The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-19
GEORGIA TOWNS ARE
 AFTER TIE CAPITOL Macon and Other Places Want to Take Atlanta Fame IS NO LONGER A JOKE While Atlanta Is Not Afraid of Losing Her Position Several Towns Are
 Making Efforts to Get
 the Capitol
IS NO LONGER A JOKE

Atlanta, December 1s.-(Special. )-Ma- cons proposal to take the state capitol away from Atlanta has grown to con- test of more serious proportions than anyone had any idea of when 1t was first preached.
 Atlantans are gradually learning that | it is now no laughing matter; that, in any event, it promises to precipitate a lively fight.
 | A little incident is indicative of this realization.
 | When Atlanta's great white way was opened the other night, it was proposed to have as a feature of the procession a wagon drawn by two mules with num- Der of farmer-like men upon 1t and lab eled to indicate that it was the Macon 1 delegation come up to move the state cap itol.
 I When the intention became known a. number of the wiseacres got together and thought 1t over. Finally they said:
 Don't do it. boys There'n be a lot of Macon folks up here and you may of fend them"
 So the plan to take off Macons ambition to lift the state capitol was dropped and another feature substituted. It was pointed out too, how seriously Macon is taking the matter, even though it's origin may have been partly at least in jest. Macon herself was surprised at the support which came to the project from the south Georgia counties, but when she found she had a good backing the proposal became serious.
 But Macon's ambition has aroused other towns in the same section of the state, and now Perry. in Houston. and Monte zuma, In Oglethorpe county, both want it, and are talking of raising a fund ap- proximating s1,OooO0O in order to try to land it.
 Reports from Perry are to the effect that two citizens there are each willing to give $35o,0O0 If 1t will land the capitol building for the capital of Houston county.
 The chief stumbling block in the way of the removal of the capitol to Macon or anywhere else is the fact that 1t requires a two-thirds vote of both the house and senate to pass the necessary constitu- tional amendment, and, according to the Atlanta view, 1t is seriously questioned whether there are anything like that number of members who would care to spend their summers in Macon.
 With the following which Atlanta would naturally have in the northern and cen tral sections of the state, Macon would have to do some tall lobbying to get even any appreciable distance beyond a ma- jority vote. For Atlanta is some pump Fins" at lobbying herself.
 But Macon has got notion she can do it anyhow, and what apparently orig mated in "peevish' jest, is now become almost big state issue.
 Even Atlantans are convinced that there is going to be a fight, though they are satisfied when it comes along that they will whip Macon to a frazzle
 senatorsbIp Contest
 The senatorship contest has subsided for time. but the wise guy politicians are still trying to figure out Hoke Smiths attitude.
 But Mir Smith has not yet publicly dropped any sign or semblance of hint upon which to hang a satisfactory the- ory
 There are those who believe he will not be in the race, upon the theory that, having just been elected governor his candidacy would be inopportune, and that he will serve his term as governor and wait patiently
 They believe this will be his attitude whether a primary is called or not. and. of course, the question of calling a pri- mary or leaving the election to the legis- lature without suggestion or interference on the part of the people, is wholly in the hands of MT. Smiths friends.
 Then there are those who believe that with MT. Smith 1t is purely a. question Of sizing up the situation; that if he sees he can be elected or thinks he can he will go into it for all it Is worth.
 In the meantime Senator Terrell is in Washington, and his friends think he is safe, even though he may not have the situation "sewed up in a bag"
 Somehow or other very little importance is attached to the candidacy either of Judge W. A. Covington of Colquitt or Congressman 1T. W. Hardwick of the Tenth. Judge Covington Is regarded as the more prepossessing senatorial timber of the two, and yet 1t is said of him that he does not loom big on the horizon of state politics, although he has been talked of as candidate for governor
 But whether Hoke Smith decides to go in for 1t or not, 1t may be taken as defin- itely settled that his faction is going to give Senator Terrell the fight of his life for the job.
 The general demand of the state press or large portion of 1t, for primary has not, so far, swerved the state execu- tive committee, or perhaps 1t should be rut the Smith faction, for the executive committee would undoubtedly do what ever that faction wished.
 Roads in Fine Condition
 The magnificent condition of the roads of south Georgia, as compared with their condition couple of years ago. as well as with roads in other sections of the state, was the subject of a special report by State Biologist S. w. Metallic to the state geological board this week Professor Metallic says he made sey- eral field trips during the last quarter while not engaged in office routine. and also spent ten days in making the trip around the state on the good roads tour in October. The latter, he states, gave