Evening star., 1922-09-27
TOM WATSON MEN
.LEFTLEADERLESS
No Logical Successor for
Rule Over $4,000
: Georgia Voters.
SWAYED BY EL0QUENCE
Adherents Stuck Through Three
Decades-Hoke Smith Mentioned
\ for Senate Seat.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ATLANTA. September 27.-In the
hills and valleys of Georgia, where
| men follow the furrow to earn their
daily bread, an estimated fifty thou
sand followers of United States Sem
ator Thomas E. Watson, who died
yesterday in Washington. now are
! leaderless-offering to some man who
! can win their faith and admiration
an opportunity to become a dominat-
! ing power in state politics.
This afternoon, in the little village
! Of Thomson. the last rites will be said
over the remains. Throughout the state
there Is sadness over the senator's
death, with both political friends and
enemies alike expressing regret and
sympathy to the bereaved family at
Hickory Hill.
there is a picture of Il slight hsur"
standing with arms outstretched on
a platform. His eyes are fiery; his
red hair, silvered with gray. is dis
ordered; his face impassloned, as
from his lips eloquent words pour like
a stream of moulten metal. Watson,
the orator. playing upon the emotions
of his followers like a master OF
musical instrument.
Loyal for Three Decades.
Fright or wrong" these tom Wat
son men" have followed their leader
at all times during the past three
decades, according to election returns.
Observers are almost unanimous IN
! the opinion that Watson's influence
| over his following Will live long a1ter
his body has entered the grave ana
| that his teachings Will be adhered 10
! in selecting a successor.
| But the observers are at a loss IN
! naming a possible new leader OF the
fifty thousand Watson had few
| lieutenants to carry out his edicts.
; which. once given to his le&lons.
were as Interchangeable as the law
| of the MedeS and Persians. He ruicd
them as a monarch within sovereign
! state of republican government.
With his death there is no outStand-
! ing follower to assume the leauer-
+, ship. according to observers. who eN-
! press the belief candidate VIII ne
selected by few Watson men and
an effort made to secure the united
support of the others.
| Under the Georgia law. Gov. Thomas
w Hardwick may appoint a tenn
porary successor to the Junior sena-
tor to serve until the genera elec-
| ton on November :. The governor.
' who now is in Canada. has telegraph
cd the executive department that he
will return to Atlanta to take the
! matter under consideration.
w J. Verecn. chairman OF the state
! democratic executive iih'
| the authority to call Il primary to
nominate a candidate for the un-
| expired term in the general election
He has stated he soon Will issue a
| statement announcing his decision on
| a suggestion that such primary
| be ordered.
| In the event the chairman does not
cali a primary the state democratic
! convention, which convenes in Macon
early next month. is expected TO in
dorse a candidate for election. 1t was
stated in political circles.
| Among those being mentioned as
candidates for the uneNpired term are
f.! former Senator Hoke Smith. Gov.
tHardwick. recently defeated by Cliff
ford NJ. Walker for reelection; Clark
/ Howell, national democratic commit
F., ,teeman Of Georgia. and H. II. Dean.
None of these. however, has author =
! lied the use of his name. stating that
| il would not be proper to discuss the
| matter at this time.
One of the most exciting campaigns
in the history of Georgia politics will
develop for the senatorial toga, it is
being predicted. But overshadowing
the contest will be influence of the
late "Sage of McDuffie,'' recollections
of how he not only made and unmade
high officials during the past thirty
Years, Of how he laughed whenever
defeated and of the times during his
Hast campaign he was carried on a
litter. but never failed to keep his
!speaking engagements.