The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-02
CLOUDS LIFTING IN
GEORGIA POLITICS
State Executive Committee to
Start Campaign
DATE FOR THE PRIMARY
Ten Days After the Primary Which
Is Expected to BE Set for
Early in August

Atlanta, June 1.-(Special )-When thf
state executive committee meets here mex
Saturday the political situation will bt
put on more clarified and definite basis
While the committees duties have beer
much simplified by legislation governing
party primaries, still the meeting has
been looked to as the agent which viii
produce crystallizaton and start the
campaign in good shape.
| The meeting will be called to order III
the Kimball house at IL o'clock noon, by
Chairman Hewlett Hall of Newman, and
will proceed at once to the fixing of dates
for state primary and state convention
and the formation of rules governing the
primary, which, insofar as can be seen
will not vary materially from those in
vogue in past primaries.
| August 16 or II Is now looked upon as
the prospective date for the primary
a date which will comply with the law
and still give members OF the legislature,
which adjourns August 10, time to get
home and look after their affairs. Au-
gust 10 would make 1t a day or two
earlier, but Monday has never been con-
sidered a good election day and it is al
most sure to be passed up.
The state convention will be set about
10 days later 1t is necessary to hold the
state convention before September l, be-
cause the law requires that the secretary
of state shall send forms containing the
names of all candidates to the ordinary
of each county for use in the regular
election 80 days before its date. These
forms must be printed after the conven-
ton meets and must reach the ordinaries
not later than September S, as the state
election will be held October 5.
There has been no other suggestion than
that the rules to be adopted shall pre-
scribe white primary admitting to par
ticipation all qualified white voters who
agree to abide its results.
1t is certain, however, that the primary
will be on the county unit basis rather
than a statewide affair like that of 1908.
In other words the vote of each county
for governor will stand on its own basis,
and each county will have delegates to
the convention who are in accord with its
expressed views, instead of putting the
vote into one big pot and letting the
state as a whole decide it.
1t will be recalled that this was an is
sue in the campaign of 1908 between Gov
ernor Brown and Ex-Governor Hoke
Smith Governor Smith commended for
state wide primary while Governor Brown
held that each county should be allowed
70 MT a lion in the
state convention, both as to numbers and
as to its opinion expressed at the ballot
box 1t will also be recalled that Gov
ernor Browns contention won, and of
course that policy will be adhered to in
framing the rules for this years primary
1t Is generally understood that next
week Gov ernor Browns announcement of
his candidacy for reelection will be
forthcoming 1t is said he will base his
announcement upon his record during the
last year as governor, and will put the
matter up to the people, going before
them when necessary, through newspaper
cards as he did In the campaign of 1905
but remaining in his office for the trans,
action of official business.
II Judge r. B. Russell of the state
court of appeals should decide definitely
to enter the race it is believed his an
nouncen ent will be forthcoming about the
same time.
What the purpose of Hon. L. l.. Middle
brooks of Newton is, none of the politi-
clans seem to know. as he has not been
heard from since the publication OF his
announcement several days ago.
I'm hal the HOkp Smith
element generally would not have chosen
Hon. III. Fl. Perry of Gainesville as the
standard-bearer of the Smith policies II
they. had had anything to do with 1t. And
YET MIR. Perry is one of the most earn
est honest and sincere advocates of those
policies ir the state. Every word he ut
ters is founded in belief as solid as a
rock But Mr. Perry is not sufficiently
forecful or magnetic campaigner to ap-
peel 10 them.
But he went into the race, it appears, of
his own accord and without anybody's adj
vice, pitched the campaign on the issues
of 1906 in the very beginning, and now
they are compelled to take him or risk
the chance of badly divided vote writ
ten all, over with disaster at the start.
1t IS no, likely, therefore. that another
candidate will be put out on the same
lines unless Mr.. Perry should withdraw
In the other mans favor, and that sort
of proceeding is too likely to muddle
things
The Indications are, therefore, that the
real race will be between Governor Brown
and Mr. Perry the latter having drawn
the issue clearly upon the Smith policies
OF 1866
This brings on much the same character
OF race which has been the vogue in Geof-
gia for the last four years, but 1t is not
1iIxe1y if will he nujfo atr0nn0uS
either side.
One thing is pretty wellr settled. there
will be largely an absence of I.rsonali-
ties. Mr.. Perry has given evidence OF
the fact that it is not his intention. to in
dulge in them. and Governor Brown may
be expected, of course. to pursue the same
course. Such was his record in the GYM
paign of 1908.
Big Peach Crop
That Georgia's peaches this year will
all ba nra ctically free from worms rust