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EDITORIAL, PAGE THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN Published Every Afternoon Except Sunday By THE GEORGIAN COMPANY At 20 East Alabama St., Atlanta, Ga. Entered as second-class matter at postoffice at Atlanta, under act of March 3. 1879 Subscription Price—Delivered by carrier, 10 cents a week. By mail, $5.00 a year. Payable in advance. You Agree That the People Should Choose the Pres ident—-Don’t You? » » ». If You Do, You Are in Favor of Preferential Primaries. Initia tive and Referendum—And Control of the Public Generally. There is an interesting condition at Chicago. The regular politicians, owned by the regular corporations, are not able to manage things in the regular old way. Ordinarily, they would have gone quietly to Chicago. Ne gro delegates and white delegates, controlled through the power of national government and patronage, would gather at Chicago and name Mr Taft for the presidency. And the people, no mat ter how thev might feel, would have nothing whatever to say about it. But this year something different has been done. The peo ■ pie have been permitted at primal',' elections to express their preference. They have had a chance to say what particular man they wanted for president of the I Hited States. ’ Therefore, the choice of a president has not been left ex clusively to corporations, bosses and political hacks on the pub lic payroll. Those that want Roosevelt have had a chance to sa' that they want him. Those thatLwant Taft have had a chance to express themselves. In the Democratic camp, without the preferential primary and the chance which it gives to the public, the bosses might have named the distingushed advocate of Chinese labor. Profes sor Wilson. But thex can't do it now. since the biggest Demo cratic cities have declared that they would have nothing to do with Wilson, and that they wanted Champ Clark. The conventions are interesting, worth while. They have a meaning this year, because back of them and preceding them there is the expressed will of the people. In the past the man who wanted to he president stayed quiet and silent in his own house. The great thing was not to talk, not to be known, not to do anything or say anything—and then at the last moment convince the corporations and the bosses that you were a safe man and would safely serve them after election. That is changed now. The thing to do, now that the peo ple have a chance to express their preference, is to do some thing that will interest the people show interest, show activity, show power and integrity. The man who can now prove himself powerful, honest, re sourceful and a real democrat is able to go before the people and sax. "I want to be president if you want to have me.” In the past, when the bosses did the whole thing, that could not happen. The preferential primary, which is part of the general idea of REFERENDUM, or referring important matters to the peo ple. will extend in all directions. The referendum, in the shape of the preferential primary, lets the people say whom they prefer for president. The ref erendum. regarding laws, constitutional amendments and other important matters, will give the people a chance to say what they prefer to do in regard to all such matters. And when the bosses hold back, and the politicians hold back, and matters are not put before the people, then THE IN ITIATIVE gives the people the right and the opportunity to begin legislation or any public enterprise on their own account—the machinery is ready under the initiative for the people themselves to start what they want and put it through. This countn has suffered because the citizens, as a whole, WERE NOT INTERESTED IN GOVERNMENT. They knew little about their rulers, little about the men chosen for office, little about the laws passed. Whereas THE CORPORATIONS, THE BIG. DISHONEST AND SELFISH MEN. KNEW ALL ABOUT THOSE THINGS. Corporations and bosses knew every candidate, just what he would do. and therefore they took the right kind for themselves AND THE WRONG KIND FOR THE PEOPLE. It is no wonder that the people were not interested in gov ernment, since they had nothing, to say about it. We are not interested in the management of China or of the planet Mars, for we have no power there and consequently no interest. Now that the people haw power, interest in politics, in gov ernment and in the character of officials, we will develop. The excitement over this convention will be a ven small thing as compared with the conventions that are to come. Intelligent men AND THE WOMEN AS WELL of this country will choose the employees to look after their welfare and do their big work in office. PREFERENTIAL primaries, the RE CALL. which allows you to put a dishonest official out of office; the REFERENDUM, which refers things to the people, and the INITIATIVE, which lets the people begin their own legislative and other work—those are the things which will make this a real republic and make the word democracy a reality instead of a corporation joke. It is not sufficient that YOU should understand this It is not good citizenship to say. “Oh. I know all about that ; I have it all by heart.” It is good citizenship to talk to others, to ex plain to your neighbor the meaning of the preferential primary, the meaning of rhe initiative, the referendum, the recall, and to show him that the time has come for the citizens of this coun try to govern the country. .. The Atlanta Georgian HE NEVER HAD A CHANCE That Is What Nine Men Out of Ten Who Are Failures Say. Look Out That You Don’t Say It Yourself. By TAD I <• __ , ••• ■ i Ui I, * uiiM Mill U—'|l»- .< s «M B ¥ IfeSU - 1 ! W c’;Y' ■/f*'. . J , j y Vii riiffnt 1 i >' • .-Vk 1 II! I I/lilhlil ilTniH;.il ImTuiTikili ii - No. 12. Yum made his headquarter-, in 1 he Bowery saloon, as he knew of no other place where he was as welcome. For two years he was there helping out on odd jobs. He couldn‘t do much. He swept out, ran errands and washed the windows. The boss gave him hits of lunch 4 and allowed him to sleep on the stairs. The regulars kidded old Yum now. Gray hairs began to sprinkle in among the black, and once every week regularly Yum got a black eye in an argument. He was seldom without a shiner. Some of the gang liked Yum. however. He To Be Continued. The Pathways of Empire a tGood Roads Are the Arteries That Carry the Life Blood of a Nation. ONE of the greatest projects for the advancement of the power, wealth and civilization of America is the plan of a transcon tinental highway, running uninter ruptedly from the Atlantic to the Pacific—a highway 3.200 miles 'ong, on which one may start from New York in his motor ear. or. if he chooses, in his buggy, and. rapidly or leisurely, as he may prefer, go all the way to San Francisco, trav eling continually on a hard, smooth, perfectly kept road, whether the way lies through the Appalachian hills or the plains of the middle West, or the snow-topped peaks of the Rockies Highway Now Follows Lead of Iron Road. Forty-three years ago the en gines met in Utah, "half a w orld be hind each back," as Bret Harte put it. at the junction point of the first transcontinental railway ever constructed anywhere on this plan et, It was characteristic of Ameri can enterprise, which seizes the newest and the swiftest things first, tba' the railway should precede the highway in surmounting the crest of the continent. And now the highway, whose ad vance is an expression of the set tled purpose of growing people, fs following the lead of the road of iron A few w eeks ago, as you may real! in the June number of Motor magazine, there was organized at Kansas City the National Old Trails Road association, whose aim is the realization, at the earliest possible moment of the project outlined above. The fact must be recog- MONDAY, JUNE 17, 1912. Bv GARRETT P. SERVISS nized that this project has grown out df the wonderful development of the motor car. which has done more than any other Influence for the improvement of the roads of this country. Perhaps, before many years have elapsed, it will be pos sible to make the trip comfortably between New York and San Fran cisco.’ in an ordinary touring car, wdthin the space of a week. The name "Old Trails" awakes recollections of some of the most romantic scenes \n the history of the great West. The Cumberland pike. Braddock’s road. Boone's Lick Road, the Santa Fe trail, Kearney’s road —whose imagina tion is not stirred at the mention of those names, by recollection of the adventures and perils of the early pioneers, who braved the hardships of the wilderness and the dangers •of Indian attacks; to spread Amer ican enterprise over the marvelous West, with no stop this side of the Pacific shores? To follow, on a magnificent highway, borne in a swift, smoothly ryhning car, the. weary trail of the Argonauts of Forty-nine," lured by the golden sands of California—what could be more romantically interesting" But 7 Per cent of American Road Are Improved. But this trans-continental high way has better claims than mere romantic or scenic interest upon the people of this great nation. We have always led the world in rail way construction, but we have hitherto been behind in road mak ing. Only seven per cent of our American roads are improved—i. e.. built upon scientific principles and kept in repair—while in Europe, which has, all told, less than half as many miles of road as the United States, practically all the roads are Improved. There are historic rea sons for this, but those reasons could tell funny stories and do card tricks. He ‘'mooched” drinks when one of the rounders decorated the mahogany with a piece of change. Yum was a good-natured boob. He was the butt of most of the jokes, and the bartenders used to point him out as the guy that never had a chance. Yet Yum had to eat and sleep, and there was his home. He picked up a dime once in a while doing a small errand and occasionally got a hat or a coat from some sympathizer. He was living; that was enough. have ceased to apply, and now, at 'last, the tables are beginning to turn, for we are spending more ' money annually on road improve ment than France, Germany and England combined. But we must spend more yet, and wo are rich enough to do it. The narrow-minded idea once entertained by some persons that the making of improved roads is simply a benefit to the fortunate owners of automobiles, is fast giv ing way to a more enlightened view as farmers begin to realize the fact that the good roads help them even more than they help the motorists. Stimulus of Cross-Continent Highway Incalculable. Tiie stimulus that would he af forded by a great trans-continental highway would be incalculable. It would give rise to Improved roads on all sides. They would branch out from tne main artery’ in every direction. To say nothing of the practical mere shame would soon banish all the mudhole roads in the country’ traversed by the great highway. To understand what enthusiasm the cause of good roads is capable of awaking, read the accounts in Motor of the cele bration of "Good Roads Day" in the states of Washington and Colo rado. The people turned out for a new kind of holiday—a holiday of work. Whole brigades of volun teers set to work with picks and shovels and teams and road-mak ing apparatus, and they had one of the most enjoyable times of their lives. And why should they not? There is nothing so delight ful and nothing so healthful as work, when the workers are inter ested in what they are doing. All work and no play may make Jack a dull hoy. but al! play and no work makes him a duller boy , even on a holiday. THE HOME PAPER Dorothy Dix Writ e s -of- The Friendship J of Man and Wife ! ’ —AND- r What the Phrase ‘‘Friend Wife” WgMy. Means By DOROTHY DIX THERE Is one slang phrase that always, makes a hit with me, and that is "Erlend x wife.” Do you get that? FTiend wife! It’s what every man should be able to call the woman to whom he is married, and yet not one man in ten thousand could truthfully use the phrase. There are wives who are sweethearts, wives who are af finities. wives who are sparring partners, wives who are debating opponents, wives who are tyrants, wives who are slaves and domestic drudges, but how seldom a wife who is a friend! Yet the best thing that any woman can be to her hus band is to be his friend. It Is the whole of the law and the prophets as regards how to be bappy though married. What is a friend? A friend is the one of whose companionship . you never weary—the one without whose presence no pleasure is com plete. How many men do you know who feel that way toward their wives? The average wife is matiy admirable things to her hus band. but she is seldom a compan ion. He esteems her for her noble qualities, but he doesn’t take her along wffh him. if he can help him self. when he wants to have a good time. Can Pick Married Couples By Bored Expressions. If you desire to get a line on how little companionship there is be tween the great majority of hus bands and wives watch them at the theater, or at the restaurants, or any of the other places of public amusement. You will see them sittinggup in a silence so thick that you could cut it with a knife, yawning in each other’s faces be tween the acts of the play, and stuffing themselves on bread and butter at the restaurant while they wait for their order to be served. Not a word have they to say to each other unless they get into a scrap about what they shall have to eat, or whether they put the cat out of doors when they left home. In any company you do not need a diagram to show you which are the married couples. You can pick I them out by their bored expres sions. Then did you ever notice the pit iful paucity of conversation in t lie home? Husbands and wives seem to have literally no topic in com mon except the bills and the chil dren. The average family circle might be composed of mutes for all the cheerful and interesting talk that goes abaut it. Yet the hus band may be famed as a wit and a raconteur in society, and his wife considered as unusually bright and vivacious in company. Both of them have plenty to say to other people, but they have nothing to say to each other because they are not friends. They may be lovers. hut the lovers’ litany te short, whereas the repertoire of friendship is exhaust less. You soon weary of asking tlie adored one "Ooose ducky is oo?” and telling a woman how beautiful, and wonderful, and angelic she is, but you can talk forever to the friend whose mind but a mirror in which you see your own thoughts glorified, and who touches no subject but to turn a brighter and more entrancing light upon it. What is a friend? A friend is the one to whom you can go with every joy and sorrow, certain of understanding, sure of sympathy and help. How many men find such a friend in their wives? How many women have such friends in their husbands? So few’, so trag ically, pitifully few! Wife Becomes Hysterical If Husband Is Frank. It is one of the heartbreaking facts of patrimony that one of the first things that the average hus band finds out is that he can’t even be frank with his wife xvithout her going Into hysterics. He has to lie to her when he wants to stay downtown of ,a night and play a ■game of cards, or go to dinner with some man. He wouldn’t dare to tell her that he had happened to meet some woman he knew near • the door of a restaurant and had asked her to lunch with him. He’d only fell these things to his friends —and not one of them would be "friend wife." Why, the great majority of men are not sufficiently friendly with their wives to even talk over their business with the ladies, or to open up their hearts to them and show them their hopes, and plans, and ambitions. When they want to talk about real things like that they go to some man. It’s mighty sel dom that a man finds bis real con fidante in "friend wife." Nor are women any more for tunate in this respect.' It doesn’t take long for a clever woman to discover that if she wants her household machinery to move, smoothly she must keep most of her real thoughts and ideas to herself. . and all of her troubles, and that the best way to work her lord and master is to make him comfort able. and obtrude her soul longings f on him as little as possible. When a woman wants to discuss a problem play, or a new novel, nr her clubs, or the suffrage move ment, she is rarely fortunate enough to be able to do so with her husband. Uor the average man isn't interested in the things that his wife is. and h<= doesn't even make a pretense of being. There fore, the wife's friends are of her o\j/n sex if she is a good woman, and of the opposite sex if she is a foolish and a flighty one. but her best friend is not, as it should be, friend husband. It is because there is so little friendship between husbands and wives that there is so little marital happiness, for- the last estate of married life must either be friend ship or ruin. Home Goes to Pieces if Not Founded On Friendship. Ihe romance of courtship is a tissue of chiffon that wears to rags and tatters with a year or two of married life. Passion dies of sa tiety, and then the home must go to pieces like a house of cards un less it was founded on the solid rock of friendship. After the glamour and the thrills of youth and fieauty and desire are gone wedlock becomes the ball and chain that bind two prisoners who are linked together to do a life sen tence at bard labor unless they have a friendship for each other that makes this enforced compan ionship a never-ending joy to both. Therefore, when a man hails the ' partner of his bosom as "F’riend Wife' we know that he has given the high .-ign anti the password to ; h<. Lodge ~f -he Happib ilar rie(4 _