Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-30
Rings and designations.


which the people became familiar during
the joint debate. They do not seem to be
able to get away from the trivial, personal
matters with which they opened the cam
paign. They have talked about them so
much doubtless that they regard them as
important. But are they, in fact, I'M
portant?
Mai. Bacon says that there is an At.
lanta ring, and Gen. Gordon retorts that
there is a Macon ring. Maj. Bacon says
that Gen. Gordon resigned his place in the
Senate, aud Gen. Gordon retorts that Maj
Bacon resi- gned his place as Adiutanto OF
Georgia regiment in the early part Of the
war. How very interesting and instruc-
tive all this Isl How many people are
there in the State who care anything
about the designations OF Gen. Gordon
and Maj. Bacon, How many are there
who remembered anything about Maj.
Bacon's resignation before the present
campaign began? Aud even when it was
hurled at him as If it were a thunderbOlt
that would destroy him, who was there
who was bold enough to rise up and assert
that he had done a dIshonOrable thing?
Nobody has said anything OF that kind,
and no facts have been forthcoming to
show that 1t was dishonorable. What
then is the use of talking about
it! Why not put the story
aside as something that has been
used for all that it is worth. There is
danger OF the people becoming tired Of 1t,
unless evidence is obtained that will jus
tify the statement that Major Bacon was
afraid to face the enemy.
But feeble as the Insiuuation is that is
attempted to be made in connection with
Maj. Bacou's resignation, it is scarcely
more feeble than that made in connection
with Gen. GOrdOn's RESIGNATION. Who is
there who says that Gen. Gordon got a
dollar for resigning, or that he was prom
ised reward of any kind? Who is there
who says there was a bargain in conHec-
ton with the resignation by which he was
to be benefited? For years this story of
Gen. GOrdOn's resignation has been used
whenever it was thought that it
could be made to serve a pOliti-
cal purpose, ana yet no one has
said that Gen. Gordon was bribed to re-
sign, or has offered evidence to sustain
charge of bribery or of a bargain. If
there was no bribery or bargain what
is all the noise about? No one will
deny that Gen. Gordon had right to
resign. AS a rule there are rejOicIngs
among the politicians when an office
holder resigns. Gen. GordOn's services
do not appear to have been so valuable in
the Senate that the people felt that they
could not do without him there. If they
did feel that way no stronger reason could
be advanced for making him Governor.
There are some who condemn Gen. Cor
don tor resigning, because he opened the
way for the appointment of Gov. Brown
to the vacancy, but didn't the people want
Gov. Brown for Senator? The inference
is that they did, because they reelected
him when the term for which he was APP
pointed expired. If there was a bargain,
the people have approved the bargain by
honoring two OF the bargainers, Senators
Brown and Colquitt. What reasonable
ground, therefore, is there for continuing
to Juggle with this rather ancient and
tiresome story OF Gen. Gordon's resigna-
tioni Why not put aside the story of
Mai. Bacon's resignation and that of Gen.
Gordon's as used up campaign material?
If the two gentlemen were not contestants
for an office, both stories would be re-
garded with Indifference. Indeed, it is
doubtful If the stories will have any in
fluence whatever in the campaign. There
may be some more hurrahing over them,
but thinking people know that they
amount to nothing.
The talk about an Atlanta ring and a
Macon ring is all we'll enough in its way,
but what does 1t amount tor Who be-
longs to the Macon ring, and who TO the
Atlanta ringI Who ever heard OF Ma
con ring in politics before this campaign
opened? There is always talk about an
Atlanta ring, and will continue to be,
whoever is elected Governor. Nobody
has word to say against Gov. Mcdaniel,
and yet during his whole administration
there have been references to the Atlanta
ring. That is because Atlanta is the
capital, and there are always those there,
as there are at other State CAPT.
tails. who are looking out for
any crumbs in the way of patronage or
contracts that may be controlled by those
in power. The charge will be made that
there is a ring at Atlanta whether Gen.
Gordon or Major Bacon is chosen Cover
nor, but because there is talk OF a ring it
doesn't follow that the State administra-
ton is engaged in anything that is dis.
creditable.
Suppose the candidates and their or
gans drop for awhile their talk about
rings and RESERVATIONS, and discuss the
questions which the MORNING NEWS has
suggested. Let US see If the change will
not be appreciated by the people. We
have already said, and we repeat it, that
the present method Of conducting the cam
paign IS calculated to make the people
think Gen. Gordon and Maj. Bacon and
their partisans are so embttered against
each other that neither candidate is III to
/ be Governor. Indeed, there are already
/ indications. and they are daily becoming
stronger that the best interests OF the
/ State require a man for Governor who has
not aroused the bitter hostility of a very
large faction Of his party.
The Maine Democrats will 70 through
the form OF nominating State ticket this
xuaak hut IL IL aatd thav "A .o nat ..nfv.. A.. q,