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appeared in the columns of the Atlanta Journal,
and that its publication passed unchallenged by Gov.
Smith. The speaker, with marked vehemence, de
nied that he had made the remark or that any such
article ever appeared in the Journal.
Whatever else may be said of him, the unbiased
observer is bound to admit that Gov. Smith showed
himself Tuesday evening pre-eminent in the line
art of holding the attention of a large audience, a
majority of which were intensely opposed to his
election, and quite a number strongly inclined, in
the beginning, to demonstrate their disapproval of
his course as Governor of the State. To what ex
tent, if any, his speech was effective in changing
the political views of his hearers, of course cannot
be gauged, but it was markedly evident before the
Governor had concluded his speech that if personal
animosity controlled a part of his audience at the
outset, it gradually subsided until it endured but
in the form of political antagonism.
Perhaps the factor which figured most conspicu
ously in the Governor’s conquest over his audience,
that is, his success in winning the courteous atten
tion of practically all of his opponents, was the
courage he evinced in forcefully emphasizing be
fore a Savannah crowd his adherence to the very
views which are chiefly responsible for the local
hostility toward his candidacy for re-election.
The Georgian, whatever his political affiliations,
strongly admires courage of whatever species,
wherever found; whether it be in the main
tenance of political convictions or in the physical
upholding of personal rights. It is sale to state that
had the Governor endeavored on Tuesday evening
to craftily evade the issues, his attitude upon which
rendered him unpopular in this community, affairs
in the Theater would have been controlled, not from
the stage, but from the front of the house.
Mr. Smith is physically such a big man and so
strong looking and his chin and mouth stamp his
countenance with such a pronounced impress of ag
gressiveness and belligerency, the lover of the
“manly art of self defence” cannot help but re
mark upon what infinite possibilities might have
been open to him had his early talents led him into
the realm adorned by John L. Sullivan and James J.
Jefferies. This is the first impression upon the mind
of the stranger. Unmistakably, that jaw was mold
ed by nature to 'withstand impact from the five
ounce glove of the prize-ring. On further acquaint
ance, when Mr. Smith begins to talk, the stern lines
of mouth and chin display a marvelous capacity
for modification into those of the persuasive speaker,
and the stranger soon decides that perhaps, after
all, Hoke Smith made no mistake when he played a
joke on nature by taking up oratory and politico,
to the irreparable loss of the “squared circle.”
DAVID P. DYER.
Gospel Truths.
It is masculine to be large; feminine to be small.
A law of nature was, at some time, violated or all
men would be large. God did not give up the job
of making men large until he saw there was no
use to complete it. Therefore, small men are not the
equal of large men.
Women, we are told, are superior to men.
But, were they not made from ribs, the cheapest
meat in the market? Brought to this country in
THE REASON
1620, they fetched but 140 pounds of tobacco, and
today they are worth only $1.50 in most of the
States. In South Carolina, nothing at all. Under
<>ur laws they cannot vote, but a negro can.
Pericles said that his son's dog, Azor, ruled his
boy, that his boy ruled his mother, that his mother
ruled him and that he ruled Athens and Athens
ruled Greece and Greece ruled the world, —that,
therefore, Azor was the rider of the world. Same
rule applies to the people's dog, Sentiment. Yet,
there are some simple and foolish enough to believe
any law, no matter whether the dog Sentiment is
behind it or not, can be enforced.
Savannah Electric Company
versus
The City of Savannah.
There are indications of an awakening in the
public mind of this city to the importance of the
a.mendant to the tax ordinance now pending in
Council. which proposes to materially reduce the
amount of the assessment against the Savannah
Electric Company, in compliance with a petition
sent to Council by that corporation, asking that this
action be taken.
Investigation of the financial operations of the
Savannah Electric Company, as set forth in its
own printed pamphlet, reveals the reason, or one of
the reasons, why it desires a reduction in its taxes,
but such investigation discloses nothing to which
Council might point as justification for favorable
action upon the petition.
It is necessary to give some figures to facilitate
a clear understanding, but they will be presented in
such form as not to fatigue the reader.
The Savannah Electric Company, which is a part
of the Stone and Webster interests, is capitalized,
all told, at $6,500,000.
Os this amount, $3,000,000 is in bonds and sl,-
000,001) in preferred stock, the remaining $2,500,000
being represented by common stock.
This may be said to convey to the minds of pros
pective investors and speculators in stocks and
bonds throughout the country the valuation which
the Savannah Electric Company places upon its
Savannah property.
The valuation which the company returned to the
office of the Comptroller-General of Georgia, as a
basis upon which an assessment of taxes should be
fixed, was $973,000, approximately. This return it
is said reflects a willingness on the part of the com
pany to pay to the city this year in taxes in the
neighborhood of $11,500.
Eliminating altogether from consideration the
$2,500,000 common stock of the Electric Company
in its capitalization, there yet remains four millions
in bonds and preferred stock, upon which dividends
were paid last year.
Accepting this $4,000,000 as the prospectus
value of the company's holdings, between this
amount and the amount returned to the Comptroller-
General there is a discrepancy of some $3,027,000.
Last year the Savannah Electric Company paid
in dividends on its preferred stock, $60,000, or 6
7