Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-04-19
He Was Given Tremendous
Ovation and His Speech Stir
red Monster Gathering to
Highest Enthusiasm

senator H0Ae smith, WHO
Governor Woodrow Wilson Tuesday
night to the immense audience that
hacked the auditorium. was given a
tremendous personal ovation. and his
speech stirred the gathering TO the
highest enthusiasm for Woodrow VIII
son as DemOcracy's leader in the 1912
campaign and the next president OF
the United States
Senator Smith analysed the situation
throughout the country and showed
how woodrow Wilson is running ev-
erywhere and that the race for the
Democratic nomination is between
Speaker Champ Clark and Gov. Wood
row Wilson. with Wilson far in the
lead
Underwood is not running except IN
two or three states" said the sena-
tor. where they are trying 10 use his
name 10 defeat the first southern man
who. in so years. has had chance
for the nomination. and when that man
is the only man who can lead the par
~ TO victory"
Senator smiths speech in full fol-
lows.
NJ Chairman. Ladies and Gentlemen:
II is a great pleasure to me 10 see you
all tonight II is q great pleasure 10
be here on this occasion when for the
first time for so years q candidate for
the presidency has come before the
people OF Georgia to address them
when not only a candidate for president
has come here. but when feel sure that
after Georgia does approve Of him FIRST
and declares in favor OF his nomination,
his nomination will follow and his cleo
ton will be assured
I am not here to discuss local poll
tics or to take part in local politics /
md all / can do in the office 10 which
the people OF Georgia have assigned
me I have reached a conclusion. after
great elaboration about what the DEM
ocratfc party can and ought to do 1
have had unusual opportunities to form
an opinion within the past four months
in Washington city. and l feel that my
fellow citizens Of Georgia are entitled
20 hear what I have learned
1 wish 10 say at the outset that
have no interest in the election OF
Democratic president that you do not
have. He has nothing that he can give
that to me would take the place of your
commission. Ny conclusions about what
the party ought to do were not formed
by preconceived views / believed that
the interests OF the entire country de-
handed the election OF a Democrat and
I undertook 70 find out who would be
the strongest candidate and who was
in a position today 10 serve his country
best
1 talked to senator's from the Pacific
to the Atlantic. from the lakes 10 the
gulf, I talked 20 visitors in Washing
ton. and I was forced to the conclusion
that the people were interested in the
tariff, especially north Of the Potomac,
but that they were interested in other
questions as we'll The fixed conviction
was taking hold Of them north OF the
Potomac that they were not receiving
entitled to-that political bosses, in ALI
ance with special interests were con-
trolling legislators ana keeping the
mass OF the people out Of their rights
I found that all through the north, the
middle states and the west. there was
a deep ana stated purpose TO elect
president who would help them 70 get
away from the evils BY which they were
burdened I found that all over the
country one man in the Democratic
party, above all others. had caught the
popular imagination and won their love
and esteem I knew his record and
knew he deserved it Let me give that
record 10 you
Born in Virginia. The people
throughout the land are glad to turn
again 70 the birthplace Of Washing
ton. OF JEFFERSON. OF Madison. and Of
Monroe. and go back to the old days
His boyhood spent in Georgia His
college training received at the uni
versity OF Virginia And admitted 10
the bar in Georgia That don't hurt
him north OF the Potomac The great
heart OF the American people today is
asking for the man and not question:
in5 about where he comes from
NOTHING UNKIND TO SAY.
became satisfied that he was the
ra~HfHnfn let refer 70
the others just for a moment About
neither OF them viii I say anything
disparaging. Z expect I ought 20 men
ton Mr.. Underwood Here in Georgia,
although away from Georgia / would
not do so. For eighteen years in col
gress he has been doing his duty
quietly and well, but he has never az
tracted the attention Of the people
until the last few months AS
chairman OF the ways and means COM
mittee under a new arrangement Of
congress. which he obtained because
he was the senior Democrat on the
committee. he became conspicuous, and
he has made a good chairman. He has
had this position but q short time.
The great part Of the people do not
know him. He has not had an oppor-
tunity TO stand out boldly on one or
the great questions OF human rig1ts
that are moving the American people
today. He is not. I tell you candidly,
running IN any states except one OF
two down here. and he is not seriously
counted as a candidate.
I come now TO the governor Of Ohio.
I think him a splendid man, a man
who absolutely enjoys my confidence.
But unfortunately a great part OF the
Democrats OF the country have become
persuaded that he does not stand for
the rights OF the masses Of the people.
i do not think ii does him justice. bur
the conviction having been formed he
is not available for a candidate. He is
not making any progress as a canji-
date.
And now I come TO the third candi-
date, between whom and Governor
Wilson the race is taking place-the
speaker OF the house-an honest.
splendid. open-minded Democrat one
OF the best platform and chautauqua
lecturers in America without any
executive experience, without any spe-
cial training for the work Of an execu-
tive. a most charming talker. The
trouble is that you are afraid to 1T
such great takers up in a campaign.
He announced last year that he was in
favor OF annexing Canada. at the time
Of the reciprocity movement. and Can
ada defeated reciprocity at the polls
a.. very short order.
HOW THE STATES HAVE VOTED.
In Oklahoma the ma ority OF the dis