Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-07-26
CHARGE OF "PEACE BREAKERS"
is ELOOUENTLY ANSWERED BY
JUDGE THOMAS G. LAWSON
Us Have Peace" Has Been the Cry of the Devil for 60
Centuries Declared the Former Congressman in Address
sing the Newly Organized Putnam County Hoke Smith
d. Glib

! culates it, and doubtless very many ig-
norant people believe IT to be true. No
one can calculate It's sinister effect.
! When we recall that only two years ago
| in one OF the most strenuous primary
! elections that ever occurred in the state
! the whole vote cast was a fraction over
! EOS, 900, we read with unspeakable sur
! prise in two reputable newspapers the
allegation that 100000 of these voters
! has since been disfranchisel. / trust
that the legislature will hold fast to the
! law in all its essential features.
Third 1t has furnished us with
strong and equitable railroad commits
sion law. No one can accuse me OF hos
tility to the railroads. I have been
their friend in prosperity and in adver-
sity. Believing that they are more es-
sential to the material welfare or the
state than any other kind OF property, L
have always bespoke in their behaf the
most liberal treatment compatible with
the safety of other property. Yet l
know that the selfishness Of human ma
ture will: tempt the best Of men to abuse
all power entrusted to them. And hence
I realize the imperious necessity OF a
wise and conservative regulation ana
control of their management, along with
the control of other corporate powers
This law responds to the need.
WOULD EMASCOIA1E LA W.
To reduce the number of commission
ers, as Governor Brown recommends
would. in my Judgment, emasculate the
mower and wholesome operation of the
law A gentleman of spotless .integrlty
mot Ex-Governor Smith nor his support
er so far as l know who is as Ianllhdi
with the operation Of the law as any man
in Georgia, informs me. that less thah
1--WE men could not fulfill the duties re-
ouired of the commissioners, inasmuch as
IA ne wmatters have been added TO the
Jurisdiction of the commissioners SINCE
thew werecomposed of three men only
The reduction of the number OF the com
r,issioners so that they cannot perform
the work required by the law is snort
cut to it's notification, In which event
the railroads and corporations VIII nave
won the fight they made two years ago.
This great law cannot be too 1althiuhy
guarded. Hence the necessity Oh eieo
ing a governor and legislature VINO are
heartily In sympathy with its purpose
7 need not mention other valuable
measures of Mr. Smiths administra-
ton Those mentioned are enduring
monuments of his broad craftsmanship, OF
his earnest zeal in the behalf OF pure
elections, and of his profound concerI.
for the rights and material "ehare Vi
the people. 1 find nothing done, or rec
commended. by the present administra-
zion that is comparable TO these meas,
res Governor Browns friends laeu
his refusal to purchase the Chattanoosd
land as. an act of unprecedented sasaoloy
md heroism.s A commute OF leslsiat
have examined his action IN TINS MATE
and II seems he made mistake hohe
Smiths refusal to sanction the pun Ciiese'
of the Twiggs county land Tor tne piIso
commission saved the state larger'
sum Of money than was hNoiNeu III N
Chattanooga purchase. ..,..
Mr. Smiths administration unlortu
nately encountered widespread anu us
astrous financial panic, which neglnnlns
With the failure of several New iolh
hanks whose funds had been frauoulent-
Nv manipulated and looted tnereoy ue
1troving temporarily the confidence OF
go raon,e IN the solvency of monetary
,nstitutions. embraced the whole county,
- Mr. smith was recklessly accused OF
hrIngIng II on. l hope that no man III
p,trano IL 40 densely ignorant as TO De-
l,eve such a groundless statement
Tbis hoary-headed lie has been en-
nloved for generations to overtime" aoI
ministrations that chance 10 De IN oIioe
cotemporaneously with panlcs, ,.',ztra
effectively used against the adminlstra-
tion Of president Cleveland during the
nanIc Of 1893, though everyone VINO was
faroIliar with his official conduct knew
that he foresaw the coming panic oIu
that he moved heaven and earth 10 aver
A. and to mitigate Its evils Wheh ~
came 1t is convincing arsulneHt
With people who are unable TO percelVe1
trs movements of economic conditions
-0 oror,ercIaI affairs, and to trace eff
fects back to their causes, nope thaC
w. naonle have recovered from the
stunning effects of this antiquated he'
ord that they can perceive tina tine laws
enacted during the Smith ADMINISTRATOR
ore conspicuous for their WISDOM anu
conservatism, and that the prosperity
we now enjoy is neither disturbed nor
checked by them. Our present prosper
Ity "a therefore ample refutation OF the
oLerge that Smith brought on the panic,
Co., eyerv act of his administration stili
stands unchanged.
do not see why every man VINO sup
norted Mr.. Smith four years ago cannot
- 80 oow He proclaimed from one
end of the state to the other what ne
would do, IL elected, and he ola IL SO
far as the legislature co-operateo WIN
him. Every man who voted for him at
that time gave him a general authority
IN do as he did do and is responsible for
what was done. I do not admire the
athIcs that urges and authorizes an Of
aeer TO do certain acts and then repuol-
ate him because he obeyed the authority
given him.
why should he be repudiated? No
man can charge that he was deceived by
him. From long personal acquaintance
Sor rnvseIf. give hi mmy hearty sup
mort as a man strong in his personality
prompt and fearless in action, wise in
council, lofty in purpose, self-sacrincins
in his philanthropy, honored throughout
the United States for his integrity and
eminent capacity in the discharge of his
official duties, national and state. and as
a At exponent of the intelligence pro-
gressiveness and lofty prestige or the
Empire State of the South. Elect him
and even his opponents will not be able
TO lrepress the feeling, of pride in their
chief magistrate.
cTnrK 0E COTTON