The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-07
M 'C[ELLAND WILL MAKE THE RACE FOR MAYOR OF ATLANTA Municipal Campaign Will be Made on Basis of Re-
 form This Year
NATIONAL GUARD HAS
 BEEN STRENGTHENED
Governor and Commissioner of Com merce Will Be Chosen By People Wednesday-Mere FOrmali-
 ty-Dallas Job Gone

Atlanta. January 6.-(special.) )-Atlanta is to have municipal campaign this year on the basis of reform. The keynote has already been sounded by Alderman John E. McClelland, who in announcing his candidacy for mayor this year says he proposes to run on a platform of equaliza- ton of taxes and municipal ownership of an electric light plant.
 This announcement has already set other aspirants to thinking. For there is a good proportion of Atlantans whose ear MT. McClelland is certain to get with these propositions.
 Theoretically, all city real estate is sup posed to be assessed on a basis of 60 per cent of market value. It has long been claimed, however, that the GO per cent basis is applied only to the small home and the property owned by the man of lit- tle means, while it is asserted that cen- tral city property is not assessed anything like that amount as rule, if it's value be measured by what it rents for. There has long been demand for reforms along this line, but so far there has been noth- ing in the direction of definite achieve
 
 those who claim to have investigated the matter may be accepted.
 There is no doubt, also, that a city owned electric light plant would appeal to many. The people would SC in it pros pect of reduction in electric bills, and the issue would at least be an attractive one. The present city council, in making It's new electric contract for another five year period, will endeavor to secure reduc- ton in the rates now charged to the general public for lighting and power and upon it's success in this direction may depend in measure the reception given to the issue
 MT. McClelland is the only announced candidate, but Dr. George Brown, a mem Der of the legislature from Fulton, is talking seriously of making the race. | The name of James G. Woodward, often q candidate, has also been mentioned.
 The Georgia National Guard has been considerably strengthened by the organ | ization of i've new companies in Atlanta, completing the fifth regiment infantry en- | tirely in this city.
 These new companies have taken the place of five nonresident companies which have gone into a separate organization Officers have been elected for them, but have only just begun to stand their eo- aminations Their organization will be finally perfected, however, within the next few weeks.
 With those five new companies Adjut. ten. w. G. Obear says the Georgia troops are now stronger than they have been in years. The state national guard is now composed of 45 companies of infantry, five of calvary, four of coast artillery and two of field artillery. and aggregates more than S000 men. The militia receives | an annual appropriation from the state of $25, 600 for armory rents and $1oo,ooo from the national government in equipment and supplies.
 The city of Atlanta is preparing to en- large the auditorium armory building in order to provide more armory space for the additional troops in Atlanta.
 The state executive committee has just | mailed out 3D,O00 ballots for use in the state election to be held next Wednes- | day, at which a governor and commis- sioner of commerce and labor will be chosen by the people.
 This state election, however amounts to | no more than a mere formality, inas- much as the officials who will be elect | ed nave already been nominated in the | state primary held on December ' last | The ballots, therefore contain only inc names of Joseph II. Brown for governor and H. H. Stanley of Dublin for the of- | flee of commissioner of commerce and labor.
 In former elections it has been the cus tom of the state executive committee .o send out only blank ballots and let the county committees have their ballots printed merely as a form This time however, there are no county officials to be chosen and the state committee did the entire job itself with the funds it has in hand from the entrance fees II collected from the candidates.
 The state election of Wednesday will oe followed by a special session of the general assembly which will be held on January 24 for the purpose of inaugural Ing Governor Brown. Governor Slaton will go out of office at that time. put he leaves the office with prospects of A further interesting political power. There appears to be little doubt that Governor Slaton .Wlll be a candidate in the 1912 primary, which will be held the latter part oof August, to succeed Governor Brown as it is pretty we'll understood the lat ter will not make the race again. AL though not prohibited by law from sery- ing as governor again after his coming term, because Governor Smiths term came in between his two terms, Govern or Brown. 1t is said, believes in the spirit as well as the letter of the two term law and will not make another race for that office.
 At the same time with Governor Browns inauguration, Mir. Stanley will take the oath of office as commissioner of com merce and labor, and will at once enter upon it's duties. MT. Stanley, however will not draw any salary until after the meeting of the legislature in June as the legislature which created the new of- flee failed to make an appropriation for paying the salary of the official.
 As the result of the new game law passed at the last session of the legisla- ture, under which Col Jesse Mercer of Fitzgerald was appointed state game and fish warden, Capt. A. T. Dallas of Newman, finds himself out of a job.
 Captain Dallas has long held the position of superintendent of fish and fisheries of Georgia, an office with small emoluments Captain Dallas was appointed under an old law by the state commissioner of agri- culture
 When the new game law was passed however. the question arose as to wheth- CT Colonel Mercer was both game and fish warden This question was put up to Attorney General T. s. Fielder, who de- cided in the affirmative. Since Colonel Mercer is also fish warden, it appears