The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-11
A TALE OF TWO CITIZENS.


to be Inspected for a publication OF all per-
sons who had been convicted in the police
courts. Without taking issue with him as
TO the law, for in that am not competent
1 must say / have learned a new lesson
in penOlogy Publicity has always been In
my mind one of the fundamental elements
in punishment. II the fact of punishment
is to be conceded large per cent. of the
deterrent influence of punishment is de-
stroyed. IL seems, too, TO me that this
construction is an entering wedge TO
abuses of administration. 1t Increases the
difficulties of criticism OF our public SER
wants ana therefore the temptation TO do
wrong. II a man has 10 go through a
court process TO study the omclal records
Of our rulers the work of moral reform
Will be not only distastcful, but well nigh
impossible. The freest access to the do
ings of our representatives., even with the
liability OF abuse, is our strongest safe
guard 1t seems to me more on this the
DRY that these records cannot be called
public documents, they are merely quasi
private affairs.
without. however, a protest. / submit
and send my compliments to his honor
on his fidelity to the records. As TO in
formation, am not so sure that ] am Gn-
fortunate. ! have learned few things
In these past days that drunk means
when a man Is so far gone that he either
has not the money or the sense to get
out of the hands of the officers, and that
'di5orderly covers multitude Of DRINKS,
such as you or ! would call drunk.
An interview of a few minutes with
Mr.. Lobbyist, on. no. Mr.. Statstician, oh,
no. j mean Mr.. Chief OF Police, impressed
me with the fact that the ideal policeman,
according to his standard was the man
who made the fewest arrests, ana that 10
was his ambition 10 make a reputation
for the feWest possible. Fidelity OF police
officers, the public sentiment of comma
mites, the standard OF public morality
has much 10 do with the work done I'm
these lines. For instance. that green poe
liceman who heard the mayors noted in
structions as to Sunday liquor arrests,
went out and found the saloon of a club
mate Of the administration selling whisky
and returned It to the authorities with
responsible witness CONSERVATION en-
tered the camp, and that arrest won't
count, nor the man be punished. IL seems
TO me II the chief Of police would be as
dilgent in seeking to stop crime as he
is In collecting statistics and feeling the
legislative pulse as TO the impression
made on its members by the publication
OF the raising of the large fund by our
liquor dealers to produce an effect on the
anu-barroom bill. he would DO a better
officer.
But 1 must remember this work Of
strong work, like that Of the Savannah
Brewing Company It's manager can get
into the very sanctun sanctorum at the
foot Of Bull street. You must not ask me
opinion, as / wrote the mayor, but / was
too weak ] can only Judge by appear
ance. Savannah and Brunswick's coun-
ellis adopted resolutions Of Identical Ian
guage. / am sure that bright little city
is unwilling to play me, too. to Savannah
The only other Inference at hand is that
representative Of the liquor dealers
wrote out. with great care, those noted
resolutions and had a reader to present
them in council. The Savannah Brewing
Company is the most active OF the Op-
ponents of the 'anti-barroom BILL Ii Is this
concern that, through its agent, confessed
in open court in Statesboro that ii was vio-
lating the local option sentiment Of that
county. and was perpetrating any kind
Of fraud desired on the people by labelling
its product in diverse manners. This body
is strong enough to reach the very high
priests of the Sanhedrim.
by the way, in that noble argument
the mayor made before the Senate com
mittee he said they had never before in
terfered with temperance legislation. 1
am reliably informed that the liquor deal
ers association sent delegation to tight
the local option bill. Since then they
have gotten so complete a hold on the
council that they need not 20 to that eX-
pense City action sounds so much more
dignhed, you know.
my reasons for asking the city records
one Of which was that ! might have Just
materials on which to base my opinions
were called too weak That IS a very
complimentary expression to be found in
an official document II is, however, in
keeping with the custom OF the place.
understand a petition was sent to the Of
fee asking the suppression OF disorder in
a dance house by the ncighbors. It's car
rier was put through an inquisition Of
this characterf What have you got
against that nanT Who put you up 70
equally dtscourteous to those who dare
question its righteousness or seek its pro-
lection.
II must not be held responsible If
have formed unjust judgments. l try al
ways TO form just opinions but the re-
cords are too delicate to be inspected by
some people and / will have to feel way
the best / can this time
Il wonder II could have found the name
of man once so often convicted Of viO-
lating the liquor laws, that license was re-
fused him, but under the reform admins
tration he secures HIS license and the
wholesale liquor house with which the
mayor Is so intimately connected stands
his bond2 1t seems to me / have heard
some such story These bonds for liquor
dealing are an iniGuity. It makes the city
a partner in the business. The theory Of
a license is, az understand It, that a man
engage IN the sale. that there is q pro-
hibition feature in the license, but this
method enables the dealer to do business
on tho credit Of the city and to that ex-
tent encourages the whisky business. The
old serpent has, however, gotten the city
pretty well under its grip.
II wonder If those records would have
let me known who presided in the mys-
FERROUS case where bad woman was
charged with selling liquor on Sunday was
tried, was about to be dismissed, but on
the plea of the accuser was continued for
further testimony. Several names of city
officers were given as witnesses, the case
was charged to the care of the recorder,
was suddenly withdrawn, when the recor-
der demanded his rights to try the case, 1t
was all at once summarily disposed Of.
Perhaps that case and its res gestae. 1 be-
lieve the lawyers call it, was not on the
dockets. 1t is worth, however. the investi-
cation Of people who believe good citizen
ship means good government.
But these reflections must not divert us.
All honor to the mayors faithful protec-
tion Of the public records. / hope this
is a turning point In his administration.
Now let him show the same diligence in
closing the Sunday saloon. He has shown
where there's a will there's a way Let
him have will-the wiz Of the strong
man he fs--to close the Sunday barrcom.
Maybe the records show there have been
only eight arrests for a violation Of this
law since he was inaugurated. l do know
that all over the city / hear men and
women say the saloons are not closed.
I hear men say this, too, who were sup
porters of the successful candidates for
these Offices. Let him get In as faithful
work on the gambling hells as he dOes
on the records. Let him get
in the same law executing
skill in suppressing the houses of ques-
tionable character. They tell me there
are such places spreading ali over the
city; that there is a growing holiness