The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-23
THE COUNCIL MAY ELECT.
TO BIZ MAYOR A CANDIDATE MUST
SECURE A MAJORITY OF VOTES.

-
An Important Law Which the Politi-
clans Heretofore Overlooked-The
Plurality system No Good IN the
MayoraIry Contest-Alderman Hsr-
mons Friends at Work to Secure a
Majority Of the Aldermanio Board.
The First District Club TO Act Mon
day Night-Aldermen Charlton as
Dark Horse-An Arbitration Scheme
That Failed.
In the great tree-for-all-race for the
mayoralty the candidates and their friends
seem TO have forgotten highly important
matter, and that is the possibility OF the
election being thrown into the council on
account of the number Of candidates desiV-
Gus Of sacrificing themselves to serve their
fellow citizens and incidentally secure honor
for themselves.
II there are more than two candidates for
the Office, and present indications strongly
point TO at least four or FIVE, it is extremely
important TO each 70 endesvor 60
secure a majority Of friends IN
the next board OF aldermen, because
10 ia more than likely that the board will
have the selection Of the next mayor. The
reason for this prophecy is that the charter
Of Savannah makes It necessary for the
successful candidate for the msyoralty to
be tine possessor Of a majority Of all the
votes cast In the election. A plurality viii
cut no figure.
THE LAW on THB sUBJECT.
Section 1925 Of the code is as follows: 4" In
case of a tie in the vote for mayor, or IL
there be more than two candidates for
mayor and no candidate shall receive a
all fbn F,r Fhak -
board Of aldermen, after having completed
its own organization, shall elect the mayor
from among those who were candidates be-
fore tie people for the Office of mayor"
The attention of the politicians was
called to the Law Yesterday and some Of
them seemed surprised. They had not heard
Of it before, but announced that they would !
get together at once and make Up sbeir |
nldermanic states accordingly. This means |
every candidate for aldermanic honors will |
have 90 state in advance who he will sup |
port for mayor IN case OF his election.
Alderman HarmOus supporters In the |
First district will take the initiative IA this /
direction next Monday night. 10 is gen
orally understood that the First District |
Club prefer him for the office of mayor and |
It will hold a meeting at Hendy's hall Mon
day night and select three candidates for
aldermen from the First district or course
these three gentlemen will be friends of
Alderman Harmon. The Fourth and Sec
ond district Harmon clubs will also take
similar action next week.
CANDIDATES PLENTIFUL
Besides Alderman Harmon and DR.. Falli-
CANT and either Mayor hcDonough or
Maj. Schwarz being candidates for the
meyoralty there is an unusually strong |
probability of at least two others. A gem
tleman well up in polit cal affairs said yes
terday that either Alderman Mills or Alder
man Charlton would be urged to
I
IN the closing hours of the COM
paign aud 1t is also generally believed Capt.
NJ. j. Doyle will appear as the republican |
candidate. With all these sspirants in the |
field it will be almost matter Of impos-
siuility for any candidate 70 secure a ma
jority. The necessity under the circum-
stances for hustling on the part of each
candidate to capture the council is obvious
The article in yesterdays MORNING NEWS |
about the probable and possible moves and
combinations Of the different Candidates
was read with great interest by the poll
ticians.
In fact the article was more interesting
than many of them would have liked, as |
IL laid bare some plans which were thought |
to be still unknown outside OF certain Cir |
cles.
ELIMINATION DIDN'T WORK.
The latest piece of ne Ns in the mayoralty |
business, however, is the failure OF certain 1
effort to eliminate either Maj. SchWarz or
Alderman Harmon from the race. They |
are feeling rather sore over their disap- |
pointmeut, and are Rnxious to have the |
matter kept quiet. The MORNING NEWS |
was given tip yesterday, however, and |
upon investigation discovered some inter |
estlng facts.
AS is well known, there is a certain polit-
cal element TO which a race between Alder |
man Harmon and Maj. SchwarF would be
as painful to the leaders as IL they were
being drawn apart by two wild horses
going in opposite directions. The leaders
feel under obligations to both gentlemen.
They have always heretofore supported
both in all their political aspirations When
Alderman Harmon announced himself a
candidate for mayor he was given assurance
OF the support of this element, as Mai.
Schwarz was thought TO be entirely OUT OF
she field.
THE POLITICIANS NIGHTMARE.
The possibility of having Maj. Schwarz
and Alderman Harmon both in the field as
candidates. which grows more likely every
day, has become veritable nightmare to
these politicians To support one and op-
pose the other would be TO commit political
suicide so far as their own prospects were
concerned and yet both would look to them
for support.
After various unsuccessful efforts to SCI
cure definite promise from Mai. Schwarz
politicians decided to try the other tack
and see what could be done with Alderman
Harmon. IL Maj. Schwsrz would not step
aside it would greatly relieve them 10 have
Alderman Harmon do so. So one day last
week each gentleman received a letter
about the same time from the same per5on,
suggesting, as a means of relieving the
minds of their friends and solidifying their
forces, that each appoint committee of
five friends to meet together discuss the
situation, and decide which candidate
should make the race
The trap, 1t is charged, was set for Alder
man Harmon, but the truth of this cannot
be vouched for. 1t is said he was expected
10 appoint certain committeeman, aud one
Of these was relied upon TO do the Judas
act and vote with the Schwarz men to retire
Alderman Harmon from the race
HARMON NOT MAPPING.
He, however, surprised bis kind friends
by appointing an entirely different COM
mittee from the one they had calculated
upon
Mai 4, 81 l..