Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-06-28


of economy and thrift was promised
his fellow Georgians by Governor
Thomas w. Hardwick in his address
Saturday on the lawn of the state
capitol, after he was sworn in as the
sixty-third governor of Georgia in
the first outdoor inauguration the
state has had since Hoke Smith was
inaugurated governor in 1907.
Governor Hardwick's address was
one Of the shortest on record, devot-
what he construed his election to
mean and what it signified as the
ed chiefly to a general outline of
wish of the people of Georgia.
1t meant, he said, that the people
do not wish "to follow the vague and
indefinite pathway pointed out by a
visionary and dogmatic professor
1t also meant. he asserted, that Geor-
gians desired a return to Democratic
economy in taxation and expendi-
lures.
To this end he pledged his efforts
to put the finances of the state on a
firm and sound footing, not even al
lowing the common schools or Con-
federate veterans pensions dollar
the state could not pay promptly by
just taxation.
He declared that useless boards
and commissions must be swept
Clean" he said that Georgia must
fight her way carefully through the
reconstruction period; he urged
farmers to plant food crops instead
Of cotton, and he concluded with a
denunciation of ,1the recent indlct-
ment of the people Of Georgia con-
corning race relations" an indict-
ment which he characterized as AN
unspeakable SANDER"
Text of Address
His address in full was as fol-
lows: ...
gentlemen o., the General Assem-
bly,, Ladies and Gentlemen:
I'm taking the oath I have just
taken, in assuming the office have
Just assumed, there is but a single
purpose in my mind, and but single
serve the state OF Georgia, desire
to promote the interests, happiness
and Well-being Of all it's people; to
that service 1 pledge the best that
is in my heart and head, and in 1t
| am entitled to the support of all
the people of Georgia without regard
TO political views or factional differ
enceS.
''The election Of last year held a
deep significance both to the repub-
lie and to the state of Georgia; In
the republic it was determined by
majority that swelled into millions,
and swept aside many former party
alignments, that this country is not
to abandon the doctrines and teach
ings of it's great father and foun-
der, the il1ustrious and immortal
Washington, in order to follow. the
vague and uncertain path pointed out
by a visionary and dogn4atic school
teacher. In this state the election
was, if possible, even more impress
sive and even more significant. In
Georgia, the Gibraltar of Democracy,
the only state in the union that even
in the darkest days of civil war re-
construction, never gave the frac,
tional part of one of its electoral
votes to Republican candidate for
president, it was determined not only
in the election of a governor, but
also in the election of a United
States senator, that we would abide
by the wisdom of the founders and
fathers of the republic.
'In our state convention at Macon
the Democratic party of Georgia de-
clared against the League CT Nations
and for the old-fashioued American
ism of our fathers, and in so doing
overwhelming sentiment of vast
majority of the people Of the United
States, as was evidenced in the last
election. That election settled for
eign policy of this country. That
Georgia. without leaving her Demo-
cratic mornings, was able to con-
tribute in a marked degree to the
triumph of real American principles,
and to the ,reassertion of the fun
and real Americanism should be
most gratifying to US all. The
election in Georgia meant even
more than that. 1t meant far more
than the selection of Senator Wat
tor. or myself to be your governor;
it meant a reaffirmance of our people
Of their abiding faith in the great
democratic fundamentals; 1t meant
that the people of Georgia believed.
great doctrine Of equality in both
| right and privilege, in local self
government. in freedom Of speech,
| in freedom Of the press and In the
semble; it reaffirmed their faith
! in the coordinate and coequal func--
! lions Of the Legislative, executive ana
judicial branches Of the government
| both state and national; 1T re-estab-
| iished in Georgia the right to express
| and assert honest opinIon,-ln short
! It meant the reasSertion OF our
! faith in the great fundamental rights
/ " man.
! Economy In Government
! lit meant also that our people
! wish to return to both democratic
simplicity and democratic economy
in the administration of the affairs
of our state. At another time, and
| within the next few days, 1t is my
purpose to address the general as
sembly and to point out in detail.
and with ample specification, the
condition of the fiscal affairs of the
state. When / do. so l shall en-
deavor to suggest to that body
the remedies that are imperatively
required to meet our present diff
culties and our present necessities.
1 1 do not do so now Tor the sole rea-
son that If 1 did I should prolong
this address far beyond it's proper
limits and should burden it with
details that can well be reserved for
another and more appropriate occa-
sion. No thoughtful man can dis
pHte the proposition that--in- times
like these it is not only highly de-