Samuel G. McLendon was nominated railroad commissioner of Georgia in September 1906, at the convention held in the city of Macon. Mr. McLendon accepted the nomination and upon suspension of Joseph M. Brown as Commissioner was appointed by Governor Hoke Smith to take his place. In 1909, Mr. McLendon was charged by Governor Hoke Smith with abandoning the principles to which he was committed and also the professions by which he obtained the position of railroad commissioner. The charges stemmed from his refusal to oppose the railroads from the West when rates were raised and giving no assistance to the attorneys for the State in the litigation which indicated his sympathy was with the railroad. He resisted the lowering of freight rates to and from the ports of Georgia to interior points although this would have greatly benefitted the people of Georgia. He also went against one of the rules of the Georgia Railroad Commission which was the use of free passes for transportation over the rail line. Samuel G. McLendon was suspended and brought before a Joint Committee of the Georgia General Assemby by Governor Hoke Smith. Walter McElreath was one of the attorneys.