov
ernor. are equally clamorous or vic.
tory. On the face OF the returns. the
Smiths apparently have the edge on
The Browns, and the opponent OF the
ralorous Hoke seems destined to play
1.-THE part of defeated candidate in
the comedy Of What Happened to
Brown" +;
The Democratic primaries today are
equivalent to an election, since oppos-
Ing candidates for any Office In the
gift OF the. sovereign voters OF Georgia
have about as much chance as tho
proverbial SNOWFALL in the Internal
regions. Aside from the governor and
State treasurer. all the other import;
ant State Offices will be nominated
without opposition. The only other
contests are for two places on the rail-
road commission and one place on the
prison commission. Captain Robert
f. Park Is standing for reelection as
State treasurer. and his opponent is
vi. speer. Parks predecessor in the
office. There ID no opposition to
United States Senator A. s. Clay.
There has been an attempt to make
prohibition. which has prevailed IN
Georgia since January l.. and negro
dissranchisenent the issues In the
campaign just closed. 1t is alleged
by the Smith alherents and newspa-
pers that Brown has received the sup
port OF the liquor interests AMI that
his election would mean the beginning
of the end OF prohibition in Georgia.
The friends OF prohibition have been
urged to rally to the Smith standard
and the allegations regarding Browns
position on the prohibition question.
whether true or not. viii doubtless
play an important part in determining
the result Of to-day's primaries.
Distranehisement of the negroes has
also been made an Issue in the cam
naiEn and it has been alleged by the
Smith followers that Brown has
stood In with the blacks and In re-
turn for their support will seek to
defeat the disfranchisemen measure.
This has been Indignantly denied By
the Brown men, who assert that dis
reimbursement is already a "settlel
issue" in Georgia and that 1t has been
"ruas in by the Smith crowd merely
to make campaign thunder.
The ACKNOWLEDGMENT law, which,
has been modelled after the measures
on similar lines adopted in ether
States. so as to reach the ignorant:
negro voters without interfering with
the franchise OF the whites. has pass
ell the house and senate by the re-.
CURED majority. and Is now before
the people for. ratification. Tho vote
on this amendment will be taken in
the general election next October,q AMI
in that election negroes as we'll, as
whites will have the right to vote.
provided they have paid their taxes.
have registered. and have 4 otherwise
conformed to the requirements for the
franchise us they have existed until
now. 4 majority OF the total vote
cast will be sufficient to ratify or de.
feat the amendment to the constitu-
ton. ~
The primaries to-day will also have
considerable effect on the person
mel Of Georsia's delegation to the
Democratic national convention ut
Denver. It is generally admitted that
majority. II not I'll, of the twenty-
sin delegates Will be for Bryan. The
delegation will be chosen at the DEM
ocratic State convention which will
ratify the candidates nominated to
to-lay's primaries. If Hoke Smith is
successful in to-day's primaries, he will
dictate the naming OF delegates in the
State convention, and vice versa. SO
the members G: the Denver ,lelegn-
ton will reflect the political views or
the man who wins In to-day's fight
| for the governorship.
| q .