Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-03-12
7. G. HUDSON STATES
PLATFORM ON WHICH
RUNS FOR GOVERNOR
Better Rural Free Schools,
More Agricultural EducatiOnr
Good Roads to Remote Sec
TONS Among the PIankS

upon which Thomas G. Hudson. Of
Americas, establishes his candidacy for
the governors chair OF Georgia
The platform is unusually brief. but
It touches upon all of the vital ques-
tions that are now before the people OF
this state.
Mr.. Hudson takes a positive stand
for improved conditions among the
rural free scholastic backwocdsl
schools that were so long neglected and
that are Just now assuming their real
relative Importance. He advocates spe-
cial training of the young farmers;
praises the work done by the state
college of agriculture and urges its
generous maintenance and liberal
equipment, and commends the United
States farm demonstration work to the
people Of Georgia
Prompt and adequate pay for the
teachers in the employ OF the state. or
whose salaries are paid in part by the
state, is another Of Mr.. Hudson's plat
form planks. School books, he says.
should be furnished to school children
at cost, opening the doors Of education
to thousands OF children whose par
ents find the buying of their books too
heavy a burden
Good roads form another plank in
Mr.. Hudson's platform. He commends
convicts on her roads, and contends
that the remoter sections should share
impartiaIly with more important ones
in the benefits of good roads
Mr.. Hudson further takes the posi-
ton that United States senator's should
be elected by popular vote; that the
Georgia railroad commission, as 1t IS
now constituted, should be maintained
in all of it's integrity; that the office
Oh bo al to.
watch the spenpding of Georgias mon
ey; that fair and adequate salaries
should be substituted for public Off
GERS fees, which are now too meager
in more cases than they are too rich:
that the laws of Georgia should be en-
forced impartially. and that the gov
ernor should use his pardoning power
rarely and with much discretion.
Mr. Hudson takes occasion in his
platform to felicitate the state upon
the harmonious relations now existing
between capital and organized labor, at
trfbuting this condition to the high
type of labor represented in Georgia,
and contrasting it with the disturbed
conditions that exist in other parts OF
the country.
Here is the platform in full:
In announcing a platform it IS Inn
possible to cover every question which
gia with any degree -eloheFatioz-aHd--
shall confine myself TO a brief dis
cussion of some of the important pub
lie matters which are now in the pub
lie mind. Should other questions arise,
will endeavor to deal with them TO
the best of my ability. It may be pos
sible, in announcing this short plat
form of principles. that have over
looked some matter which may seem
to some important, but it is impos-
sible for me TO cover every conceivable
question, and I shall limit myself to
dealing with those which 1 deem most
important
First, as to rural schools and higher
education. We all agree that one Of the
paramount questions which confronts
government today is that of education.
without an intelligent citizenry no de-
mOcracy is safe. 1t is agreed by all
right-thinking people that the best way
to build up an intelligent citizenry Is
through the public school system. AZ
a great majority Of the people of Cieor-
gia live in the rural districts it shall be
my policy, ii elected, to do everything in
my power to improve the conditions OF
rural free schools.
In this connection, it has been my be-
lief for many years that agricultural edu-
cation should be made one of the fea-
lures of our system of free schools, and
all that can do toward this end viii be
done.
The degree of efficiency which has been
attained by the State Agricultural col
lege at Athens has made that institution
one of the most valuable assets of the
state 1t has proven itself capable Of
incalculable benefit to Georgia farmers
Of the old and new generations. This
college should be adequately equipped
and generously maintained. The II dis
should also be literally provided for and
encouraged in the valuable work they
are doing.
The state should in eevry way posi-
BILE encourage and cooperate with the
United States farm demonstration work
This work has been of great benefit to
our farming and business interests.
Related to this question Of public edu-
cation is the question of prompt and
adequate pay for our faithful teachers.
Teachers are essential to schools. and
il is impossible for the state to secure
the best class of teachers unless it pays
them sufficiently. 1t shall be my con-
slant aim, If elected, to work toward
prompt payment of those teachers with
out submitting them to the humiliating
experience of discounting their small
salaries in order to exc out an existence.
They should be well paid and promptly
paid.
favor some plan by which the state
of Georgia can arrange to furnish school
books TO children attending the public
schools of Georgia, at the actual cost
of publishing. The WISDOM OF our
legislators should certainly be adequate
to devise some plan by which this re-
suit can be accomplished.
Good roads are essential to civiliza-
ton. No subject which confronts our
people today is of more Importance than
that of good roads. 1 am IN favor of the
federal government appropriating mon
ey for the building of good roads II all
of the money which is wasted on fed
eral pensions and the building of bat
tleships in one year should be expended
on the roads of our country, it would
be sufficient to build great highways
from the lakes to the gulf and from
the Atlantic to the Pacific and through
every state in the union and maintain
them for ten years to come.
No man is benefited by good roads as
much as the farmer. A calculation OF
the wear and tear and extra effort Oh
stock and wagons, when used on some
of our roads as they now exist, as COM
pared to the cost of this wear and
tear and the time saved upon good
and well-paved roads, would show an