Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-08-26
HoaO Workman1y Patriotism
Chooses a Senator .

nee upon time the citizens of
I great State were called upon to Sc
lect a lawyer to represent them at
the nations capital in certain highly i'm
portant interests, matters involving their
farms and factories their highways and
ports, their stores and banks and schools,
their common prosperity and well-being.
For this unusually responsible commission
three men were proposed. One was erratlc
and given over to the sensational, head
long adventurer incapable of cooperating
in constructive tasks, bent ever upon tear
ing down and kindling fires Of strife. An
other was a novice, as far as the grave
duties were concerned, and moreover was
entangled with interests of a narrow and
bitterly partizan nature. The other was
man of seasoned wisdom and Of ripe expe-
rience in the very matters to be dali with,
constructive personality with established
position and influence among those with
whom he would have to do in representing
his clients, an attorney and counselor whose
sbility stood proved by an almost unex-
ampled record Of efficient service. Which
OF the three, think you, was chosen?
The people of Georgia are called upon to
select as United States Senator the candi-
date who by virtue of ability, experience
and demonstrated worth is best qualified to
serve their momentous interests. They
have too much at stake as business men
and farmers, too much at stake as bread
winners and taxpayers to settle this queS
ton upon the shifting sands of factionism
or prejudice or upon any ground less sure
than reason and justice. A South Georgia
f0 no
declares: eve should go about our politics
as about any other important business,
and not make the political field brawling
place that leaves even the victor in such
a state, of mind that he is hardly fit to
handle our affairs impartially.'
Far from yielding to passion in politics,
especially where the matters involved are
Of such import as in the forthcoming Sena-
,orlal primary, men should summon their
coolest and keenest and highest judgment
10 the issues. They should be not a whit
less businesslike than in weighing the prob
lens Of office or shop or field not whit
ess watchful than in making an invest
nent; not whit less patriotic than in re-
spending to a call to their country's COL
~ors. Some there are who would have us
tecide the contest in the temper of politi-
,al feud1sts, subordinating our great in
terests and duties as citizens to the pet
test OF partizan impulses. But this is not
the attitude of the thinking majority. 1t
lie not the attitude of that well-poised and
happily numerous element Of the State
press for whom the Albany Herald speaks
when 1t says by way of comment on it's
correspondents timely remark:
Senator Smith has proved his ability.
He is capable of dealing with big pub
lie questions and is a forcefu1 factor
in national affairs, despite the rather
amusing insistence of some of his en-
emies that he no longer has influence
in the senate. The truth is that he
has great influence and that is one of
the irrefutable arguments against Geor-
gia's casting him aside while under the
influence of the hot factionalism now
raging in the state. No southern state
has more influential representative
in the congress than Senator Smith. We
do not approve all that he does, and
when that is the case we do not hest
tate to express our disapproval. But we
refuse to lose sight of that greater in
terest which lies in the fact that Sena-
tor Smith serve Georgia more ably
and efficiently than any other man for
whom the senator m light be displaced.
This is the view of practical wisdom. 1t
is the view of practical patriotism. 1t is
would take if called upon to select the
ablest of three lawyers to represent the
Stats common interests at Washington. The
people of Georgia know that Senator Smith
has served them with unfailing efficiency
and that of the candidates now before
them he is prominently best fitted to serve
them in the momentous times ahead. They
cannot afford to displace constructive abil-
ty for pell-mell radicalism, nor seasoned
kill for rambling inexperience.