Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-20

The Passage of the Blu Assured-It
VIII Not Go Into Effect for Two
Years.

The bill for the consolidation of the Off
ces Of the Jailer and Sheriff of Chatham
county, which was published in the MORN
ING News, as passed by the House, pro
] vided that the change should take effect
within thirty days from its passage. The
5 bill was amended by the Senate committee
to read that it should not take
effect until the expiration of the pres
ent term OF office, and as so amended
will be recommended to that body, and
probably be passed. We understand that the
amendment was agreed to by the House
committee, so it may be assumed it will bel
passed and become q law. In this cOnnec7
! lion we present, as Of Interest, the follow
ing extract from the Atlanta correspond
ence Of the Augusta Chronicle and COnStt-
Nationalist in reference to the bill:
"One Of the most interesting local fights
was the contest over the Chatham county,
hail. The delegation from that county in
Produced bill to take the jail out Of theI
control of the Mayor and Aldermen and
; give it to the Sheriff and County Commits
missioners. It was complsined that thel
management of the jail had been extrava-
CANT, and that change of its control would
save the taxpayers much money. Petitions
shave been presented from the Mayor audi
ALDERMEN against the change, and an EFFORT
was made by the opponents to the bill toI
have the matter submitted to the voters of
Chatham county to determine.
4 "Major Basinger embodied his opposition
j to the amendment and support Of the Origi
nal bill in a speech which | consider a very
remarkable one. He admitted that thel
Mayor and Aldermen were opposed to HE
hill, upon which the Chatham delegation
was united, but added that he had nothing
more to do with them than with any other
CORPORATION; these city officers were simply
acting in their corporate capacity. 1t had
not been denied that the present manage
Iment of the Jail was eXtrsvagant. Its re
moval would be a relief to the taxpayers,
land he considered it his duty to advocate the
sbill. When the Representatives Of the Legis-
8ature were elected from Chatham it must
have been because the people supposed these
more capable of making laws for them than
they were themselves. Else, he did not I'm
lderstand the theory of democratic govern
ment. By what authority, then, do the May
or and Aldermen OfSaVannah come here and
dictate to their SuperiOrs what must be done
1 and what must not be done He saw mol
reasons for submitting this matter to theI
voters of the county and tearing upside
2down every household in Chatham-evenI
for one day. He knew that there were al
barge number of people in favor OF his bill,
land as there had been no organized express
sion against it, he thought the Representa-
ltiVes should act for themselves.
sit is explained that no personal fight isI
being made upon the jailer, Mr.. WarineI
Russell. l hear that prominent taxpayer
Of the city says he would rather double his
tax for the next ten years than have WarineI
Russell leave the Jail. He was keeper during
the yellow fever epidemic, and 1 understand
hat not a single prisoner escaped duringI
that trying time. He is very popular irI
Savannah. The bill passed the House easily
Though / understand it will be opposed iDI
the Senate"