Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-26
oCoNEE's WHISKY WAR.
The Ordinary Declares the County
Wet--The People Aroused.

The Ordinary Declares the County
Wet-The People Aroused.
''Justice' in Athens Ga Banne,- Waterman.
The citizens OF Oconee county were sur
prised and outraged on Saturday las as
the rumor began to spread that Ordinary
Thrasher had made up his mind, in the
face of facts and his former statements.
both to the people and TO His Honor Judge
Hutchins, to declare that the county on
May 90 last voted ''for the sale" This is
a wonderful declaration, when we re-
member that Mr.. Thrasher admitted to
Judge Hutchns in July last that
the county went ''dry" by a majority of
~. The good citizens are thoroughly
aroused and are determined to see that
the. voice of the people shall be respected
and the unfaithful officer shall be pun
ished. With the facts as they now exist,
Mr.. Thrasner is clearly guilty OF NAL
practice in office, and the grand jury will
doubtless find bill at its next term. and
the juries of the county Will promptly in
vestigate the official acts OF this officer.
and If he is guilty they will at once so de-
clare, and then Mr.. Thrasher will have to
leave the Office he entered a short time
since in very unenviabe way.
The rumor that pecuniary inducements
firmer hold of tie people. and they are
outspoken in declaring that without such
Influences being brought to bear, the true
and honest result OF said election would
have been declared long since.
The position OF Mr.. Thrasher is an ONO
ious one. His excuse for declaring ''wev'
is, we understand, that Salem and Farm
ington districts were "illegally formed"
twenty-five years ago, and that it is
CHI hn
all right. He forgot that he, as Ordi-
nary, was elected in an election in which
these precincts participated, and that
every officer that has held office for O
long number OF years has done so under
elections in which these precincts have
participated. But this is too thin. He
may imagine that the people believe this
TO be the power behind the throne which
caused his unprecedented action in this
matter, but later on he will realize tn at
the power actuating this strange and un-
warranted act was more powerful than
a mere irregularity OF the establishing OF
voting precinct twenty-five years ago.
For more than two months alter the
election he declared frequently that the
county had voted dry, aud that the only
reason he had for not 30 declaring was
that he thought it unfair to shut down on
some and allow W. II. Booth to continue.
This, he said. would be the result, as Mr..
Booths license did not expire until Jan.
/, 1887. 1t does seem to us that IL there
ever was case OF malpractice In Office,
case in which the voice OF the people have
been ignored by an officer, this is one,
aud doubtless before another July court
the Ordinary will wish that his foresight
had been as good as his hindsights.
The case against Mr.. Thrasher does not
seem to be pushed with that vigor that
the merits OF the case deserve, or he would
not have been allowed four months to do
that which the law demanded him 10 do
at once, and the good people OF Oconee
demand that the law be pushed asrapidly
as possible, and that the true result OF the
election be declared, and the county OF
Oconee be allowed to enjoy the benefits OF
a law which they have, by their votes, de-
clared, and that Mr.. Thrasher be taught
that he is the servant and not the master
of the people.