The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-08-31
GEORGIAS FORMER GOVERNORS.

1t is doubtful if any state in the
Union is better supplied in the mat
ter of ex-goYernors than is the state
of. Georgia. When it is recalled we
have with US five distinguished sons
who have been chief executive of the
state the facetious may joke about
the vitality of the Georgia politician,
but the serious-minded will see in the
statement an example of the great
strength of the Georgia human stock.
The five living eX-governors rep
resent an administrative period of
Is years, for with one exception
each served two terms each. Their
terms of service, however, reach back
for nearly thirty years, as the oldest
of the survivors became chief execu-
tive in 1882. The five men, who sell
dom meet except on occasions of in
augurations, are:
Henry D. Mcdaniel of Monroe, who
was governor from 1882 to 1886.
William J. Northen, 1890 to 1894.
Allen D. Gambler, 1898 to 1902.
Joseph NJ. Terrell, 1902 to 1907.
HOke Smith, 1907 to 1909.
In some respects Governor Nc
Daniel is the most remarkable one
of the lot, and he is probably the
least generally known. He was new
er much of a politician. He became
governor as the result of a dead
locked convention, gave the state
business-like administration and re-
tired to his home at Monroe. So
far as known he has never since been
led astray by the will O. the wisp of
politics. He has made no effort to
keep in the public eye" Instead,
he has attended very carefully and
successfully to his own business af-
fairs, and excepting as a prominent
worker in many matters relating to
the Baptist church has been little
known in public affairs. He is now
one of the wealthiest men in the
state, his private fortune being rated
at something nearly like a million
dollars. He is still an active bust
ness man, full of physical and men
tai vigor, thorough gentleman, an
erudite scholar, and a man whose
friends are legion. He is one of the
few men who made a success of bust
ness after being governor.
Oeneral GOfUOn FOlIOWeu.
General Gordon presided at the
helm of state following Mcdaniel,
and was succeeded by the second liv-
ing chief executive, Governor Will
liam J. Northen. Without meaning
any discredit to his abilities it may
be said that Governor Northen was
something of a political accident"
like Mcdaniel. He was elevated
from the position of teacher to the
governOrship by the Farmers ALI
ance, which for a year or two ran
things political with a rather stern
hand. One or two odd incidents have
prevented Governor Northern from
receiving full credit for a very cred
liable administration. One of these
was the famous ''Waycross war" a
term getting vogue after the Georgia
Hussars were ordered out along the
Florida line to prevent the Sullivan
Mitchell prize fight being pulled off
in south Georgia.
Northen was and is recognized as
having made a very clean, upright,
intelligent and conscientious chief
executive. Since he retired from
office he has devoted the greater part
of his time to work of pure patriot
ism and love of state and people He
has spoken and written ardently and
continuously in behalf of high ideals
of citizenship and conduct, and has
undoubtedly been a powerful force
for good. His work has been unset
fish in that it has been along lines
not calculated to promote political
ambition, of which, so far as known.
he has had none
Atkinson, that remarkable politi-
cal leader, followed Northen. and,
like Gordon, is now gone and much
lamented,
Following him came the third of
the living eX-governors, Allen D,
Gambler, probably the most spectac-
ular of them all AS the 'one-eyed
pillow boy from Pigeon Roost," he
politics, and the time will come when
gave up a good business future for
he will be recognized as one of the
great characters of Georgia. Gov
ernor Gambler will always be re-
membered best, perhaps, as the man
who defeated Judge Emory SpeeI
for congress, after a memorable
campaign in the mountains of north
nearly make up a genuine, but il