Early Career
Talmadge was born in 1884 in Forsyth, Georgia to Thomas and Carrie (Roberts) Talmadge. He went to the University of Georgia and graduated from the University's law school. While at UGA, he was a member of the Phi Kappa Literary Society and Sigma Nu fraternity. Talmadge set up offices in Telfair County, Georgia and twice ran for for the Georgia state legislature, though he lost both times. He was eventually elected State Agriculture commissioner in 1926. Talmadge was re-elected Agriculture Commissioner in 1928 and re-elected again in 1930.
As Commsioner, Talmadge used the newspaper of his department to give advice to farmers and talk about his political views, extolling the virtues of a laissez-faire economic policy and individual action to improve the well-being of farmers. During his time as State Agriculture commissioner, Talmadge also developed a reputation for being a corrupt, freewheeling individual who disregarded standard ethics and played by his own set of rules. Nevertheless, he maintained widespread support among Georgia's rural community.
The State Senate concluded that Talmadge violated a state law requiring that fertilizer fees collected by the department be deposited in the state treasury. He also was criticized for his paying himself and family members more than $40,000 in salaries and expenses and using department funds to make trips to the Kentucky Derby. Accused of "stealing" $20,000 by shipping Georgia hogs to Chicago, Talmadge told one group of farmers, "Sure I stole it! But I stole it for you." The State House declined requests to impeach Talmadge but agreed to sue him to recover state funds spent on the hog-buying scheme. When Governor Richard B. Russell Jr. referred the suit to the State Attorney General, however, the request to sue Talmadge was rejected.
Read more about this topic: Eugene Talmadge
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