The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-07
ONE POINTO OUT OF EIGHT.
BUSHELS VICTORY NOT MUCH OF
A VICTORY AFTER ALL.

The Capture of the Legislature to Re-
establish His Dictatorship, the
Scheme to Elect His Own Board of
County Commissioners, His Effort
to Defeat Capt. Dillon for Tax Re-
ceiver and to Retain His Brother in
the City Court Clerks Office and
Himself as County Treasurer Re-
suits in Defeat on Every Issue Elk
cept His Own Reelection.
Tbs aftermath Of the recent county cleo
ton is a subject full OF study III local poll
tics. IL goes without saying that the con-
test began with the successful effort of the
Russells to secure the legislature and thereby
enact laws looking to the control of the
county and city.
In this effort they were in a measure sue
cessful. They defeated Mai. Ryals for repre-
sentative and elected ticket favorable to
the election Of the county commissioners by
the people at large instead of by the grand
juries as has been the rule heretofore
By this they revenged themselves for the
reduction Of the salary of the county treas.
urer by Maj. Ryals, who secured the pass.
age OF the bill fixing a general salary limit.
This was only the beginning of the pro
Rramme. A bill was passed through the
legislature making the county com.
missloners elective instead of appointive.
The city registration law was also amended
the intent being to relax the restrictions
which had previously surrounded the regis
tration.
BEGINNING OF THE FIGHT.
In this manner the county fight
began months before the election.
When the campaign opened up several
weeks ago apparently the issue was be-
tween Capt. John r. Dillon and Mr..
Warning Russell but IL was only to the ex-
tent that the triumph Of any one who SIDED
with Mr.. Russell meant the establishments
OF his power to dictate who should and who
should not hold public office In Chatham
county. Each side put out a candidate
against the leader Of the opposition, and a
full ticket OF county commissioners
The fight was bitter, aud the campaign
was hard fought on both sides up
to the last minute that the
polls remained open. Capt. Dillon was
the leader of one side and Mr.. Russell Of the
other. 1t was war TO the knife aud knife
to the hilt." There was no quarter given and
none asked by either side. Mr. Russell
rallied around him many Of his old political
friends, his coreligionists and other elements.
Capt. Dillon gathered together his large
personal following, including among them
the majority OF the Irish and native Ameri-
can leaders. A strong man with a wide
circle OF friends and q large personal ac-
quaintance mad been brought GUS against
Capt. Dillon.
A POLITICAL STRATAGEM.
IL was necessary to divert the attention
Of the Russell faction by placing some one
in opposition TO Mr.. Russell. Mai.
Ryals was selected as the most
available man and was placed In nominal
ton for the office Of county treasurer, To
make the fight more pronounced Mr.. W. P.
Bailey was selected TO make the fight against
Judge Philip NJ. Russell for clerk OF the
city court. Mr.. j. A. G.. Carson. whose
name was already on the Russell ticket for
county commissioner. was placed on the
Dillon-Ryals ticket, it is said to secure his
vote against Mr. p. M. Russell
From this it will be seen that there were
eight points of vantage to be contended for:
The i've county commissioners, the receiver
OF tax returns, the county treasurershio and
the city court clerkship. The fight
results can now be given. Mr.. Russell was
re-elected as county treasurer. He failed to
defeat Capt. Dillon for tax receiver, he was
most ignominiously routed on the county
commissioners fight, the opposition electing
their entire Ticket and Mr.. Bailey was
eiecteu over Ar. husseIIs brother for clerk
of the city court.
ONLY ONE IN EIGHT.
Out Of eight offices Russell secured one.
ana that the one which he occupied himself.
He saved his own bacon" To do this it
was necessary to sacrifice his entire county
commissioners ticker. Instead of routing
the opposition he was reduced to a fight for
existence, and that 10 oil he won,
Those familiar with the situation know
very well that the men who elected Russell
are the same men who elected Capt. Dillon
and the board of county commissioners.
They we're men who did not believe perhaps
that Russell should be deprived of his Office,
but who were unwilling that he should
dictate the election Of toe other county off,
GERS. including the county commissioners. In
other words they are willing to pension
him or with $4,000 year for nominal
services. The fact is settled that Russell will
not dictate the city election. The result of
the county election is sufficient to show that.
RIUER ANA EADDnn