Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-04-08
MACON AUDIENCE
GIVES OKE SMITH
SPLENDID OVATION
Senator Reviews His Record
and Answers His News
paper DetractorS in HUI
nnorous Vein
BY ROGERS WINTER
CsSaff Correspondent OF The Jouri


tor Hoke Smith will carry Bibb coun-
ty by a good safe margin in the
presidential primary on April 20 was
the general opinion expressed by his
friends with enthusiasm and conf
dence at the close Of his speech
Tuesday night in the Macon audi
forum.
Nowhere else in the present cam
paign has the senator received
more cordial and genuinely enthust-
astic reception than in Macon yes
terday when he arrived. A large dele
cation met him at the station and
escorted him to the hotel. His room
was besieged with callers almost
constantly for several hours. In the
lobby of the Hotel Dempsey he was
greeted by scores of friends. On
every hand We're evidences of the
fact his Macon friends are full of
confidence, full of fighting spirit, and
actively at work in his behalf.
At the city auditorium he was
greeted by one of the best audiences
ever assembled here in a POLITICAL
campaign. Practically the entire
seating capacity was occupied and
men were standing all around the
back and in the aisles and entrances.
The senator held their attention
without a moments pause for an
hour and forty-five minutes. His
speech was along a different line
from some of the others, as it start
ed with discussion in detail Of his
: own record, followed by an answer
in humorous and good-natured, vein
to his newspaper critics, and closed
with a presentation of his reasons
for insisting upon substantial reser-
vations in the League Of Nations
covenant: Although he was not feel
ing at his best when he went to
supper just before the speech. he
exhibited hardly a trace of fatigue
in the course OF his speech, and came
through much better than at Rome
Monday night, which, of course, was
gratifying to his friends, who eau
toned him to conserve his strength
and not to go into the comba. with
so much vigor as to exhaust him
self.
r
support, as said above, before he
came to Macon, he made new friends
and renewed the enthusiasm of his
old friends by his mastery presen-
tatien Of the issues of the eampai gn.
He is being supported in Macon not
only by his leading supporters or
former campaigns, but also BY many
who are new supporters. Probably
the most notable among these Is.
Roland Ellis, the well-known Macon
lawyer, who in previous contests has
delivered many speeches against the
senator.
But last night the senator was in
troduced by Mr.. Ellis in a ringing
speech declaring him to be head and
shoulders above any other man. who
has been mentioned for the presl-
Dental nomination in either party.
although in the past said Mr..
Ellis. II nave usually been associated
with the opponents OF Senator Smith,
I have no apology for standing here
tonight and introducing him to an
audience of my fellow citizens of
Macon and Bib county.
Throughout his career as an am
bassador of a sovereign state in the
United States senate he has always
measured up to the highest stand
ards of ability, courage and states
manship. He has been a true and
faithful and loyal representative of
the interests of his constituents. and
has always been true to the ideals
Of genuine, old-fashioned Democracy.
His qualifications for the high Of
flee Of president of the United
States place him head and shoulders
above all other aspirants in both par
ties. He is a candidate whom Geor-
gia and the south may well be proud
to present to the party. (Enthusias-
tic applause.)
81 have read a good deal lately in
our community press about 'disloy-
atty and the burden Of these argu-
rlents seems to be that a man is
disloyal who refuses to obey the or
ders Of every bureaucrat in Wash
ington who takes a notion to inter-
fere with the rights Of the people.
cloud applause.) do not claim more
than an average measure OF patriot
ism. My father was soldier Of
the Southern Confederacy throughout
the Civ. War. My son was soldier
Of the American Legion under Per-
shing's command on the battle line
in France. l consider myself just
an average citizen, just an average
patriot. And no man can say in
my presence that I am disloyal be-
cause ] Disagree with the ipse diXit
OF some official of the government
or with some loyalty candidate who
demands my Endorsement Of a policy
contrary TO my convictions. Cloud
and prolonged applause)
eve have come again to a period
in American history when the states
must assert their sovereign rights.
More applause.) Senator Smith has
lowered in the senate as an illus
trious exponent of the bedrock prin-
ciples of old-time democracy. Cloud
applause.) He has the ability to
form his own opinions and the cour-
age to assert them when he knows
he may be punished for daring to
differ with the president. Cloud ap-
pIause.)- Again, 1 repeat we may
be proud and the south may be proud
TO present his name to the conVen-
tion as a worthy standard-bearer in
the coming campaign"
The remarks of Mr.. Ellis were de-
livered with a remarkable degree of
earnestness and power. Like scores
of other Georgians whom one en-
counters in journey over the state,
he feels profoundly that the League
of Nations without reservations
would violate the constitution of the
United States; would take from the
congress its freedom of action in
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