Atlanta Georgian., 1914-02-20

introducing To-Day lot an t&ttuutu
vaudeville engagement, dear readers,
our old friend. Strenuous State Wide
Politics.
The lid is off in Georgia, with the
accent on the off There win 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 unprejudiced 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, If one side
wins them all, win come mighty near
sewing up Georgia politically for
years to come.
Also, as General Sir Redvers Bull
lard would have expressed IL, I'VE re-
gret TO report" that those ancient but
still active and agile performers, joe
broWnism and Hokesmitpism, VIII
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 Tor
the unexptre1 term of Senator Bacon,
there came into the minds of folks
who speak right out loud In meeting
whatever 1t Is they have in mind the
suggestion OF a challenge full, fair
and free 10 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
Hardwicks announcement, abundant
ly clear.
In either event, Governor Slaton
win be up against a lineup with
which ne Is reasonably familiarl
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 swapped for two United
states Senatorships?
Wherefore, it win be observed that,
In the get-away-that is. in Mr.. Hard
Nicks announcement for the Senate
there is much big politics,
If Governor Slaton enters the race
for the Senate that will 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
Slatonite
And. therefore. in the event of his
candidacy for the Governorship there
viii be a compact lineup of Smith
ties, headed by the Senator himself
and hanked by Hardwick for the
short term Senatorship and Fielder
for the Governorship!
Fine and landy business, too-if it
can be batted over!
p.t introauc{po bara 4Lat furio,,s
ly funny old clown, "But"-while all
this is going on. the Slatou\ camp
likely is not mapping. Far be it from
suchl
The Governor may resolve that. in
asmuch as he has been thus chal-
enged. he will not try for the short
term anyway, as IL 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 Hardwiclk's steel. from
the hosts of the Slatonites 1t might
mean Little Joe" himself.
Brr-r-r-r-r!
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 tight, with Senator Smith
and the Smith following on the one
hand, and Governor Slaton and the
Slaton- Brown following on the other,
II seems more than likely that the
contest may assume a national as
pect, for it probably would be made
national administration matter.
In other words. both Senator Smith
and Congressman Hardwick are very
close TO the President, and he would,