Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-20


vaudeville engagement, dear readers,
our old friend, Strenuous Statewide
Pollticsl
The lid is off in Georgia. with the
accent on the off There will be more
grand, gloomy and peculiar things TO
come to pass in Georgia politics for
the next six months or so than ever
were dreamed OF in Horatio's, or any
body else's, philosophy
Unless this truly unpretudlced ana
untrammeled scribe misses his first
guess, the battle is destined to re-
solve itself into a titanic struggle
for mastery of two Senatorships and
Governorship, which, II one side
wins them all, will come mighty near
sewing up Georgia politically for
years to come.
Also, as General Sir Redvers Bull
lard would nave expressed it, I'VE re-
greet to report" that those ancient b0t
still active and agile performers, joe
brownism and Hokesmithism, will
cut much and many slices of Ice in
the proceedings
With the announcement Of Thomas
w. Hardwick. Senator Smiths right
bower in Georgia, as candidate for
the unexpired term of Senator Bacon,
there came into the minds of folks
who speak right out loud in meeting
whatever II liz they have in mind, the
suggestion of a challenge, full, fair
and free to Governor Slaton to come
on in, where the water is fine"
II Governor Slaton is to run for the
Senate, he either must oppose Sena-
tor Smith or Congressman Hardwick
the anti Slaton faction, which, in
less diplomatic language. Is the anti
Joe Brown faction, has made that In
Hardwick's announcement, abundant
ly clear.
In either event, Governor Slaton
will be up against lineup with
which he is reasonably familiar!
OF course, If he elects not to run for
the Senate at all, why. then, the anti
Slatonites should worry
What's another term in the Gov
ernorship snapped for two United
States Scholarships?
Wherefore, 1t win be observed that,
in the get -away-that is, in Mr.. Hard
wick's announcement for the Senate
there is much big politics!
II Governor Slaton enters the race
for the Senate that viii open the
Governorship fight. Awaiting the
drop of that hat, so the story goes, is
Thomas S. Fielder, the present At
torney General.
Passing strange to relate. too, gem
tie reader, Mr.. Fielder Is also some
anti Slatonite.
And, therefore, in the event of his
candidacy for the Governorship there
will be a compact lineup Of Smith
ties, headed by the Senator himself
and Ranked by Hardwick for the
short term Senatorship and Fielder
for the Governorshipl
Fine and dandy business. too-if 1t
can be batted over!
But-introdueing here that furious
" funny old clown, "But"-while all
this is going on, the Slaton camp
likely is not mapping. Far be it from
such
The Governor may resolve that in
asmuch as he has been thus chal-
lenged, he will not try for the short
term. anyway. as 1t was originally
thought he might. but will undertake
the big job OF going after Senator
Smith instead
Here the plot thickens, That would
mean a battle royal, and the time for
small boys to stand from under.
Both men are superb fighters. both
are perfectly at home on the stump
and both have aggressive and mighty
followings.
That, too, would mean a foeman
worthy OF Tom Hardwick's steel, from
the hosts of the Slatonites 1t might
mean Little Joe" himself.
Brr-r-r-r-rl
Maybe. on the other hand, former
Governor Brown would prefer to un-
dertake the Governorship race again
in which regard he has heretofore
been more or less successful.
Then. to oppose Hardwick, there
would be-who? (Tom Watson, please
write,)
II It should come to a straightaway
factional fight. with Senator Smith
and the Smith following on the one
hand and Governor Saton and the
Slaton- Brown following on thsYother.
it seems more than likely that the
contest may assume a national as
peot. for II probably would be made a
national administration matter,
In other words. both Senator Smith
and Congressman Hardwick are very
close to the President, and he would,
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