The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-28
Rather Rash Talk.


The members OF the Chatham delega-
ton in the legislature are reported in OUR
dispatches as talking rather rccklessly
about corrupt practices in the rcgistra-
tion in this county in connection with
their bill to take the registration out Of
the hands OF the county commissioners
and place it in the hands of the ordinary.
Wesay, their bill, because as far as we
have been able to discover there is no
demand on the part Of the people of this
county for the change proposed in their
bill. II would be interesting to know
whether the bill was suggested to them
or whether it is their own idea. lift was
suggested to them they should disclose
the names of those back of it, 50 that it
may be known whether any considerable
number Of people want it, and whether
those who want it are profoundly inter-
ested in the welfare Of the city or simply
seeking a change for selfish purposes.
II the DILL is their own idea it is strange
they were not moved TO introduce it at
the last session. They must have known
as much about the corrupt registration
practices of which they speak then as
they do now. Nothing has occurred since
the last session to arouse suspicion that
the registration is not honestly conducted.
And if, as they say, there is a great popu-
lar demand for the proposed change, why
is it that it did not crop out Immediately
after the last registration? The time for
expressions of indignation at corrupt
practices is when the practices
are fresh in the public mind. There does
not appear to have been any such express
sions, however, at any time, and this
iustifies the suspicion that the proposed
bill is not to be offered in response to a
popular demand, but for some purpose
that is kept in the background
But why is it that Chatham's repre-
sentatives have lost confidence in the
county commissioners who were elected
by authority of a bill put through the leg
islature by themselves They wanted
commissioners elected by the people and
they have them. What fault have they
to find with them2 Why do they object
to trusting them with the registration?
Have they not shown themselves to be
faithful servants, and would they not
give the people as honest registration as
the ordinary} The Chatham representa-
tives do not seem to think so, or else they
would not be so anxious to take the regis
tration out of their hands.
But, after all, what is it that the Chat
ham representatives want? For one
thing they say they, want the time for
registering changed. The registering is
now done between the first Monday in
March and the first Monday in June, and
they want it done between June l and
Sept. 1. What reason can they have for
such change2 1t is well known that
during the summer many of the taxpay-
ers and representative citizens are away
from the city, and that great many idle
colored men come into the city. One eff
feet of the proposed change would be to
keep off of the registration books
citizens who are profoundly interested in
good government in Savannah and get
registered many who have no interest in
the city whatever, but who could be used
for selfish purposes.
Are not the Chatham representatives
mistaken in asserting that the people de-
mand the change in the registration pro-
posed in their billl They will robably
find out they are before their bill makes
much progress. 1t will be discovered
that the people they have in mind are
themselves and few of their friends.