Evening star., 1947-01-19

Emory University with an ABB de.
gree and the University of Georgia
with an MA, was beginning his
duties as State school supervisor.
Rise of Roy Harris.
Also in Atlanta, quietly but eff
ciently playing his politics in which
he already had a running start OF
IL years on his contemporaries
chubby, eloquent, congenial Roy
Harris, the kingpin of Richmond
County's Cracker Party" was serv-
ing as floor leader for the Governor
and engineering his bills through
the Legislature.
The political fates, in the begin
ming of the Talmadge dynasty, had
not clearly pointed at any of these
figures. They were to fight it out for
leadership in the days ahead, and
they were well content to follow
Talmadge, and his Speaker of the
House, Eurith Dickinson Rivers, the
Arkansan who had come to South
Georgia and had become atfgure in
a previous race for Governor.
Governor Talmadge had made
many promises to Georgians, had
implied many more, and as his ad-
ministration progressed, he ascribed
to himself still others to fit his mo-
tiyes and designs. Ss4azs
But he came up against, initially
not only a Legislature, torn between
loyalties to railroads, utilities, soft
drink and oil interests and studied
friendships with the lovable old
Southern gentlemen who repre-
sented these interests in the lobby
but a reluctance of the Legislators
to upset old ways, no matter If they
were not especially good.
Aid of the National Guard.
Talmadge began keeping his
promises with the aid of the Ma
tional Guard. His enemies assaulted
him time and again with the charge
he instituted "bayonet rule" and
put a dictatorship in effect In
Georgia.
Talmadge had with him men OF
brains and ability, and they steered
him past legalities and not only
helped him in power but helped
him pay of the States debt, force
reductions in taxes, utility rates,
and accomplish other things, in
cluding striking with horror many
citizens who liked dignity and the
due process of law.
Talmadge was reelected in 1884
with a huge majority in 1856 of the
States 159 counties. In 1885, he ran
against Senator Russell for the
Senate but was beaten. He sought
the seat of Senator George in 1888,
but lost again. He was elected Gov
ernor for the third time in 1910
but was defeated in his race for re-
election in 1912 by Arnall. Last
summer he won a county unit VIC
tory over James v. Carmichael, the
ArnaL-indorsed candidate.
.sTalmadge was known to be in bad
health after the hardest campaign
he ever Waged. His health finally
broke, and he died in Atlanta in
December.
During his IA tumultuous years
which ended in death close after
victory, Rivers, Harris, son Herman
Thompson and Arnall were ad-
vancing or having their ups-and-
downs.
Training on the Campus.
Young Talmadge was getting his
political training at the university
campus. Dubbed by his compatriots
as "Herm the Germ" he was or
ganizing a new campus political
party and getting himself elected to,
among other things, the presidency
of the Panhellenic Council, the
Greek letter fraternity governing
body.
Herman finished college and came
to Atlanta to practice law, and
to learn big-time politics under his
fathers tutelage. He served with
"Old Gene" in his campaigns. He
learned to speak for his father over
the radio, at rallies where the Wool
Hat" boys and the regular" Tai
madge followers whooped it up to
the accompaniment of 'Fiddlin'
John" Carson, band, or Old Genes
harangues.
He learned the bitterness of de-
feat, and the heartlessness and
faithlessness of politicians. In the
bitter campaign Of 1912, when he
was in the Navy, Herman's Law
partner turned against Old Gene
and helped swell the bandwagon
vote against him.