Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-11
81 JAMES B. NEYTN

While the question, What will Sla-
minds of many politicians in GeoT-
gia nowadays, of more immediate mo-
ment, perhaps, is What will the State
Democratic Committee do?"
As a r tier of fact it will be more
or less difficult TO get a really straight
line on other things until that hon
orable body has been assembled. and
has stated exactly what rules and reg
ulations shall prevail in the matter
of determining, by primary elections,
just how the various political plums
shall be distributed this year.
Considering the case of the two
proclaimed candidates for the unex-
pircd term of Senator Bacon, for IN
stance, and figuring on that matter it
makes a mighty difference whether
the State committee shall call 4
straightaWay county unit or plurality
primary.
Suppose a county unit primarq
should be called, and tn. race for the
short term in the Senate must DE
fought out along that line Suppose,
further, that the candidates entered in
that race eventually should figure
down to Hardwick, Fielder and Si1-
ton.
ON the surface of things, it would
look as il Slaton stood to win that
Highland yet.
If Fielder and Hardwick could mus
ter enough county unit votes between
them in the convention to block Sl9-
ton, eithsr one might combine with
the other in the convention and nomi-
nate an att Slaton man-either F'e!d
er, or Hardwick, or some dark
horse
In other words TO throw the nomi-
nation into the convention, with two
anti Slaton men holding, combined, a
majority vote of the convention, in
evitably world result In an anti-S'l-
ton nomination, Notwithstanding tne
fact that Slaton might have far more
county unit votes than either one o.
his anita gonists, standing alone.
Whether the co. mittee, therefore,
calls a county unit or a plurality prl
mary makes a very great deal of diff
ference, and may go a long way To-
ward determining the real charac "r
of the fractional fight, now seemingly
sure to arrive, from tn question {
whether Senator Smith shall have OPP
position On down or up the line, as
the case NAV be.
Presumably, the committee will
meet soor. but there is nothing sure
ly indicating when IT will meet
Untp it does meet, however, things
ljkeh viii be kept more or less at
soa-and necessarily so.
Colonel Jesse Perry, private secre-
tary to the Governor. has one friend
who likely viii not get gay with the
Executive Department again GER
tanly not soon
This friend had a way Of calling
Periy over the phone every now and
then. and invariably he asked the eX-
change operator for "the biggest
crook i'm the Capitol" The exchange
operator long ago got wise to the
joke and when this friend of Perry
called for said biggest crook in the
Capitol he got Perry without more
ado.
Recently. however. he called thus
wise for Perry, and the Governor an
swered the phone,
"Uelo." said the Governor.
"Hello, crook" said Perry's pal.
"Slr, What did you say?" said the
Governor.
How many crooked deals have you
pulled thus far to-day2' inquired the
voice.
81 guess you have the wrong num-
ber-this is John NJ. Slaton, Cover
nor Of Georgia. said the Executive,
with more or less frigidity of tone.
Good, Lord" said the other party
u thought you were Jesse Perry
please eXCu-"
Perry? Humph." said the Cover
nor, hanging up the phone
"You Fulton County folks are more
Or less amusing" said a well known
South Georgian to-day, discussing
certain acute situations In Atlanta
and in nothing. ! think, more than
In your attitude toward your churches
and your politics.
81 SEQ it stated. for Instance, 'ha
your churches now are saying to their I
nembers-or some Of thcm--"Nop {
must not belong TO a locker club tina /
iispenses liquor Illegally but so Ions
as The liquor dispensed is not dis
lcosed Illegally w hy-0ei that is "a .
cast, debat1be ground
Nov, no city other than Atlanta