Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-05-24
HOW WILL GEORGIA,S
VOTE BE USEDp

HOIE BE OSEDY
The Journal shares with thousands Of good Demo
Gratis the opinion that if Georgas delegates to the
Baltimore convention are called upon to express a
second choice they should vote for Woodrow Wilson
This view has sOrely nettled some of Underwood
contemporaries They grow red in the face and call
it political idiOcy" Naturally they peevish
whenever the question of second choice is preached
for it is just there that right of the politicians to
trade away the states vote to some unknown or un-
considered candidate becomes involved: it lis Just
there that the horns and tail of their longlaid
scheme appear.
The Interests that never have expected Mr. I'm
derwOOd to be nominated and that have proceeded
from the very outset upon the theory that he would
retire from the contest after a preliminary ballot
or two, thus leaving them untrammeled to drive
their own bargains and carry out their original
design-these Interests naturally resent any sugges
ton which would Interfere with their cherished
plans Having bagged the states vote, they consider
It their divine right to it just they please.
The Journal is not disposed to argue the right Of
Governor Wilson to be declared the second choice
OF the Georgia delegation Just he declared the
second choice Of the people, whom these delegates
are supposed TO represent For, We realize that the
which was fosted upon the under the guise Of
the Underwood candidacy gong be carried to its
finish. Mr.. Underwood viii doubt be given the
Georgia vote with much ado until at the proper mo
ment he withdraws and then our politicians, smiling
complacently viii enter into their own; which
that the states influence viii go to man whom
no appreciate number of people have approved
but whom, on the contrary. they emphatcaIy dsap-
prove. whom. perhaps they have not even remote
~ considered -
Be this it may. the fact remains that Woodrow
wilson as clearly the second choice of the voters
who went to the polls in the Georgia primary
May the first as Mr.. Underwood was the first chico.
There were four candidates before the electorate.
Congressman Underwood received sixtyeight thou
sand two hundred and seventythree votes; Governor
Wilson. hftythree thousand eight hundred and sixty
sx votes; Speaker Clark. eight hundred and eighty
two and Governor Harmon. four hundred and eleven.
What do these figures signify? What would they
they signify in any contest? Simply this: that Mr..
Underwood first in popular preference and that
Governor Wilson came second and furthermore that
the strength developed by Speaker Clark and Cover
nor Harmon slight as virtually to eliminate
them from consideration.
II, then. the Georgia delegates to the Baltimore
convention should be called upon express second
choice and if in doing so they should make auv pre-
tense Of carrying out the popular WILL they could
not refuse to support Wilson. No has ever sug-
gested that they should abandon Mr.. Underwood's
cause until il Is demonstrated that he has no chance
Of being nominated and has retired from contest
He is entitled to the delegations loyal support so
long there remains any opportunity of his
winning.
But, II he is eliminated whom should the Georgia
delegation then stand for?
For Clark, who received only eight hundred and
elghty-two votes at the polls?
For Harmon who received only four hundred and
eleven votes?
Or for Woodrow Wilson who received nearly fifty
four thousand votes?
It is simply a question of whether the Georgia
delegation shall carry out the clearly affirmed choice
Of fy-four thousand Democrats OF the secretly
nurtured scheme OF political clique.
II is simply a question of whether the states
vote shall be applied in the convention according to
the popular will at the polls or shall be smuggIed
and trafcked to suit the interests of few bosses
Il is against this latter sort Of deal that The
Journal protests AS said in the outset there is
no evidence to expect that any heed viii be given
the mandate of the people the facts in the case
the right in the remain nevertheless and If
Georga's delegated vote in the Baltimore convention
j. traded, contrary to the peoples intention and
against their expressed wish the state will take note
OF the deal and will bear it in mind for the future
Food prices may be up. but the blackberry CROP