Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-04-20
THE ATLANTA TRI-wEEKLY JOURNAL.

it's dangerous confusion and the years ahead
safeguarded by a League for conserving peace,
should vote for Senator Hoke Smith on April
the twentieth. His candidacy represents the
reverse of Mr.. Palmer's immoderate and real
ly obstructive position. Senator Smith does
not stand for the covenant in precisely the
form in which it came from Europe; he be-
lieves that certain reservations are essential
to American interests and rights But he
does stand for a covenant that will go long
way toward preventing wars and be, indeed,
greater stride for world harmony than was
hitherto proposed dreamed of. A vote
for him is a vote for speedy and wel-but-
tressed peace. vote for Mr. Palmer is a
vote for prolonged uncertainty and barren
strife.
The fact is, Of course, Mr.. Palmer is not
seriously a candidate for the Presidential
nomination. If his part in the Georgia pri-
mary is motived by anything beyond the de-
signs of factonal clique, it is merely a
feeler of popular sentiment. Now, it's i'm
portance in this connection should not be
overlooked; for by declaring emphatically at
this juncture against the Wretchedly advised
policy which Mr.. Palmer represents, the
Democrats of Georgia will exert a salu-
tary and perhaps determining influence on the
partys and the nations affairs Indeed, it
may be taken for granted that his decisive
defeat in Tuesdays primary will mark the
beginning of the end Of that unyielding stand
against unavoidable reservations, which
blocks the way to peace and readjustment.
But no one who has taken account of political
conditions and developments in the country
at large family imagines Mr.. Palmer's being
nominated for President, much less elected
The outcome of the recent Michigan Demo-
cratic primary was of itself enough to ex-
tinguish any such chance as his promoters
were trying to fan into flame. With no one
aggressively opposing him and with the
States National Committeeman swinging the
party machine into his service, he ran fifth
indy wi
one of every ten votes cast. Mr.. Hoover, Mr.
McAdoo, Mr.. Bryan and Governor Edwards
all far outdistanced him, although they had
asked their friends not to consider them
really in the contest and although Mr.. Pal-
mer had made the most vigorous campaign
of which he and the resourceful politicians
behind him were capable. 1t is commonly
known, moreover, that he is not supported
by the Democracy of his own State, let alone
that of other regions; and 1T is commonly
conceded that the Democratic party would no
more appropriately choose standard bearer
from such Gibraltar of Republlcanlsm as
PENNSYLVANIA than the Republican party
would from Texas or Mississippi.
Georgias senior Senator, on the contrary,
hailing from the heart of the unswervingly
Democratic South and holding far more dis
tinguished and substantial record than that
of any other proposed nominee on either side,
is real candidate with a real cause. In his
own State he represents political progress
and fair play. On national issues he repre-
sents the countrys best-balanced and surest-
visioned thought. His services in behalf of
education have carried his name into every
schoolhouse on the continent. His services
in behalf of agriculture have made him known
in every countryside from the Atlantic to the
Pacific. His truly historic contribution to the
upbuilding of the Far West, when he was
Secretary of the Interior, left lasting i'm
press upon the mind and heart of that region,
His effective fight to protect the joint inter
ests of the Middle West and the South against
grave injury by Northern shipping monopo-
lists, in the matter of rates to our ports, has
won warmest esteem in that great industrial
territory between the Ohio and the Mississippi.
His dependable judgment on difficult eco
nomic questions, as evidenced in his distinc-
tive part in the shaping OF such Legislation
as the Banking and Currency act, commends
him to the confidence of all legitimate busl-
ness big and little alike. His Jealous and
efficient labors in the work of winning the
war both as a member of the Military Al
fairs and other vitality important committees
and also as floor champion OF all the great
war measures, commend hlm-a thousand
times commend him-to every patriots graf
itude Truly national figure he is, DEM
ocrat of Democrats, American OF Amer
leans.
81 am supporting Senator Hoke Smith in
this campaign" writes Vice President Weaver
Of the Georgia Farmers Union, because
regard him as the abIest representative the
agricultural interests ever had in Washing
ton; because think the time has come when
the Democratic South, which furnishes the
votes to elect Democratic Presidents, should
begin to furnish the Presidential nominees;
and because he is qualified in every respect,
by ability and experience, to serve as Presi-
dent of the United States. Assuredly the time
has come when this cradle land of Democracy,
whose never-failing loyalty is the party's very
heart and sinew, deserves recognition in hon
ors we'll. This is not only the just but
also the sensible view, particularly when the
South, and the Empire State of the South,
affords so highly available candidate Sen
ator Eoke Smith.
A petty group of political feudsts have
been ;eviling him with viciousness and talsity
that knew no bounds. They have attributed to
him utterances which he never made and have
condemned him for sentiments which they
themselves are on record as having voiced.
They have tried to distort and beltte his
magnificent record of Var service, when they
themselves, in instances we'll known, hung
Cravenly back while all important issues were
in the balance. They have maligned him be-
cause he has dared think for himself. They
have sia1dered him because he has proved
courageous. But they can never take away
one iota of all that he has done for his COM
monwealth and his country.
There his record stands, written large in
years Of splendid labor, in deeds Of impol ish-
able worth This Georgian who never failed
his people and never fumbled trust, who is
recognized the nation over as one of the great
| figures of the hour and whose views on urgent
| issues commend him to the soundest thought
of the time-shall not his fellow citizens of
| his own beloved State stand by him in Tues
days primary against imported and impos-
! sible candidate from Pennsylvania? The
| Journal knows that in this contest Senator
| Smith deserves to win. We earnestly HOPE
that he will win. We confidently BELIEVE