Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-10-25
HARDW|CK REPLIES
To CRITICISM BY
SENATOR WATSON
Says Attack Is More on Leg
iSlature Than Governor,
but Points Out Difficulties
of New Administration

That Senator Thomas E. Watson
has written a letter to Lee Ashcraft,
president of the Atlanta Chamber of
Commerce, expressing his resentment
because the chambers committee to
Washington to formally invite Presi.
dent Harding to Atlanta did not in.
vite the senator to accompany them
tc the White House, and demanding
that Governor Hardwick be left out
of the program of President Har.
ding's entertainment while in this
city, was the information current
Monday in the state capitol.
Governor Hardwick's expected re-
ply to Senator Watsons attack on
his administration was issued Satur-
day afternoon. 1t is moderate in
tone, but closes with notice that the
governor is prepared to defend his
administration against all corners"
The statement was issued after
consultation with a number of the
governors close friends, one of
whom was William J. Vereen, of
Moultrie, chairman of the Demo-
cratic state executive committee.
1t reads as follows:
Every citizen of Georgia has the
undQubted right to freely express
any opinion with respect to any pub
lie matter, or in criticism of any
administration, national or state
The present governor is never rest
: less or resentful when any citizen
exercises that right.
So Tar as any important matter
IL touched upon in Senator Watson s
recent statement, take it that the
statement is not a criticism of me
SO much as of the legislature, as
urged upon the legislature the adop-
ton of the very reforms that he
mentions; and it is my earnest hope
that at it's next session, when prac-
tically all of its time is not absorbed
in an effort to solve the states fl.
nancial difficulties, these things may
be accomplished. If not, it shall not
be my fault.
In the meantime, I can only urge
the senator to be patient. l think
he will learn from his service in
Washington that he will not be able
to accomplish all he would like to
accomplish there, and that he GER
tainly will not be able to do so right
away. In like manner the governor
of this state can only urge these re-
forms upon the legislature and upon
the people. He is not the boss of
either.
i "The present administration is not
perfect, of course, but it has done
fhn 1nct II could in .Iiffin1,1f
situation, and I am day after day
ship direct to the people, prepared
to both justify and defend it against
all Corners"
Senator Watson's attack on the
governors administration appeared
in the senator's newspaper, the Co
lumbia Sentinel, in the issue appear
ing Friday afternoon. 1t was re-
printed in whole or in part in num-
bers of daily newspapers over the
state. 1t created an intense political
sensation, as it seemed to signalize
the end Of the Observation-Disclosures al
lance.
Governor Hardwick returned to
Atlanta Wednesday night from Nc
Rae, where he took the train after
speaking Friday at the opening Of
the new Mount Vernon highway
bridge. He heard of the senator s
editorial on arriving here.
Governor Hardwick's friends eX-
pressed regret that the senator
should see fit to attack him, but they
said they were as willing to have the
break now as to have it later, if it
had to come.
The opinion was openly expressed
by friends of both the senator and
the governor that political enemies
of the governor may have had some
thing to do with opening a cleft be-
tween them.
Whether the senator's editorial is
to be followed by others attacking
the administration, thus bringing on
an open warfare between the two
which is running the keenest spec.
ulation. All sorts of opinions and
rumors could be heard on this point
in political circles Saturday.
Senator Watson's attack on the
Hardwick administration covered the
following points:
Failure to enact legislation pro
viding free text books in the com
mon schools.
Enactment of legislation author
iZing sale of Western and Atlantic
rental for five years to pay treasury
deficit.
Failure to repeal tax equalization
law.
Lastly, because "every important
appointment has been given to enc
mics of mine"