Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-03-15
A TRANSPARENT TRICK

in the West for the purpose of defeating Woodrow
Wilson for the presidential nomination. No such
brazen effort deceive the people has been tried in
this state since the campaign of 1906, when the
same kind of combination made to defeat Hoke
Smith for the governorship.
In that campaign there we're four candidates
running like brothers in opposition to Smith. For
a time there was a fifth candidate, but he dropped
out In that campaign they apportioned the state
among the different candidates. In certain counties
one candidate to run unopposed by the other
members of the quartet In other counties different
member would run without opposition from the 9TH
ers and so the entire state was apportioned among
the four, the purpose being by means of this COM
bnation to carry enough counties to deadlock or
control the convention, and thereby defeat Hoke
Smith who was clearly the peoples choice
The combination didn't work. The entire crowd
carried twentythree counties while Hoke Smith car
ried one hundred and twenty-five; and the net result
of this memorable contest was the crowd opposing
the choice of the people received about the worst
drubbing bunch of political schemers ever re-
ceived at the hands of the people.
The scheme that was tried in 1906 was precisely
the scheme that is being tried in 1912 for the pres
Dental nomination. Governor Wilson is the choice
of the people of the country. He is far and away
ahead of any other candidate candidates that have
been mentioned for the nomination. He is a man VINO
cannot be controlled by the politicians therefore he
not acceptable TO the III desperation
they have resolved try the combination trick in
order to head him off, They have apportioned the
country between their three candidates. To Under
wood they have assigned the Southern States; to
Harmon the Northern States and to Clark the West
ern States The plan is that Underwood will receive
no opposition but the contrary will receive all
the assistance the friends of the other two pos
sibly render in his effort to get southern delegations
Harmon will receive no opposition from Underwood,
or Clark but will receive the active cooperation of
their friends in his effort to get northern delegations
Clark will have opposition from either Harmon
or Underwood in the West, but will have the active
cooperation of their friends in his effort to secure
western delegations
The hope is that by dividing up in this way add
working the somewhat thread-bare "favorite SON"
racket the combination will be able to control
enough delegations to the Baltimore convention to
prevent Governor Wilson's receiving the nomination.
The Journal has charged that such combination
exists, and it is not denied 1t is admitted
that Harmon and Clark do not even propose to open
campaign headquarters in Georgia. but will leave the
field to Underwood.
They say it is courtesy to Underwood" to make
no contest with him for the Georgia delegation. When
was this new rule of political ethics adopted in
Georgia? Who adopted it? Why was it adopted?
1t is said that Harmon, Clark, and Underwood are
all candidates for the Democratic nomination. None
of them lives in Georgia. Why then should the COM
bnation deem it courtesy due to Underwood that
this state should be left to him without opposition
from the other candidates?
The explanation offered is that the relations be-
tween Georgia and Alabama intimate, and there
fore the other candidates should keep out of Georgia
because Mr. Underwood lives in Alabama This is
about the most absurd proposition that has been adj
vanced Georgia politics in several years at least
They call it courtesy: call it dupEcity-
plain unadulerated dupcity such seems to have
o1ob1o he nO1it
clans. 1t is precisely the trick that has been at
tempted in almost every close political contest in
Georgia. That this combination has been formed is
not surprising but that it should be openly admitted
and charged to the account of courtesy" due to a
candidate in another state is ridiculous that it is
really surprising
1t is due to all three of these candidates-Harmon
Underwood and Clark-to state that DO not be-
lieve they have had any connection with the at
tempted preparation of this scheme the people of
the country We satisfied that any of them would
have had intelligence; besides do not believe
they would encourage tricks intended only deceive
the people whose suffrage they seek
1t is unfortunate for them that overzealous and
misguided friends placing them in position that
be very repugnant to the people of Georgia who
fair play and believe in straight politics. The
truth is one of the worst things against the cand
dacy of any of these gentlemen is the company in
which they are found The old Lineup" of politi
clans is sufficient to defeat any who permits his
candidacy to be managed by them. At least it is so
in Georgia. and fancy it will be entirely sufficient
for the people of this state call their attention
the trick that is being worked, and the company
these candidates have apparently selected.
An Alabama senator seems to be giving a great
deal of attention to the manipulation of Georgia pol
itics the neglect of his senatorial duties The
didacy of Mr.. Underwood Matched in New York
by Alabama editor and two three other people,
as charged by John E. Lathrop the Washington cor
respondent of the Newark News, an Independent pa
per of New Jersey Until it found necessary
to have a Southern candidate, Mr. Underwood
not deemed of sufficient Importance to receive
slight consideration presidential possibility; but
a few political weathercocks discovered along about
December that neither the candidacy of Harmon
Clark would go in the South, but that Wilson
the overwhelming choice of the Southern people, they
therefore concocted the scheme to run Underwood