The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-06-28
GREAT THRONG CHEERED AS THOMAS W.
HARDWICK BECAME GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA

! AT the top of the steps Governor
| Hardwick was joined by Mrs. Hard
wick, and they entered the reception
room together. They were received by
! Governor and Mrs. Dorsey; and eX-
Governor Brown and Ex-Governor
Harris, who stood near Governor Dor
sey. were among the first to Congratu-
| late Governor Hardwick. Among the
! first to enter the room after Governor
Hardwick was former Senator Hoke
Smith, who rode in one OF the cars IN
the procession to the capitol. The IN
augural procession formed in the re
ception room at HISS and proceeded
to the rostrum, Governor Dorsey and
and Governor Hardwick walking to-
gether down the steps OF the capitol
across the lawn and up the steps OF
the rostrum. The appearance OF Gov
ernor Hardwick was a signal Tor an
other outburst Of applause and cheers.
In addition to Governor Hardwick
and the retiring executive three former
heads of the state were in the inaugural
procession-Hoke Smith, Joseph NJ.
Brown and Nat E. Harris. Despite
the fact, ex-senator Smith and former
Governor Brown were participants IN
several hard-foOght campaigns they
were together constantly after meeting
each other in the executive depart
ment. They marched and sat together
and conversed like old chums.
The Inaugural Address.
Governor Hardwick did not attempt
at this time and on this occasion IN
| the middle OF a hot summer day before
an audience standing on their feet to
hear him. to present in detail the pur-
poses and plans of the administration
| Instead of burdening his audience with
long address he presented general
outline of the meaning OF his election,
| as he CONSTITUTES it, and of his plans
for putting into effect the peoples
wishes.
'In taking the oath | have just
taken, in assuming the office | have
Just assumed, he said, there is but a
single purpose in my mind and but a
single desire i'll my heart: purpose
to serve the state OF Georgia, desire
to promote the interests, happiness
and well-being of all its people; to that
service | pledge the best that is in my
heart and head, and in it | am emit
tied to the support of all the people
of Georgia without regard to political
views or factional differences"
Interpreting the election last year
both in the nation and i'll the state,
Governor Hardwick declared it held
deep significance both to the repub-
lie and to the state OF Georgia. In the
republic it was determined by a ma
iority that swelled into millions and
swept aside many former party align
ments that this country is not to
abandon the doctrines and teachings
of its great father and founder, the
illustrious and immortal Washington
i'll order to follow the vague and I'M
certain path pointed out by vision
airy and dogmatic school teacher. In
this state the election was, if possible,
even more impressive and even more
significant. In Georgia, the Gibraltar
OF democracy, the only state in the ma
ton that were in the darkest days OF
civil war reconstruction, never gave
the fractional part of one of its cleo
toral votes to a republican candidate
for president, it was determined not
only in the election of a governor, but
also in the election OF 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 of nations
and for the old-fashioned American
ism OF our fathers, and in so doing we
merely forecast and presaged the
overwhelming sentiment Of a vast ma
jority of the people Of the United
States, as was evidenced in the last
election. That election settled for all
time, | hope and believe, the foreign
policy of this country. That Georgia,
/ without leaving her democratic moor
ings, was able to contribute in a
marked degree to the triumph OF real
! American principles and to the reas-
/ sertion of the fundamentals OF both
real democracy 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 Watson
to be your United States senator, or
myself to be your governor; it meant
reaffirmance of our people of their
abiding faith in the greater democratic
fundamentals; it meant that the peO-
| pie OF Georgia believed, with an I'M
faltering faith, in the great doctrine
of equality in both right and privilege,
in local self government, i'll freedom
of speech. in freedom Of the press and
in the right Of the people to peaceably
assemble it rsatiirmed their faith in
the coordinate and co-cqual functions
OF the legislative. executive and judi
cial branches OF the government, both
state and national; It re-cstabEshed in
Georgia the right to express and as
sert honest opinion-n short it means
the reasscrtion OF our faith i'll the great
fundamental rights of man.
Economy in Government.
The election also meant, Governor
Hardwick declared, that the people of
Georgia demand return to democratic
economy in taxation and expenditures,
and to this end he announced his de-
termination to place the finances Of the
state on a sound and secure footing.
Income and out-go must be care
fully and accurately balanced against
each other; rigid and real economy
must be not only preached but prac-
ticed. However worthy the appropria-
ton it cannot and must nos be made
unless we have the money to spend.
| am devoted to the common schools
OF the state. The education OF the
masses spells to me the continued free
dom of the DeODle the continued vim