The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-12
DORSEY EXPECTS TO
BEAT HOKE SMITH
Gcorgia's Political o Caldron
Sccthes as Battle for Senate
Seat Nears.
WATSON TO AID GOVERNOR
Frank Case Prosecutor Gains
Strength From Senator in
Country Districts.

SOuhts DiotlICbSs
ATLANTA, May 11.-Georgia politics
has begun TO scethe already with the
prospect OF a red hot political battle
between Hoke Smith and Gov Hugh
NJ Dorsey for the United States Sem
ate. Senator Smiths term will expire
on March 3. 1921, and while Gov. Dor
sey has not yet made n definite an
nouncement of his candidacy, his
friends here and many OF his stanchest
political supporters say that he will
enter the ring against Senator Smith
and that he will emerge from the con-
fict with the Senator's scalp dangling
from his belt. And from the serious
ness with which the people of Georgia
take their politics, n race between Gov
Dorsey and Senator Smith probably will
he one OF the most bitterly fought cam
paigns this State has seen in many
years
In view of the fact that Gov. Dorsey
is apparently repairing his political
fences and getting all his forces ready
for the campaign. politicians are begin
ming 10 bark back to the days of 1916,
when Mr.. Dorsey, fresh' from the i'm
mense popularity which he gained dur
case, was nominated Governor BY a
large majority over the then Gov. Nate
n Harris. Even then lit was generally
known that Mr.. Dorsey had his politi-
cal eyes and ears open for a call to
Washington. although It was not gen.
orally believed at that time that he
would dare enter the lists against Sena-
tor Smith. whose election to the Senate
appeared to have become almost a Geor-
gia habit
II will be recalled that Immediately
after Mr. Dorsey was nominated for
Governor by the State Democratic Con-
veDtion In Macon in 1916 he launched
an attack against Senator Smith and
Senator Hardwick and intimated plain
" that he would be q candidate for the
paper house of Congress In the not
distant future. ,-'
Some Predict Dorsey Victory.
Many political experts in Georgia be-
lieve that Gov Dorsey will not only give
Senator Smith a hard fight. but that he
will defeat the veteran The present
Governor, through his prosecution Of the
Frank case and the fact that Franks
conviction of the murder Of Mary Pha-
gan was due almost entirely to his pcr-
sonal effort. entered office as one of the
ever had. His enemies. both political
and personal. asserted all during his
candidacy that he was trading on his
reputation gained In the Frank case. and
that he had no real ability. AS a matter
Of fact Gov. Dorsey has gained in popu-
larity instead of losing. His political
supporters insist that his record Is such
that Senator Smith will find 1t hard to
dig up anything to use as campaign ma
terial
What IS most disturbing to Senator
Smith and his supporters is the fact
that Gov. Dorsey's original popularity
and the popularity which he has gained
since becoming Governor was and Is
much in evidence In the country districts.
heretofore regarded as Senator Smiths
private political preserves. Senator
Smith has always been the cotton farm
ers and the plain mans candidate.
His popularity in the country, coupled
with the fact that Georgia operates her
nominating conventions under anarchaic
and rather curious county unit system.
has made him virtually undefeatable.
In former elections. with the exception
Of the one in which Joe Brown was
elected Governor. he has controlled the
convention and has rolled up tremen-
dous ma jorities.
Politicians who have been feeling the
public pulse out in the country declare
that this is all changed. The people
there still like Hoke Smith, but there
seems to be a growing feeling that he
has had sufficient honors. They believe
that Gov. Dorsey made wonderful rec
ord while Solicitor-General of Fulton
county. and they think that his work
as Governor has been all and more than
could have been expected of him.
In - ,Nxrr a trtR t,Ns hot
have always been solid for Hoke Smith
there is to be found to-day a very de-
cded sentiment In favor OF Gov. Dorsey.
And n the cities and towns Gov Dorsey
has always been popular. and his energy
in seeing that Georgia did her part to-
ward winning the war has increased
this popularity.
Gov. Dorsey in the 1916 election for
Governor-that is. In the primary. which
is equivalent to election-polled 111,335
votes, or 40.7S9 more than his nearest
opponent, Nate n. Harris, who was
then Governor, and carried 1929 coun-
ties under the county unit plan.
Unit system May InJure Smith.
This county unit plan. which has al
ways been the one best bet of the Hoke
Smith political machine, is likely to
prove a boomerang because of Dorsey's
increasing popularity In the country.
Under II the counties send delegates to
the State convention, supposedly on the
basis of population, instructed accord
ing to the vote for the different candi-
dates. on the face of It that would
seem to work out about the same as the
popular voting method. but on the con-
'rary 1t often works out exactly oppo-
site, and it does not always follow that
man is nominated even though he
happens TO receive the highest popular
vote
An instance of how It operates is the
last Senatorial election, when former
Gov John NJ. Slaton opposed Thomas
W. Hardwick and other candidates.
Gov Slaton had a plurality of the popu-
lar vote Of the State. but he came
INTO the convention lacking control
OF enough counties to insure his nomina-
lion, and Senator Hardwick got the plum.
IN some OF the counties where Slaton got
me majority OF the popular vote the 9TH
e's got enough votes to split the delega-
uo"S. some OF the members being in
hFleted for Slaton and some for other
Graduates.
!. IS probable, too that in his fight
against Senator Smith Gov, Dorsey will
ts'e tho support of Tom Watson and
we Watson following. Up in the North
ueIe is an idea that wisconsin Is
merely byword in Georgia, but never
u'.esS the fighting Populist has enough
supporters here, and there are enough
people who read the ,Jenersontat and
IAFe il rather literally. TO make 1t we'll
worth while to consider them In any
20 lttGa' ScraD