The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-24


We have no doubt that a great MAORI
Z -y of the voters OF each Of the factions
Of the democratic party 90 this county
w9ulI say: GIVE us fair primary" if
The matter was left 10 them. We notice
that 30 is reported that az the meeting
Of the committee OF enc hundred Of the
Citizens CLUB. on Friday night. that the
"tone OF the meeting was that conces-
si1ns should he made by the Citizens
Club IN The matter OF primary in order
90 get the Liberal Club 20 enter it,"
As We understand it no concessions are
asked by the Liberal Club that ought not
20 be granted That club does not ask
for any advantage. 1t only requests a fair
deal Certainly no fault can be found with
10 on account Of a request OF that kind.
We are iuclineds 10 think four out of five
of the members of the Citizens Club would
say 'yes. we want our opponents 20 have
fair treatment We only ask that the pri-
mary shall be so conducted that each
club SHAH have d chance 20 show its fuu
strength. We ought not to con,ro. II we
naven't the majority. If we have the ma
jority we want to control"
If that IS the spirit which dominates
the Citizens Club. why do its leaders hes
itate TO provide for fair primary? Is
there anything in the registration that
makes them afraid to give the Liberal
Club as fair a showing as the Citizens
Club? If they persist in retaining CON
troll of the work Of purging the registration
and of the management of the election
they viii afford reasons for suspecting
there is.
The Liberal Club doesn't ask for the
control of the work of purging the regis
tration or Of the management Of the cleo
ton. 1t only asks that it be placed on a
footing with the Citizens Club in these
matters. AS it is composed of members
Of the same party as that to which the
Citizens club owes allegiance. and claims
to be as strong numerically as that club,
its request IS not unreasonable. No fair
minded man would say it is unreasonable.
on what ground, then, can the county
executive committee refuse it. What rea-
son can the Citizens Club have for say
ing it should be denied?
The Citizens Club cannot afford to say
that it win do an injustice because it has
the power to do so. If it takes that
stand. and that seems 20 be the stand it
has taken thus far, it cannot expect TO
have the sympathy of voters who are not
allied to either faction.
If the Citizens Club has the majority,
as it says it has. IT is difficult to under
stand why it hesitates TO do what is just.
1t probably claims it intends to be just,
II that is its intention. il ought to avoid
the appearance of being unjust. 1t ought
not to say that it will retain the power
to say who shall and who shall not APP
pear on the registration list and who shall
and who shall not vote. 1t ought to give
the Liberal Club an equal voice in determ-
ening these matters.
We do not know what course the Lib
eral Club would pursue if the Citizens
club should refuse it fair chance in the
primary. we see it was intimated at the
meeting of the committee Of one hun
bred of the Citizens Club that
it would not so into a primary.
That would be an unhappy state of affairs.
The whole summer would be occupied with
local politics. and a test of strength would
be had at the election on conditions SINH
lar to those which the Liberal Club de
mands now Why not. then, avoid a long
campaign by having primary to which
no fair-mnded man could find any OBJ
lection? That would seem to be the wiser
course.