Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-07-22
Why HOke Smith Should
BE DOMINATED for Governo,

Inc people In the coming primary
should nominate Mr.. Smith for governor
Because, up to the time Governor Brown
sent his message in June last to the gen.
eral assembly. Governor Smith had de-
clined to enter the race. Many of his
friends sympathised with him and hoped
that he would give the people a chance
to make amends for the great humiliation
put upon him when he was defeated for a
second term. But he positively declined
for personal reasons. to have the people
agitated again, preferring rather to carry
through life a wounded heart.
To question the sincerity Of his declina-
ton is gratuitous and unfounded. You
ask, II sincere, why did he offer at last?
He knew all the time, you say, that Gov
ernor Brown had recommended the same
legislation in his message last year. Yes
this Is true. But the legislature last year
refused to enact into law any of his rec
concentrations. and 1t was to be supposed
that he would let the matter drop. But
he pressed said legislation more strenu-
ously now than then. What did 1t mean?
1t meant to make an issue of them in thu
coming primary, and If Governor Brown
was renominated 1t would be construed to
mean that his policies had been approved
and adopted by the party.
So there was nothing else for Governor
Smith to do.
See the situation, one governor is elect
ed upon certain principles he advocated
While governor the legislature enacts
certain laws. making effective those prin-
ciples. He goes out. and the next gov
ernor undertakes to have repealed all the
principal laws thus passed during the
term of his predecessor and before said
laws have been in operation long enough
to see whether they be wise or unwise.
The sad spectacle is presented, Of one
Democratic administration passing GER
tain measures, and the next Democratic
administration repeating them, before
they have been tested. This is factional-
ism run to seed.
So Governor Smith is not accountable
for this contest. 1t was thrust upon him.
The challenge was thrown into his face.
and into the faces of the 5000 good and
true Democrats who voted for him, and
asked him to have said measures adopted
into law. He, not for himself, but for
said IS, COO Democrats who believe the rail-
road commission law should remain as 1t
IL, accepted the challenge. They can give
Governor Smith his second term now
without rejecting on Governor Brown in
the least. So far as Governor Brown is
concerned, he cannot claim as matter OF
right, founded on an unbroken custom
for 30 years, a second term. At his re-
quest this custom was broken.
Should Governor Brown be renominated
then II means that the railroad commits
sion law will be changed. Why should 1t
be changed SO soon? Who knows that 1t
Is not wise and will prove to be so in the
coming years? Great interests are IN
volved, both on the side OF the people and
the railroads, and It seems to mo that
these interests can better be conserved
by the Ave than by the three. II you
have only three then two men can con-
troll, and II they have five. then II requires
the Judgment of three. The expense Is
some greater, but II Is bagatelle and
amounts to nothing whom compared with
the vast monetary interest involved.
There is another reason why Governor
Smith should be nominated, and that Is
to keep the party for years from dividing
into factions. The 5000 Democrats who
voted for Governor Smith twice will al
ways feel that their brother Democrats
have perpetrated a great wrong upon him
and they will seek every opportunity 10
remove this reproach.
I will illustrate by reciting little his
tory, In 1878 the Democratic party In the
Fourth congressional district nominated
by the two-third rule. Col. Fl. r. Harris
lacked the fraction of a vote OF getting
the two-thirds. The convention was In
session some week or more, first In Co
lumbus and then in Newman.
The appeal was made by the friends
of Colonel Harris to nominate him De-
cause he evidently had behind him
majority Of the party. The minority re-
fused. There was no nomination, and
at the polls Colonel Harris was defeat
ed. II was claimed and believed by his
friends that he was beaten by Republi-
can votes. True or false, his friends
believed It. Six years the party was rent
into factions and efforts were continu-
ously made on the part Of his friends to
remove this reproach by giving him an
other term And this matter was never
healed until in 1884, he was given an
other term.
II Mr.. Smith is nominated and his
friends will be satisfied. II he is defeated
YOU may see repeated in Georgia what
took place in the Fourth congressional
district in 1854.
You say 1t should not be- but $500
as true Democrats as you, say justice
should be melted out to him, and that they
will not rest until this IS done.
Let us vote for Governor Smith and
save the railroad commission law, at
least until It has proven to be failure.
and at same time remove all grounds
for factions in our beloved party.
CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRAT.
Newman News.