Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-24
To-Night's Mass Meeting.

TO-Night's Mass Meeting.
It is important that two things should
/ be kept in mind by those VINO attend the
/ Democratic mass meeting tonight. One
is that only Democrats can take part in
the proceedings, and the other is that the
best interests OF the county and OF every
class OF people require that men of high
character and recognized ability shall be
nominated tor Representatives..
1t may be that there is no purpose on
the part of any who are not Democrats to
have voice in the meeting. If there are
any such persons, however, they will act
wisely by abandoning their purpose. The
meeting is to nominate Democratic can
didates for the LEGISLATURE, and lnterfer-
ence from those who are not in harmony
with the Democratic party, and who do
not act with 1t, will not be tolerated.
There are reports that the knights Of
Labor intend to make an effort to control
the meering. There can he no objection
to anv Democrat OF the county, whether
Knight OF Labor or not. having voice in
the meeting, but the wisdom of the
knights of Labor attempting 10 nominate
men of their own organization, simply be-
cause they are members, is extremely
doubtful.
If there are Democratic Knights OF
Labor in the county who are well quail
fed 10 represent It'll the Legislature, and
who are liberal enough in their views TO
act fairly and justly with respect to all
interests there is no good reason why they
should not be nominated tonight. No
greater mistake could be made, however,
than to select as candidates Knights OF
Labor with the view Of promoting the
interests and showing the power of that
great labor organization.
In the next Gas in the last) Legisla-
ture this county will have very impor-
tant interests. 1t should be represented,
therefore, by men who are not only
capable of voting intelligently. but. also,
Of taking leading part In the debates
and Of making their influence felt in the
committee room. A laboring man. in
communication published in the MORN
ING NEWS yesterday, very correctly
stated that unless Chatham county were
ably represented In the Legislature her
interests might be so neglected, or in
iured by unjust laws, as to make the con-
ditiOn OF her workingmen less endurable
than it Is.
II the knights of Labor insist upon
acting together at the mass meeting with
the view Of controlling the nominations,
let them select candidates, even if they
have to go outside OF their organization,
vyh n NJ ho oh 70 Inf
in the legislature, and who have the
qualifications for dlscharging legislative
duties creditably. There may be such
men among the Knights. 1t would be no
reflection upon them, however, il there
were not, because the great majority OF
them have not had the leisure to prepare
themselves for such duties as are required
of legislators.
II, however, they want to nominate one
or more knights they will act wisely by
putting forward their best men rather
than those who want to be honored. If
Knight of Labor is chosen a Representa-
tive his course will be closely watched,
and If he fail not only will
his organization have to shoulder
the responsibility for his failure, but the
chance OF electing another knight will
be exceedingly slender. Some OF the
ablest men of the State are to be found in
every Legislature, and it would not be
creditable to this county, whose interests
are greater than those of most of the other
counties, to send men to represent her
who, from inexperience or want OF train
log, could not represent her properly.
The truth is that Democrats should not
go to the mass meeting as Knights of La
Dor. They should go as Democrats, with
the purpose Of nominating the best men
to represent the people. If those nomi-
mated were Knights OF Labor there would
be no ground for complaint, because it
would be understood that the nominees
would represent the county and not the
knights of Labor; and if the nominees
were not knights of Labor that organiza-
tiOn would have no reason to be dissatIs-
fed, because a Democratic mass meeting
is not knights of Labor meeting.