The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-09

! court receives. He warned me that il I
passed the bill he would cut of my polit
ical head, but felt it 10 be my duty, and
the bill was unanimously passed by the
/ legislature"
/ Ma Ryals gave some of the history Of
/ the last campaign. The means which were
used, he said, were characterized as
everything that was underhanded and
Z unfair. One member of the committee
that managed the election now stands
indicted for his conduct in that election.
but he has not been brought TO trial
owing to the manner in which the Offices
have been parceled out"
I Fifteen years ago. said Mai Ryals, q
urged primaries at mass meeting at the
theater. but great God, 1 did not mean
this kind Of a primary"
Mai Ryals' illusions to the present leg
! islative incumbents from this county
were highly enjoyed by his
hearers. oh. sanity joe" he
exclaimed, "Oh, immaculate Billy,
. spotless Dick, you secured your cleo
tion in such a manner as this aud yet you
had the gall to go into the halls of our
fathers and with their pictures looking
down upon You TO ask for laws to give
pure elections TO Chatham county. What
a picture"
Mai. Ryals said all that was left of the
Doolan ballot law, after il had been at
NhLhEA III blG ltklotdbuIGs was IKE Tue OAu
farmers barrel which his son recon
structed. There was nothing left but the
bung hole Maj. Ryals' numerous hits
were received with laughter and APP
plause.
MAI. MELDRIM's RINGING SPEECH.
Mai p w. Meldrim was the last
speaker and 1t seemed indeed that the
best had been reserved for the last He
was given an ovation as he went on the
stage. He said he had no sympathy with
the man who would not take position on
this issue. The lines he said, ARE
clearly drawn and every citizen who has
the interest of this community at heart
should come out on the side of
right. Some men are conspicuous
by their absence in critical moments.
Next Tuesday night there will be criti-
cal moment in this county. The man
who does not come forward and do his
duty at that moment 10 not worthy of
your support at any time hereafter No
business man will intrust important bust
ness in the hands Of a man whose honesty
he has no confidence in, and yet by care
lessness and inaction many men show
their willingness to intrust the affairs of
government in the hands of the vilest Of
men,"
Maj. Meldrim discoursed eloquently
upon the dangers of dishonesty adj
ministered government. The history of
every republic that has ever existed - he
said, teaches us that 1t fell when it be-
came corrupt. If the honest and re-
spectacle citizens fail to take an interest
in our administration of public affairs our
institutions will topple and fall
ton is an insidious evil. The
foundations of government are attacked
slowly, and the danger is hardly realized
until they are honeycombed and worm
eaten with corruption. The great mystery
is that so many honest and well-meaning
men are TO be found arrayed under the
banner of corruption. They do not realize
the evil they are doing, and there is
where the danger lies"
THE DIVISION OF THE PARTY.
1t would be impossible to do Justice to
Maj. Meldrim's speech, but his words
will not be forgotten by those who heard
them. Referring TO the division in the
party he said: Can anyone doubt that
the crowd arrayed against us is arrayed
for the sp0ilsl 1t is the old crowd,
whipped so often before, but organized
again for the same purpose 1t reminds
me of the little boy who went into the
doctors ONCE on an errand. AS he started
in the door a closet few open and re-
vealed grinning skeleton. He ran out
frightened almost to death The doctor
who was very cadaverous looking indi-
vidual camo to the door and called out,
Come back, little boy, there's nothing
here to hurt you The little boy took
good look at him and began crying harder
than ever. You can't fool me- he boo
hooed. 4 know you If you have got your
clothes on 1t is the same old skeleton
of corruption. We know it even if ii has
got other cloths on.
I'VE have felt its grasp and we know
what 1t means. Do you want to feel that
grasp again, with one hand on the throat
of the public and the other in its pocket2
If you would not feel it, then attend the
mass meetings Tuesday night and see that
good and honest and trustworthy men are
put in control of the party. Place the
affairs of this city in the hands of dishou-
est men, and you will destroy every in
tcrest and prosperity 1t possesses. l do
not speak for the clubs, but for Savan-
nah. We should stand together as one
man for the glory and advancement of
our city. A danger threatens us
greater than war or pestilence,
storm or earthquake for when
corruption takes hold upon a city all is
lost. What say you, honest men and
strong men, a fair ballot and fair count,
that our city may become the queen city
of the landp
The applause which greeted Mai. Mel
drim was tremendous. Having listened
for two hours to genuine democratic doc
trine, The meeting adjourned.