The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-31
NO NEED FOR A NEW LAW.
TIE CITY COURT CLERK AND
SHERIFF. ELECTION BILL.

The County Commissioners and City
Council Not in Favor OF 1.-THE
County Not Anxious to Assume the
Expense of the Court, and the City
Willing That the Law Shall Con-
tinue as it is-Judge Hardens Views
What the Bill Provides.
There is some opposition to Representa-
tive Reilly's bill TO make the offices Of sher
if and clerk of the city court elective by
the people. The objection to the bill is,
that it provides for the election of the city
court sheriff and city court clerk by the
popular vote Of the county, instead of the
city council, and it is argued that
under the operation of such a
law it would relieve the city Of the ex-
pense of the per diem paid the sheriff and
clerk and which, with insolvent costs,
would transfer from the city to the county
a burden of not less than $4,000, as that
amount is reported as the expense Of the
city court in the mayors last annual report.
The proposition does not meet with favor
1t is said, among either the county commits
sioners or in the city council. 1t is held by
the county authorities that the county has
already assumed all that il can well afford
to assume 1t has relieved the city of tax
burden Of about $65, 900 for educational
purposes, and the salary of the city court
judge and the per diem of the city court
Jurors are borne by the county.
WHY THE COUNCIL DOES NOT FAVOR 1T.
On the other hand, the council is Jealous
of the patronage 1T has in this direction,
and is not inclined to aid the passage Of the
bill, which, between the two fires, does not
Al -. l..
is the pretty general feeling in Savannah,
although the exact status Of the delegation
in legislature is not known. It is not be-
leyed, however, that Senator duBignOn or
Representative Clifton favors il, and friends
of Representative Reilly think that he
merely introduced the bill through courtesy.
II is claimed that the bill was drafted
with the Interior object of defeating the
reelection of Hon. 2. NJ. Russell to the city
court clerkship, and that it was not in
tended TO be directed against the city court
sheriff. Mr. Russell has expressed his total
indifference as to the fate of the bill, and he
says that he does not care whether il does
or does not pass.
JUDGE HARDEN's VIEWS.
Judge Harden said last night that he had
not seen a copy of the BILL but he did not
hesitate to say that he is opposed to it. He
does not think the county's tax burdens
should be increased in this direction, and he
doubts its PASSAGE
The bill is brief one with q repeating
clause, taking away from the mayor and
aldermen the prerogative of electing the
city court sheriff and clerk, and the enact
ing clause of the bill provides that section
1919 of the code of 1882 be amended SO that
ii will read as follows:
''On the first Wednesday in January,
1890, In the same manner and under the
same regulations as are now prescribed for
the election of clerks OF the su-
perior courts and county sherifs, and shall
serve for two years, and the sheriff Of said
court may appoint one or more deputies at
his discretion, and he shall have the same
authority to execute criminal warrants as
is now vested in the sheriff of the county of
OF Chatham, and the sheriff of said city
court and his deputies may serve the pro
cess OF the court in any part of said county
of Chatham"