The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-26
IS IT LEGAL OR ILLEGAL?
What the PaTtiSanS Say About WedleS-
day Nights Election.

Election Was Illegal and the Acts of
the oHoers Elected win Be Illegal.
Alderman Charlton Holds a Contrary
Opinion-The Courts win Be Called
Upon to Pass Upon the Rules of Coun-
ell.
The action Of the city council Wednes-
day night was all the talk yesterday.
There were only two sides to the discus
sion. The supporters of the administra-
ton upheld the action Of council in pass
ing the Charlton ordinances and proceed
ing with the election of officers.
The members of the Citizens Club de-
clared that the action of council was out
rageeus. and that the whole proceedings
were illegal. They did not have as much
TO say as they did week ago at the in
PRODUCTION of the ordinances by Mr..
Charlton to change the time of electing
city officers and the time when their
terms shall begin. They were evidently
doing a lot of hard thinking, however. and
the desire to get even is deep seated. The
members of the club are riled at what
they consider the high-handed action Of
Mayor McDonough in riding rough-shod
over Alderman Myers by declaring the
second ordinance passed without allowing
him TO make his motion for a reconsider
alton
Alderman Myers is the hero of the hour
with the opponents of the administra-
ton just now, and ii was freely stated
on the streets yesterday that his chances
of becoming the candidate of the Citizens
(Ff1lh fOr n
cent. as the result of the stand taken by
him at the meeting of council. 1t was also
declared that Mayor McDonough had
weakened himself by turning large num-
Der of his friends against him by reason
of his action at the meeting, and that
many Tammanyites had become dissat-
isfed because they thought their candi-
dates had not been given proper consid-
Grafton.
The Tammany men held a meeting Tues
day night, and appointed a committee
to confer with the mayor and aldermen,
and solicit their influence in favor of
candidates who were members of the club
as against certain incumbents who were
not. The candidacy of J. j. Cullom for
chief fireman was made a special feature
by the committee. According to reports
the committee met with a cool reception.
Several aldermen informed them that
they did not propose to submit to club
dictation and that they would vote as
they pleased. Mr.. Cullom has been an
enthusiastic Tammany man, and his fail
ure to get a single vote is said to have
disgruntled many of his supporters II
was certainly a surprise to them The
very complimentary vote given to Chief
Puder, however. was due more to the
fight made upon him by the insurance
agents than to any resentment at the
interference of the Tammany committee
The council felt that under the circum-
stances reelection was due Chief Pu-
der in vlndication of his faithful service.
The reported disaffection was denied
yesterday by several Tammany men. who
SAID that on the contrary the club is firm
IN support or the position taken by the
mayor and council. SO far as can he
learned Mayor McDonough has the sun
port of all the members except Aldermen
Myers and Screven in his action. They
say that Mr.. Myers motion was a trick
10 gain a partisan advantage, and that
the mayor was perfectly justified in get
ting ahead of him in the manner that he
did. -S
I don't know what was the matter with
the mayor last night" said one of the
aldermen to Morning News reporter
We knew what Myers plan was and il
was understood that the mayor was TO
put his signature to the first ordinance
IN time to head off the motion to recon-
slider. If had known he was going to be
~ oApN NOuAl nave taken the floor
self and held 1t until the bill had been
signed. This would have prevented Mr.
Myers from getting in his motion. The
mayor fumbled with his pen a minute too
long"
1t developed yesterday that it was not
necessary for Mr.. Myers to have voted
In the affirmative in order to move for a
reconsideration. A recent amendment
TO the rules Of council gives any al
derman the right to move for reconsid-
GRAFTON. Mr.. Myers says he had legal ad-
vice ON this point, however, and he knew
what he was doing when he voted in the
afhrmattVe. Mr.. Myers thinks he has a
good point on Alderman Charlton. The
amendment to rule IA, on which the fight
was made Wednesday night, was pro-
posed by Mr.. Charlton himself, he says,
about six months ago, and the ground
Tor the amendment was that it was best
that matters of Importance should not be
passed upon hastily, and that for this
reason a motion to reconsider should
carry a question over for two weeks
longer until the next regular meeting
in order that the aldermen might have
an opportunity to weigh the matter in
their minds No new copies of the rules
have been printed since the amendment
was adopted, and the amendment is
written in red ink in the rule books
1t was on this that Alderman Charlton
made his point and which amendment
was ONeiTlQQen Dy council Wnen II pro
ceeded to the election of officers under tn,
ordinance which Alderman Myers haC
moved TO reconsider.
Both sides are now quoting rule 8 o
council in support of their position. Rul,
says that after the passage of an ordi
nance the same shall be signed by tn
mayor or presiding chairman as soon a.
fairly copied and be Immediately there
after published; and no reconsideration 0
the minutes at the next meeting of Coun
ell shall operate to suspend, affect or alte
the provisions of said ordinance"
You will see from this rule" said Al
derman Charlton, that whatever wa
done by council last night under the ordi
nance just passed stands and cannot b
affected by any subsequent reconsidera
tion Of the ordinance. A majority Of tn
aldermen might change their minds an
the ordinance be reconsiderd, but the cleo
ton held under 1t holds good BY tn
same rule You see that IL is not necessar
that the mayor shah attach his sigma
ture TO an ordinance in order 20 make It
law. He Is allowed five days in which I
sign or veto an ordinance and IL is no
necessary to sign Il until IL has been prou
eriV Transcribed bV the clerk The ord