Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-10-16
Woodward. Chambers.
Woodward Shows
He Can "COme Back"

!
| "Cncle Jim" WoodWa DIS vote yes
to-day is said to be the largest vote he
! has ever received in any race, and yes
te,day marked his eighth race for
mayor
After serving in council he fist ran
for mayor against John s. Goodwin
and was defeated.
Undiscouraged, he opposed E. w
Martin for the Office few years later
and won by a good vote.
Captain Evan F. Howell then de
feated him.
But Uncle Jim" was in the fight at
! the next primary ana easily won over
the late Harry Stockdel.
his next ace was against Joe Hiscl
and Tom Goodwin. and he got ma
iority over both OF them. which gave
him the nomination. Unpleasant things
happened. however. which led to an in
dependent candidate being brought out
against him, and Robert F. Maddox was
elected in the general election by an
oN erw heming majority.
! VIM Defeats Him.
| 1t seemed that James G. Woodward's
day was done, but Uncle jim launch
ed forth with his old time confidence in
race against Courtiand S. VIM,
Mayor Winn beat him by big ma
| jc'ity.
When this campaign began things
| looked brighter for Mr.. Woodward than
they had for years. In his announce
ment statement he asserted that po-
litical ring was getting control of the
city and county governments and that
one OF his opponents, Aliine Chambers,
was the boss Of it.
He was the aggressor all through the
campaign and although his opponents
made one Of the most vigorous fights
Atlanta has ever seen. woodward was
picked the winner by the political
"douesters" from the beginning.
| Uncle Jim" Woodward always has
stood as the leader of the common peo-
pie He probably is the most interest
ing character in Atlanta. Without So
cial prestige or money, he is powerful
in politics Though he has not run for
every term of the mayoralty since his
! first race, he has been actively identi-
fed with politics in Atlanta for %
years.
Always Sees Voters Personally.
| Not an unusually strong speaker,
Uncle Jim" has campaigned for years
Thy seeing the voters man to man. He
has a magnetic personality. u rugged
character and an outspoken manner
that is a nightmare 10 every other
aSpivant to the uayoralty.
One interesting campaign story clear
Ily Illustrated the temper OF MIR. Wood
ward as an executive. When he was
mayor the last time the city was tigur-
ling with q railroad company on build
| ing an overhead bridge. The president
of the RAILROAD had been insisting on
Eeertain terms for many weeks One
| day he went 70 the mayors Office 10
iiEy and close upthe matter.
Mayor Woodward had grown impa-
tiept a the delays He listened to the
railroad pres ident's, story once more.
Then striking his desk With his fist and
rising from his seat, he declared
This city is not a Nashville nor a
| Memphis, You don't own this town nor
this council. You viii build this bridge
according to Atlantss terms"
And right on the spot the railroad
! president agreed 10 the terms.
Victor Is SO Years Old.
Actually the mayor Of Atlanta hasn't
much authority over the various de
| pa4 tments. He Is one Of the twelve
members OF the police commission
which has charge OF the police DEPART
ment. But nominaliy the mayor is tn
| head OF all the city departments
Uncle Jim" Woodward uses all his
prerogatiVes as mayor to the utmost
Several OF the city officials who have
fought him through the years are
| trembling in theig shoes today
Mr. Woodward was born in Ma ietta
Ga, IS years ago. When a Young man
he became printer and worked on The
New York Herald before the war
For a numbe of wears ne Uo. ked as
q printer on Atlanta newspapers, Then
he went into politics and when not in
public Office he has conducted a real
estate rental agency