The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1911-05-17
HE WANTS A "JINT SPUTE"
GUYTE M'LENDON CHALLENGES
HOKE SMITH FOR DEBATE.
Former Chairman of Railroad Conn
mission Makes a Splash in the
Political Puddle.


ATLANTA.-S G. McLendon, for
mer chairman of the railroad com
mission and candidate for senator,
has submitted to GoVernor-elect
Hoke Smith a challenge for a series
OF Joint debtes in case the governor
elect enters the senatorial race.
Mr.. McLendOn already has invited
Senator Terrell and w. A. Covington
TO join him in series of joint de-
| bates
Mr. McLendon says in part
When you shall have taken the
oath of office required by law upon
your induction into the office of gov
ernor your powers will be imperial,
and in one respect at least far great
er than those exercised by any gov
ernor OF any American state.
In 1903 the legislature sustained
your claim that you had the power
TO suspend a railroad commissioner
at your pleasure. In 1910 the SUI
preme court of Georgia also sustain
ed that claim, and declared that even
though no wrong were charged the
tenure of office of a railroad commits
sloner OF this state was at the pleas
ure or the executive. After this leg
lslatlve support and judicial support
you appealed to the people to rein
state you in the office of governor
pledging that it was your purpose to
carry out the principles which Won
represented, these principles being
embodied in the Macon platform
You, therefore, will be able to CON
troll the action of the railroad com
mission with its five members. it's
special attorney, its rate expert. and
so on.
The people of Georgia in 1910 paid
over $7,O00,000 more for transporta-
Ilon than they paid in 1906, when
the Macon platform was written. The
power to reduce these rates is abso-
lutely yours. Your position as gov
erhor VIII be regal; indeed, it will
ne imperial; and when it is remem-
gered IN the face of these tremen-
dous facts, and in the face of your
royal prerogative, that you suspend
ed member of the railroad commits
sion because he refused to grant q
reduction to one locality only and
10 small number of shippers in that
locality, which reduction could not
at the outside, have exceeded az. 600
per year, it is beyond belief that Won
would yield the sceptre of authority
IN exchange for any other office with
in the gift of the people.
II 1t is your intention to either
seek or accept the office of senator
at the hands of the people of Georgia
! most earnestly invite your to par
tlcipate in series of joint debates
with me under like terms, in which
we snail hold at least six Joint dis
cusslons in the state"
Mr.. McLendon is holding Govern
or-elect Smith responsible for the
enJoining and non-enforcement Of
circulars 315, 316 and SIT. which
were issued by the railroad commits
sion Just about the time he went into
ONCE before, and which made reduc-
tons of 10 to 20 per cent in the 10
cal rates of freight prevalent in
Georgia. -
McLendons entire letter TO Smith
is suave document, dipped in cans
tic Whether or not Mr. smith.
VIII pay any attention to the chaI-
lenge remains to be seen.
At any rate Mr.. McLendon's an
nouncement adds to the compIexitv
OF the complex situation. With The
legislature less than six weeks or
the situation is as clear as mud now