Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1910-08-04
HOKE SMITHS
OPENING SPEECH
Splendid Record Of What
lie Accomplished
AS GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA
Elimination of Negro from Politics
Registration Law-Abolishment of
Convict Lease System-Supervision
of Acknowledgment in Full as
Prepared for Delivery at Waycross.

of RaiIroads-Speech in Full al
Prepared for Delivery at WaycrosS
Former Gov. Hoke Smith, too i'll &c
fill his engagement to speak at way
Gloss today, has given out for publica-
1ion the speech which he had prepared
for this occasion. AS 1t is the first dis
cussion by Mr.. Smith of the record upon
which he is asking for election in the
approaching primary, it will be read with
absorbing interest by voters throughout
the state
The speech is a strikingy lucid review
of the accomplishments Of what MIR.
Smith aptly calls the progressive De-
1nocracy" during his two years admins
tration as governor of Georgia. AS the
former governor sets forth the record of
his administration. the reader is amazed
at the amount of work accomplished for
Georgia In so brief q space of time. This
record Mr Smith gives as the reason
for his candidacy this and the announc-
sd intention of the readionary Democ-
Tacy TO tear down all that he had build
ed. His speech in full follows
NV Fellow Citizens of South Georgia:
1t is with pleasure that 1 meet you
10 speak of the policies which have been
pursued for the past few years and of
those which concern our welfare for the
future
There are different schools of thought
upon questions of government which
have existed at all times.
They have found expression In different
ways, but the division has always been
between FAVORITISM FOR THE FEW
AND EQUALITY OF OPPORTUN-
1TY FOR THE MANY. The
one stands for special privileges, the 9TH
er for popular rights. The one would
-,5x IN 11innFifU
other to the whole people. The one is
Teactionary, the other is progressive. The
one is selfish, the other stands for man
kind, for the betterment of the human
race.
CONTEST OF 1906.
Four years ago we had political con-
test in Georgia. The state and the Dem
pcratic party were at the time in the
control of an alliance between trained
politicians and the employed agents of
great corporations. Special privileges were
the order of the day Certain corpora
tions were favored but they were required
to pay tribute for what they received.
The hired lobbyist was a recognized fac
tor in legislation. The man with the
free pass was always in evidence.
We had a heated campaign. but the peo-
pie won at the election. The progressive
Democracy took charge.
We did not have a majority in either
house of the legislature BUT WITH
THE GOVERNOR AND THE SPLEEN
DID MINORITY IN THE LEGISLA-
TURE A REAL SERVICE FOR THE
PEOPLE WAS ACCOMPLISHED.
j wish to discuss before you with per-
feet calmness the work accomplished
in two years by the progressive Democ-
racy. l wish to compare it to the work
of the reactionary Democrats since that
time. i wish to point out some of the
future work of the progressive Democra-
cy and to submit to you the question
Under which flag will you march?
Our forefathers sought to establish for
us a system by which the people at the
ballot box should rule. BY this power
they were TO protect themselves against
injustice, and inspired by this power they
were to broaden the opportunity of the in
GliVidua citizen. The progressive Democ-
Facy regard the ballot as right almost
sacred. To preserve it in it's purity, to
exclude debauching influences from reach
ing the man who uses the ballot to in
Spire the individual voter with a lofty
patriotism which will control his use
of the ballot-these are principles of prog
ress which we recognize essential 10
obtaining those benefits which should
come from he ballot to a free people
DIsFRANCHISEMEN OF THE Ne
GRO.
THE FIRST STEP TOWARD PURI-
Tying THE BALLOT REQUIRED
THE EXCLUSION OF THE IGNO-
RANT AND PURCHASABLE NEGRO.
The true policy in the United States
should be the development of the white
Eace, with no mixture in matters OF
government by the yellow, the brown
or the black races. / would favor an
amendment to the national constitution
which would limit suffrage to the
whites.
Confronted with the national constl-
aution which prevented such state &C.
aion. we have still given you a con-
stitutional provision which excluded
Che great bulk of the negroes. Under
% less than 10000 negroes have regis
tered this year Over 200. 900 negroes might
have registered but for it,
The franchise law, passed during our
@dninistration--it was yours as well
as 1nine-is the wisest and best adopt
ed by any southern state 1t is I'M
.necessary now to discuss it in detail.
One of its features requires the pay
4nent of taxes six months before the
date OF the election.
BY the adoption OF the new fran
achise law, the negro has been perma-
nently eliminated from politics in
Georgia. There is not now q county
GANEs AONN VI uiSAiASh III NV
state where the negroes have registered
sufficiently to outnumber the whites
Mcintosh county has for the first time
BEEN ABLE TO HOLD A WHITE
PRIMARY. A law OF this sort had beer
discussed for several years. but towards
SITS passage no progress had been made
It was distinctly our work, and 1t was
opposed at every step by those WHIT
are now our political opponents.
The benefits of this law are far
reaching. 1t is already making the
negro better suited to his position il
Georgia 1t makes him more indus
Arious and more useful
For years conditions have existed
which in many places required resort
10 means that we're unfair to prevent
the negroes from controlling your Of
Rices Resort to these unfair means
produced a lack OF proper regard so
the sanctity of the ballot, and at tisne'
even white men have been guilty OF I'm
4airTSess towards each other.
With the negro gone from the politics
of Georgia, with no excuse under AM
circumstances for resort to conduc
other than that which is lawful o.
,-iean in elections, we can reach a high
or standard of purity on the part o.
our citizens than would have been pos
~ible under prior conditions.
NEW REGISTRATION LAW.
In connection with the dfsfranchise