Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-09-05
HARDWICk DENIES
POLITICAL COMBINE

DALLAS, Ga, Sept. 2.-The ques-
ton of free school books for Georgia
children and a denial that he had
entered into a combination with for
mer Senator Hoke Smith or any one
else were features discussed here by
Governor Hardwick this morning in
an address delivered to an audience
of Paulding. county voters who pack
ed the courthouse and gave him q
most friendly reception.
Discussing the report that Major
Charles E. McGregor, of Warrenton,
and others had charged that he had
effected combination with former
Senator Hoke Smith, whereby he
and the former senator were to bend
their efforts toward both of them
getting back into the United States
senate, Governor Hardwick said:
'"There is absolutely no truth in
these reports. I have not entered
into a combination with Senator
Smith nor any one else. I am run
ming for governor and am running
IN my own name. I have further
evidence of the talsity of such a
charge and / call your attention to
q o4opcllC1I III CIIC Pei d Lew
days ago. quoting Senator Smith as
declaring he had no intention of
again entering politics"
Free School Books
Governor Hardwicll, turning to the
subject of free school books, after
declaring that among several other
things which his opponent, Clifford
Walker, had advanced for decreasing
the expenses of the state, was one
to provide free school books to the
children of Georgia. This, said the
governor, would cost the state ap-
proximately three and a half million
dollars a year.
IT admit" said the governor, "that
the $3,500,000 must come from some
where; somebody must pay it.
Neither the manufacturers nor the
sellers will donate their books to the
state or the children of Georgia
Where, then, will the money come
from? I'll tell you; it will come out
of the pockets of the taxpayers of
the state.
ut would simply mean that the
state would have to raise more
money from the taxpayers by in.
u $eto4A1So IkAC OliI dSIl VI lIIG ldADdY-
ers, which is already heavy.
1T might interest you to know
that there are in round numbers
about 100000 children in Georgia
public schools, from the first to the
seventh grades. Of this number, ap-
proXimately 100000 are negroes.
Now, I admit that if there are to be
free school books, it will be the ne
CrIsf. SnI Obi
them. and they will get them at the
expense of the white taxpaye rs."
Governor Hardwick declared that
he expected during his next term
as governor to have the cooperation
of the legislature in instituting a
modern audit and budget system in
the states affairs. He said that
such a system would greatly aid in
putting the state on a sound bust
ness basis. He declared that since
he had been governor he had PUT
| the state on a "pay-as-you- 30" basis,
and that in order to do so it had
| been necessary to pay eff deficit of
$3,0000 600. money owed by the state
! when he became governor.
! The governor explained his veto
of the new pension bill He said
that the bill he vetoed provided for
an appropriation of $1,250,000 to pay
Il new class Of pensioners, namely,
wealthy veterans, veterans who had
moved into Georgia from other states
and widows who had married veter-
/ ans long after the Civil war.
/ The governor said that there was
no money in sight with which to pay
these pensions. and the effect of his
! signature to the bill would certainly
have been a oelusion and deception
| to the new pensioners, for they
would not have received "a cent OF
money, because there was none to
pay them.
He said that the old class of pen
sioners would continue TO receive
| their pensions from year to year
He said to pay the old class of peu-
sioners requires $1,000 a year.
Governor Hardwick was intro
duced by c. D. McGregor, well-known
| lawyer, of Dallas. From here, the
! governor drove to Douglasville,
where he speaks this afternoon.