Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-09

Superintendent II :. BOWden, of
Blakely. the well-known educator. has
! announced himself candidate for
State School Commissioner. to sue
coed the presen; commissioner. NJ. L.
Britain.
Professor Bowden will have but one
big and insistent plank in his plat
form-State school books. written by
Georgians. printed by the State, TO
be furnished the children at cost.
Tho professor proposes TO 60
straight to the people with this issue,
and says he will stump Georgia from
one end to the other-and they do
say he is some stump speaker, more
over
This issue OF State school books
printed by the State was quite a
lively topic in the Legislature at It's
summer session. and 1t seems that the
matter is to be fought to a finish be-
tween this time and the primaries
next fall.
In his official platform, Professor
Rowden SAYS. Georgia was the firs.
State in the Union to establish a
state University A Georgia instltu-
ton was the first in the world to
confer II Oon a woman college ue-
gree. Then why should not Georgia
be friend 10 her educational seIV-
ants and create market Tor heI
school book writer's by publishing ana
adopting school books written Dy
GeorEians?
The patronage and law OF the
State should be Jealous Of any com
petition that would discount In the
least the ability Of her educators
Instead OF importing school books
Georgia educators should be encour-
aged by the patronage OF her own IN
stitutions to export them.
THE next Legislature should pass
a law abrogating all school book con-
tracts where Georgia authors were
not given a preference, and estaollSh
a protected opportunity for her own
educational servants
No doubt Professor Bowden VIII
he able TO stir up considerable inter
est through this platform, even II ne
does not get elected thereon.
And, anyway. next year bids fair
70 be lively one in politics, and
one can not predict nowadays what
may happen.
The disposition of the Western and
Atlantic Railroad is sure to be one
OF the very liveliest topics Of discus
sion for the next few months, not only
among statesmen, real and near, but
among business men and taxpayers
There is very great and emphatic
diversity OF opinion throughout
Georgia with respect to the State
road. Some think 1t should be re-
leased upon the most advantageous
terms possible; others that 1t should ,
be sold outright, and still others that
It should be extended to the Atlantic
Ocean. and possibly operated by the
State Itself
There is no dispute that the road is
the States biggest and most available
asset In the matter OF disposing OF
II for a new term of years therefore,
there is bound to arise sharp differ
ences Of opinion. and a solution VIII
not be found without difficulty.
One OF the great dangers in the
way OF a businesslike disposition of
the road, perhaps, will be the politics
tiations. There will be subtle jockey
ing for position. to begin whit al
ready has begun.and there Will be
strenuous striving eventually to make
capital OF the thing before 1t Is fin
ished
In the past. two schools OF political
thought in Georgia have squabbled
over the Western and Atlantic road
under the cover
that row still is very much alive,
Any person who doubts that state
ment is not keeping up with things in
Georgia-that's all.
At this very minute one assortment
of partlsans is wondering and plan
ming as to how II can get the other
assortment lin the hole" on the State
road disposition
If the people will keep up with
what is going on, they need not be