The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-08
CHANGES LIKELY TO BE MADE.
WHAT THE COMING COMMISSIONS
WILL HAVE II HAND.

Nearly All of the Commissioners
said to Have Been Decided On-The
COMMISSIONER VIII Probably BE
ORGANIZED and n eady for Work be-
fore Jan. Ito Elect Heads OF the
Departments All ArOund-AIder-
men NiIIink and Screven Not APP
pIfeants for Department Offices.
Alderman Screven said to Have n
MayoraIty Bee.
The introduction in the legislature Of
bills providing for commissions TO take
charge of the various city departments
has started a quiet political discussion
that will no doubt develop itself as the
time draws near for the bills to be made
laws.
OF course, the question now is. who is
going TO be the commissioner
of public works and who are
going to be the members Of the
various other commissions. When any
OF those on the inside are asked about
the matter they smile knowingly, and re-
mark that the bills have not yet become
laws.
So far as actually having passed the
two houses of the legislature is con
cerned and having the signature Of the
governor appended, il is true they are
not laws. but they have been introduced
by representatives who are all Of one
mind with regard to them, which means
practically they Will be laws as soon as
the necessary f0rmalites can be gone
through with.
commissions has been considerably dis
cussed 10y those In authority already, ana
while nothing Geiinlte has been done,
as of course 10 cannot be Just yet IL Is
said the commissioner of public works
and ten or twelve Of the fifteen commits
siOners provided for have been agreed
upon. and that the authorizes having
the matter in hand VIII be READY TO make
the necessary appointments as soon as the
certified copies Of the law with the gov
ernOr's signature attached are received
or at least very shortly thereafter.
Who the gentlemen are that have been
discussed in connection with these po-
sitiOns cannot at present be asceftalned.
Whatever has been done is known only
10 few who are strictly on the inside;
and they are going TO keep quiet until
something definite is done. one thing is
pretty well settled, however ana that IS
they will be men who are in sympathy
with the administration. At the same
time, it is stated, every effort will be
made to appoint such men as Will be
most acceptable to the community.
AS is well known. according TO the
bills. the commissions will all have TO be
appointed and organized within about
SIX weeks time, as they are TO take
charge Of their departments the last
Monday in January. At that time the
terms of office of the heads of the various
departments will terminate, this also be-
ing provided by the bills. and the Off
GERS who are to serve from that date will
be selected by the commissions. 1t IS
pretty well understood that there VIII
be no changes in any of these depart
mental heads, where the holders OF
such offices are in thorough sympathy
with the administration. There is some
quiet talk, however, that the assistant in
fa al tod for he
head job, and while this has been inti-
mated in various instances by parties in
a position to know, II has never been
admitted or denied outright.
The talk about Mr.. Willinks wanting
the position of the head of the fire depart
ment," said a we'll known member of the
Citizens Club yesterday, lis all nonsense.
] have an intimate personal acquaintance
with him, and l know there is nothing
in such report. ! am pretty certain the
same thing can be said of Alderman
Screven, who has been talked of in con-
nection with the head of the police de-
partment. / have been told that he has
a higher ambition, and that he will prob
ably be a candidate for mayor in case
Mr.. Myers declines to run for a second
term. / understand, however, that Capt.
Screven is to be member of the COM
mission which Will have charge OF the po-
lice department"
There is some talk on all sides of the
question. Another gentleman finds some
objection to the provision in the bills
which makes the terms of Office of the
headS OF departments expire each time
new commissioner is appointed.
IF that is the case. he said, what is
the use of the commission? That gives
us as much politics as ever. The controi
of the departments might Just as well
be left with the committees of council.
] thought when the bills were first talked
of, the object of the commissions was to
have them elect such officers as they saw
fit, and that such officers were to serve
as long as they showed that they were
competent to do so and as long as they
behaved themselves as they should
Generally speaking, however the bills
are looked upon with favor. If the com
missions do not take the departments
out of politics Immediately, it is consid-
cred that they will do so In the course
of time, and that they will be made to
subserve the best interests Of the city.