Atlanta Georgian., 1914-02-20
POLITICIANS
WATCH FOR
NEXT MOVE
Announcement Of Congressman
Proves BombsheII, and Is
Greeted in Silence.

The disclosure of Congressman
Thomas W. Hardwick's intention to
be a candidate for the unexpired term
OF Senator Bacon, as set forth in The
Georgian of Thursday, proved to be
something OF a bombshell among the
politicians of the State.
Since 1t exploded a dense and heavy
silence has fallen over the rival
camps. and every person concerned
apparently is anxiously awaiting the
next move, all seemingly hoping 1t is
the other fellows and not his.
About the hotel lobbies there
cropped out disposition among some
observers, as the news soaked in, to
suspect that Congressman Hard
wick's fiat footed declaration OF his
intention to run. made 10 more than
half a dozen well-known people in
Atlanta Wednesday, was not intended
altogether as a honest to goodness
and .don't-you make any mistake
about-ft matter. but that 1t was de-
signed more as ''feeler." to see what
II might bring forth over in the Capt.
tol, for instance, wherein John Mar
shall Siaton is attending rather close
ly to the business of governing the
State of Georgia.
Governor and Friends Silent.
II that was its real purpose-and
the majority opinion is that It was
not thn r~s,,tt ,,ro.d,,oad - tha "a nj
tol seems not to have been unduly
exciting or spectacularly astonishing.
So far, the Hardwick suggestion has
failed to bring forth from the Gov
ernor or his friends anything more
than silence.
OF primary Importance, to be sure,
is the matter of the temporary Sena-
torial succession. Those who keep
tab the closest on this matter still
incline to see John T. Boifeuillet, OF
Macon, as the most likely winner,
but they are laying no odds on it at
that.
Close seconds to Boifeuillet are
William w. Osborne, of Savannah;
Clark Howell. of Atlanta, and dozen
others with well developed booms
Admittedly the keynote to the fu-
ture line-ups, both as to the next
Governorship and the two Senatorial
John M. Slaton, Governor of Georgia.
Crisis Up to SIaton.
Until he speaks and settles the
temporary Senatorship, which he Will
do without unnecessary delay, there
will be more or less resting on oars
among the politicians.
Assuming that Congressman Hard
wick's determination to run Is fixed
and unaHerable and altogether sim
cere, which conclusion prevails
among at least four out Of five OBJ
servers, then It plainly is "up to the
Governor" and probably was delib-
erately intended thus to be put up.
II Governor Slaton means to stand
for another term in the Governorship,
that will mean, in all likelihood, the
naming OF temporary Senator with
the purpose Of having him succeed
himself. II also will mean no Gov
ernorship scramble, and consequent
ly a different character of Senatorial
races.
Several Angles" Presented.
II the Governor intends running
for Senator Bacon's unexpired term.
that will mean a different character
of temporary Senatorial appointment,
a fight for the Governorship, and
either a double barrel or single-ba
rel Senatorial race.
II the Governor intends running for
the full term against Senator Smith.
that would mean a still different sort
OF temporary Senatorial appointment,
a fight for the Gover1orship, and un-
doubtedly a double barrel Senatorial
race.
In these circumstances a dense 81
lence has fallen over the rival camps,
as aforesaid, while the matter OF the
temporary Senatorship is being
threshed out and the Executive mind
is being made up as to the further
course of Governor SlRton