Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-08-09
GIVEN GREAT OVATION
AS HE MOUNTED STAGE

made his first address in this campaign
TO the people of Fulton county Friday
night at the auditorium-armory. II was
the biggest political rally beneath one
roof that the south has ever seen. and
the audience was the largest any one
man has ever addressed in the history
OF Georgia
Nine thousand people. according TO the
custOdian's Official estimate. filled the au
ditorfum, occupied every seat on the
ground floor. the boxes, the topmost pal
comics. the stage. and overnowed INTO
the aisles, where they stood. huii nuns. GUS
were turned away, the custodian SAID
Grand opera attendances. notably the
night that Caruso, the tenor, drew MS
great audience were outdone. The al
tendance could have filed every theater
IN Atlanta. and then overnowed-
The spirit OF the meeting was hne. The
order was perfect There were no cat
calls. no interruptions, ana no O. uis .n..an
There were perhaps so 20 loo women
IN the audience. On account OF the heat
many men took OF their coats
Mr. Smith himself was at his best. HIS
speech was a review Of theaccomphsn-
u-ents OF his administration. and the
lack OF accomplishments OF the present
regime. He spoke so clearly that people
I'm the highest seats and nearest the en-
4. frances had no trouble hearing every
word.
CROWD ARRIVES EARLY
II had been announced that the oand
would begin playing In the auditorium
at T:sO o'clock. but as early as O'CLOCK
the crowd began 10 arrive IL began 10
pour in a steady stream down Edgewood
avenue from Peachtree street in the d.
rection OF the auditorium Rapidly the
cars became closer packed
In a few minutes II was realized tnat
the auditorium would have its record at
tendance. A solid mass OF people slowly
edged its way through the main entrance
Before TO o'clock the seats on the
ground floor were taken. Then the pro-
cession started upstairs.
Then wedeneyer's band started up. and
to its stirring music the crowds contn-
,.ed TO pour in. Everybody In Atlanta
th.t 1ou knew. and several thousand that
YOU didn't. was there Incidentally the
other candidates, state. county and city,
vrara IN evidence II they weren't their
rertenauts were, with literature. IL Is
not often that candidate has this OPP
portunity to FIRE broadcast into so many
voters in one building
At Sis o'clock. you could count tne
seats In the gallery. Everything else
vas taken. People began TO pour onto
the stage. Legs dangled over IT, Seats
v.re At a premium At SD o'clock. the
-,,u.ostan declared that no more chairs
- 20 he had. This brought bowls OF
protest. but there was no remedy.
N..nuhfle the crowd kept coming. Now
~ was turned away from the lower
floor. and diverted upstairs unoer e.e
roof. At SEA o'clock. Mr.. Smith, escort
"a NV Reuben R Arnold. and followed
hv. the executive COMMITTEES OF Fulton
county Smith club. came IN
Tba hand played Dixie" and the audi
srcs appIauded. Mt. Smith went upon the
stage ---x, c,1p
49,. --.-a eaIIs for Mr.. Smith. and
- annlause broke out anew. At s:LS
osclo~L the Cobb county Smith cluo.
20 strong. entered the auditorium. and
:. a, caua-too late to ind seats. marched
arouna tire arena and stood in the aisles.
n was given a great reception
At s.sT o'clock there was another oVa-
,ton Tor Mr. Smith and calls for him.
Al s.sa O'Clock Mr.. Arnold advanced 10
the front Of the stage and began;
ssTt Is ali over but the shoutingH
Deafeufng applause greeted him In
b-Tsf speech he cOntrasted the policies
~ Mr. Smith and his followers with
those Of the present administration.
Tbeu he introduced Mr.. Smith.
The greatest applause OF the evening
then came. Mr.. Smith advanced to the
front Of the stage and raised his hand
for quiet Hand-clapping and shouting
continued for a full minute Then he
began 20 speak
Nv this time every seat had been TAX
en- and the aisles and stage were filled
People crowded to the front Of the stage
ana leaned on t. Outside thousands were
being turned back The doors were twice
closed. Trolley cars lined the approach
20 the building. Automobiles were bank
ed against the curbs on all the nearby
streets.
Mr.. Smith never received a heartier
ovation. He got IL at the end of every
sentence His speech was free from any
personality. He referred to the present
governor only indirectly through his ad-
ministration-
Mr.. Smiths speech was a calm argu-
ment II was concise. He devoted IL TO
a review Of what the progressive Demo-
Gratis OF the state had done. and what
the reactfonaries. as he called them, had
not uone. He drew a comparison here
between the state fight and the national
fight between the reactionaries and the
progressives-the insurgents.
OVATION FOR SENATOR CLAY.
He had not proceeded far, when Sena-
tor A. 8. Clay arrived. and was escorted
to the stage. He received an ovation,
and Mr.. Smith. turning. advanced to him
and shook his hand Then he resumed.
Mr.. Smith hsde his biggest hit perhaps.
IN his discussion Of the so-called business
administration Of Governor Brown and
the so-called prosperity claimed by II. In
its campaign literature. he said. the
Brown administration was taking the
credit for Is IL cent cotton. a price he
added. that had never been reached here !
in Georgia
He wondered how Il happened that |
Texas also got a high price for cotton. !
The administration, he added. claimed the |
credit for high corn and meal and meat.
THE LEASE SYSTEM.
Mr.. Smith also referred TO the abolish |
ment Of the lease system. and how he |
had called an extra session Of the legis-
lature to accomplish f. Then he came
20 the Durham mines incident and the |
~~eet voice that spoke from Chatta-
noOEa-
OF THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION
The matter OF the Western and Allan
tic terminals. the treasury. the port rate |
the railroad commission and its work |
were touched upon. Mr. Smith explained /
at the outset that II had never been the |
intention OF his administration TO work
a hardship on corporations. but that IL /
had been Intended 10 place them under |
Gcontizusd On Page Eight.