The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-20
BY A MAJORITY OF TWO.
THE COUNCIL VOTES TO ASSESS
GROUND RENT LOTS.

6r6-A tOrLner DISCUSSION OF 4 Elan
of Settlement to be Had.
The ground rent lots are to be assessed fol
city taxes.
The city council, by a vote Of seven u
five, so decided last night 1t was done By
yea and nay vote. After the first vote
the ants asked that the vote be taker
again, and every man of the seven stood
firm.
1t was a close vote, and Alderman Fall
giant, who took the lead in the fight to tar
the property, went home probably the
most elated man in the city, and the mayor
was thought by some to be almost as well
satisfied, as it was a narrow escape from
putting him in a position where his vote
would be the decisive one.
There were nearly 100 citizens present
when the folding doors between the long
room aud the mayors office were thrown
open and the members of the board OF
aldermen emerged from the caucus. Every
member of the council was present. All
the available room in the long room was
taken up, and while the ground-renters in
side the railing were in a majority the
crowd in the lobby was largely the other
way.
BOTH SIDES APPLAUD.
When the result of the vote on the reso-
luton was announced, there was applause
at each announcement. which City Marshal
Wade promptly suppressed. When Alder
man Falligant made his impassioned speech
against any resolution of compromise, set
ting forth the needs of the city. the applause
again broke out, and again the city marshal
had to use his staff.
Among the interested spectators inside
the railing were Maj G. M. Ryals, Thomas
Daniels, j. K. Germany, Horace Remshart,
Charles F. Prendergast. Justice Elsinger,
ex-Justice Folliard. and quite number of
real estate men and retail merchants.
After the usual routine reports of com
mittees and petitions had been read the
question of taxing the ground rent lots
came up on the following resolution by
Alderman Falligant:
Resolved, That the assessment committee be
directed to instruct the board Of assessors of
the city to assess for taxation for 1890 the lots
reported by the city attorney, under the recent
resolution OF council as liable to municipal
taxation.
ALDERMAN FALLIGANT's SPEECH.
Upon the resolution Alderman Falligant
read prepared speech, urging its passage,
giving his reasons therefore, and citing the
Code, the supreme court decisions and an
ordinance of the city showing that the lots
are the property of the ground renters that
which instruments are entered, after pay
ment of all purchase money, certificates
making them absolute.
Alderman Bailey introduced the follow
ing substitute:
ResoEUed, That the city council invite a con
ference with the owners OF the ground rent
lots for the purpose of effecting a compromise
upon the question Of taxation upon said ground
rent lots.
Alderman Bailey said that he thought
before putting the Falligant resolution to a
vote the council should make an effort to
come to compromise with the ground
renters; that it is no more than fair to
have a meeting with them, and see
If compromise cannot be effected.
1t is not to be expected that this tax
can be raised in the new budget, but a COM
promise might be effected at so cents on the
dollar and bring $3.50 900 into the treasury
he agreed with Corporation Attorney
Adams that the matter ought to be settled
and that council ought to try and have a
meeting with the ground renters and try
and effect compromise
Alderman Wells took the same view of
the matter. He thought it would be better
to take steps to effect compromise.
OPPOSED TO CONFERENCES.
Alderman Falligant was opposed to such
policy at this time. The city has no
right, he said, to let.any one off, The mat
ter should be settled constitutioually and
justly. The ground renters have been
escaping their share of the burthens long
enough, and the question now for council
TO determine is whether it will obey the
laws of the land and their oaths Of Office aud
vote to assess taxable property. He could
not see how members under their oaths of
office could escape from voting for the reso-
luton.
Aldermen McDonough, Wells and Har-
mon took exceptions to the language, and
Mr.. Wells said that he had been told by
Alderman Falligant and the corporation
attorney that he could not on his conscience
vote against the resolution.
Messrs Falligant and Adams explained
their position, and especially Mr.. Adams
denied that he had 30 stated to Mr.. Wells or
any other alderman. He had never said.
intimated or thought that Mr.. Wells could
not vote against the resolution without
violating his oath of office and doing
violence to his conscience. Alderman
Wells had asked him if he considered the
question under the law he should vote to
assess the ground rent lots for taxation, and
he had answered Mr.. Wells in the affirm
alive, and when Mr.. Wells took a negative
view Of the matter then he had told Mr.
Wells that it was question of his con
science, and he ought to be governed by
that. Mr.. Wells admitted that Mr.. Adams
statement of the interview was correct.
ALDERMAN BAILEY's RESOLUTION.
Alderman Falligant moved to lay Mr..
Bailey's substitute on the table, but it was
not seconded.
Alderman Cam held that the resolu-
ton is not substitute Until the
council decides to assess the lots
for taxation there is nothing to
compromise. The question now to be con-
sidered is, "Do we propose to assess the lots
for taxationp How could conference be
held under the substitute? Who it would
bind? Wouldn't all have to agreel And
to what would they be asked to agreeI
Not to tax the lots, for council has not said
it will tax them.
Alderman Reid thought that the resolu-
ton of Alderman Bailey was not pertinent
to the issue at this time, and therefore
could not be considered.
The mayor ruled that the resolution was
not in the nature of a substitute, and there
fore could not be considered.
The Falligant resolution then came I'D or
its passage, and Alderman Harmon de-
manded the yeas and nays, whereupon the
resolution prevailed by the following vote
Yeas-Aldermeni Bailey, Haines, Reid,
Myers, Falligant, Cam and Harris-7.
Nays-Aldermen Harmon, Mills, Nichols.
McDonough and Wells-5.
The mayor decided that the resolution
had been adopted, and recall having been
asked for and the vote being identically as
hafOrQ the TnaVOr again IL