As for the actual cost, estimates run upward of $250,000 to outfit the entire state with thousands of new flags within the next several weeks.

The political cost and benefit for legislators who voted on the flag change could be much greater, both in terms of deals struck to secure their votes and retribution they may face at election time from angry constituents.

The historic legislation - marking the first flag change in nearly 50 years and ending decades of conflict over the Confederate battle emblem that dominated the old banner - went into effect Wednesday.

Without ceremony or advance notice, Gov. Roy Barnes signed the measure into law in his office about 9:30 a.m. A $1,080 handmade banner featuring the new design was hoisted at the Capitol a short time later.

There were cheers from the sidewalk below as it went up, but the protesters who had been on the Capitol grounds daily were absent.

Even House Speaker Tom Murphy (D-Bremen) and the bill's primary sponsor, Rep. Tyrone Brooks (D-Atlanta), didn't get notice of the signing. But Brooks didn't take offense.

"None of us knew about this until this morning," he said Wednesday. "My recommendation was to do it quietly."

"This is not a celebratory mood. It is a very solemn mood," said Rep. Calvin Smyre (D-Columbus), who helped engineer the compromises that moved the bill through the House. "We felt the appropriate thing to do would be to let the governor sign it in private and let the flag go up."

Barnes spokeswoman Joselyn Butler said the governor had a private signing because of a tight schedule "due to everything that's been happening the last week."

It will take at least a few weeks more before there is solid evidence of whether Barnes made specific promises to win support from wavering lawmakers for the new flag.

Republican lawmakers have accused the Democratic governor of swapping pork-barrel projects for some legislators' votes - a charge Barnes' office denied.

If any projects are funded with the estimated $900 million surplus in the current state budget, Barnes' budget director will have to present them later this month at a joint meeting of House and Senate budget writers.

Other political rewards could surface in the proposed 2002 state budget when it is finalized in late March.

Sen. Richard Marable (D-Rome), who said he risked his political future in voting for the change, said he has received angry calls from some constituents and supportive calls from others.

"This vote was bigger than I was. It was not about me or the next election," Marable said. "It was about Georgia and where it was going . . . and how it was going to be perceived by the rest of the United States and the world. I was at peace with my decision and [I'm] willing to accept the consequences."

The governor's quiet, quick bill signing further annoyed critics already bothered by the secrecy and speed with which the flag bill moved through the Legislature.

"It started out in secret, and it ended in secret," said House Minority Leader Lynn Westmoreland (R-Sharpsburg), who voted against the change. "I don't know if it's disrespect or just 'I don't give a damn.' "

"I'm not surprised," Sen. Joey Brush (R-Appling) said of the unannounced bill signing. "The main objection I have to this whole thing is it legitimizes an atmosphere that we're somehow ashamed of that battle flag. This furthers that feeling."

Some legislators said a dignified retirement ceremony, at the least, was warranted for the banner that had flown for 45 years as the state symbol. The flag removed from the Capitol on Wednesday is now in the possession of state security officers and eventually will be added to the Capitol's museum. State officials are scrambling to figure out the protocol for disposing of flags with the old design.