Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-04-06
GEORGIA DECLARED
LOST TO WILSON
Though Partly Reared in State,
His Candidacy Is Now
Opposed.

reared in this State it is a foregone
conclusion now that unless conditions
change materially he Will lose 1t IN
the Presidential primary on May L.
In no State in the Union has a
harder fight been made for the New
Jerseyite than here in Georgia. 1t has
been based, as it originated, on senti-
mental grounds. because he is a native
Southerner and once lived here. When
he became Governor of New Jersey
Georgia was proud of him, and at that
time would have gone for him by al
most unanimous vote. But conditions
have changed. His conduct in the
Chief Magistracy of his adopted State
has not Keen conducive to his popu-
larity in this part of the South; in
stead. II has brought about as stern
an opposition as was ever made to any
candidate for the Presidential nomina-
ton. the most vigorous perhaps since
the Cleyeland-H Hill fight of twenty years
ago.
-7oodrow Wilson as a boy went to
school in Augusta, Ga. After passing
! through college he was admitted to the
bar in Atlanta and he lived here for
two years. He married a Georgia girl,
and has many old boyhood n young
manhood friends here. His old school
master at Augusta is q minor official
at the State Capitol nov. His father
was a well-known minister, who occu-
pied many prominent Georgia pulpits
fC. several years. These incidents
combine to make Governor Wilson a
formidable Presidential candidate here
in Georgia-but he is not.
Cannot Hold GeOrgians.
The people of Georgia are conserva-
tive in political temperament. The con-
trolling element is so overwhelmingly
Democratic that the Republican party
consists almost solely of a skeleton
State organization. At times they take
to radicalism, as with Bryan, and
again, locally, with Hoke Smith. But
as a rule they are safe and sane; that's
why Woodrow Wilson has failed to hold
what seems sentimentally his in this
section.
Georgians did not take very kindly
to Governor Wilson's attitude on the
Senatorial question which arose shortly
after he became Governor. New Jer-
sey is a long way from here and the
public is not informed as to the de-
tails of the politics up there. but those
who did notice affairs felt that there
vas an element of ingratitude, as well
as of unwarranted interference, in his
fight for the election of United States
Senator MARITIME. That fight con
stituted the first degree of awakening
down here.
Then his suddeniy-developed radical
isem, demonstrated most forefully by
his use of his office to force legislation
through the body created for that ex-
elusive service, caused another setback
in his popularity. The people down
here believe that the fundamental prin-
ciple of our government requiring the
three main departments to remain
separate In the performance of their
different functions is necessary to the
continuance of republican government.
Therefore, they never have taken kind
ly to Governor Wilson's invasion, or
attempted invasion, of the realm Of the
Legislature.
The above, however, did not consti-
tute reasons Of such controlling nature
as to eliminate the sentimental claims
Governor Wilson had upon Georgians.
Went Back on Own Tenets.
However, the final tie vas broken
when he gave the lie to many tenets
which he taught at Princeton and had
written into his books. His inferential
advocacy of the initiative, referendum
and recall constituted the final straw
which broke the back of hts following
here.
Two months g those opposing Will
sons nomination began looking for
another candidate to support. Har-
mon had some following here, but in
looking around it was found that in
derwood, of Alabama, was probably
the one who came nearest meeting the
requirements. Then there was or
ganized an opposition which bids fair
to sweep the State.
Practically all forces opposed to Will
son here have centred upon Oscar I'm
derwood. AS an Alabaman, he is close
to Georgia. As leader of the Demo-
Gratis in the House he has established a
record which makes him popular
throughout the section.
Furthermore, there Is a growing SEM
timent down here that once more the
South should be permitted to name the
candidate. But they want to name a
real, as against a practical" Southern
err. They do not consider Woodrow
Wilson a Southerner; besides his record
precluded the possibility of the South
uniting upon him.
The Democratic progressives in this
State, thinking that Wilson would be
a winner, SO far as the State is con-
cerned, on account of his Southern
birth, took up his cause. The conser-
vatives, seeing more clearly the tenn
permanent of the people, took up Under
wood, and the fight began.
The Wilson fight, led by the Atlanta
Journal, and the anti-Wilson fight by
the Atlanta Constitution, has been rag
ing for the past two months. At first
it looked like a Wilson victory.
G. r. Hutchen took the active man
agement of the Underwood campaign
and three well-known men, w ]. Har.
ris. e. T.. Brown and Walter B.. An.
drews formed a trio Management of tbs
Wilson movement.
The newspapers, always a good in
dicator of the turn of sentiment, lined
up most amazingly against the New
Jersey candidate. Only one morning
paper. out of about a dozen in Georgia
is actively supporting him. Out of IT.
afternoon papers only three are very
active in his support. 1t is estimated
conservatively, that rs per cent. of th'
22s weekly papers are against the New
Jersey candidate.
o at the Underwood headquar,
tiers indicate a victory by the anti