Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-06

mace IN the StFlke Dy the street
car employees in Augusta.
note that Il has been said that
should not at this late day have
stirred up this matter, thus re-
newing dissenson among the peo-
pie; but call your attention to
the fact that the present session
Of the General Assembly is the
FIRST that has been held since the
occurrence of the strikes on the
Augusta street car line and the
Georgia Railroad. Hence, this
was the first opportunity l had
for officially notifying the Gen
eral Assembly OF these two glar-
ing acts OF disregard of the
States authority and Of the ne
cessity Of enacting such laws as
would protect the public against
their recurrence.
Since the publication OF ex-
tracts OF the message / have re-
ceived a multitude OF letters from
people in Georgia and about a
dozen other States wherein my
position is inoorsed and state
ments are made that the labor
unions exactlons are becoming
almost unbearable
Thus far the labor union and
its few newspaper advocates are
alone in criticising the stand
which the oath OF Office made It
my duty to take. From these
note that have killed myself
politically"
Never Considered Politics.
AS to that act of So styled pO-
litical suicide, | will remark that
II never occurred to me to con-
slider any political bearing In the
case. But, now that the point has
been raised, | will observe that
there was matter of gratitude
to the people OF Georgia. which
may even be styled political graf
itude, which. / confess. swayed
me. refer to the fact that the
voters OF this State have twice
conferred upon me the supreme
honor in their gift.
Nothing which they control
compares in esponsibility, in dig
nifty and eminenCe with the gov
ernorship,
Therefore, with my reward al
ready bestowed. they had the
right to expect and demand that |
would safeguard their interests,
oblivious to inducements or
threats My duty was plain.
Now, there is one point which
must ask you TO bear especial
ly in mind. / refer to the fact
that there are thousands of MEM
bers of the labor union in Geor-
gia who are golden hearted in
their love of the State and of their
fellow citizens.
But they have not appreciated
the fact that in reSorting to the
process of strike they have put
themselves in direct rebellion to
the laws OF the State. They have
not appreciated the fact that they
are the victims of a system which
holds itself above the law
The strike status is not Of
Georgia. 1t is a foreign impor-
tation. Its aims are the securing
of preference by force. Its at
tempts are the control and viz
tual ownership of the property
which others own and upon
which those others are required
10 pay taxes TO the State
Its Concomitant is almost in
variably violence to the persons Of
those who obey the laws in per-
forming the duties which the
strikers refuse to do, and fire.
quently in damage to or destruc-
ton of property which they have
temporarily abandoned for use
but over which they keep a hostile
guard
No Preference Is Shown.
Among these members Of the
labor union are a number of my
friends of a lifetime To oblige
them I would go to any honora-
bic lengths in my power. and l
feel sure that l hold their reCip-
roCal regard. Yet, probably the
highest duty / owe them is to
make clear to their minds the
fact that they should not allow
themselves To be deceived into
doing deeds which in their es-
sence are antagonistiC to the very
genius OF our laws, and which, II
tolerated. will breed anarchy. in
which they will ultimately be
among the worst sufferers.
Il is needless TO say that the
State will not allow any class TO
have preference over others.
bvav u
shall Cypress labor. nor does she
intend that labor shall rob or de-
stroy capital. and she is very far
from intending that the allies Of