The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-17
TESTERS FRIENDS AT WORK.
they WILL HELP TO ROLL UP HIS
MAJORITY NEXT MONTH.

ham County Expected to Roll III
over 1000 MajOrity-COmmittee
to BE Appointed for the city and
the District to See That Demo-
Gratis Are Properly Impressed
with the Need of Casting Their
VOtes-POpuIists and Republicans
said to he strongly Organized In
the District.
An informal meeting of the friends Of
Col. Rufus L. Lester was held last night.
On account Of his illness Col. Lester has
been unable for several weeks to take
any part in the campaign, and though he
is now convalescing there is no prospect
that he will be able to do any active po-
ntical work before the approaching cleo
ton.
on account of the state election, and
especially on account of the hot fight on
i'm Chatham county between the local fac
tions, the congressional election has been
given little attention. Ordinarily Col.
Lester would have been amply able to
take care of his own campaign, and there
is no one who is more capable Of doing
1t. His friends are determined, however,
chat he shall not suffer by his Illness.
The meeting was well attended, all fac
tions and shades of the democracy being
represented, including the sound money
democrats Among those present were
Hon T. NJ Norwood, DR.. william Dun
can, Hon. +. G. duBignon, NJ. J. Solo
mons, j. D. Gould, S. b. Adams, w. w.
Chisholm, A. S. Way Henry Kolshorn,
G. b. Pritchard, Col John Schwarz, T.
S. Morgan. Jr., Capt Thomas Screven,
David Wells W. j. Cleary, Waring Rus
sell, Jr., T. J. Sheftall, T. p. Ravenel
w. w. Sheppard and ]. c. Dell of Screven
county.
Judge Norwood acted as chairman and
Mr.. Sheppard as secretary. Mr.. Shop
pard was called upon to state the object
of the meeting and did so in a few words
The only possible danger which menaces
Col Testers election, he said, is apathy
upon the part of the democrats of the dis
trict With a full turn out of the demo-
cratic vote his election Is assured by
large majority.
Il have made pretty thorough canvass
of the district" said Mr.. Sheppard, land
l find the situation to be simply this: The
people in the country say Savannah Will
elect Mr. Lester and the people in the
city say, %, Mr.. Lester will be elected,
anyhow If the people in the city and in
the country each depend upon the other
to do the work then it will not be done.
The meeting, he said, was called for the
purpose of taking steps to impress this
fact upon the voters" Mr. Sheppard said
that the situation is different from what
it was two years ago. The populists are
well organized and the republicans are or
ganizing in every county, Mr.. Sheppard
said that he is doing everything in his
power in behalf of Col. Lester, but did not
feel capable of managing the entire cam
paign, especially in the city.
The situation, as explained by Mr.. Shep-
pard, was generally discussed and num-
Der of suggestions we're made Mr.. Les
ters majority over his opponent two years
ago was 1913, but it was generally agreed
that no such majority could be expected
this year. The republicans had no can
didate in the field two years ago, and
great deal of the republican vote went TO
Mr. Lester If the majority of the negro
vote should go to Mr.. Doyle this year, and
the populists should make strong show
ing in the country counties, as is very
likely they will do Col. Lester will need
all the votes that Chatham can give him.
The estimate of the meeting was that the
three candidates would split about even in
the country counties and that the major
ity for Col. Lester would come from Chat
ham, For this reason it was agreed that
special attention should be given to get
ting out the vote here. There are about
$500 registered voters in Chatham, and
with a full vote Col Lester should have
between 1900 and 5000 majority. What
ever proportion of the vote fails to turn
out is just so much majority lost to him.
After these matters had been discussed
Mr.. Way moved that wo committees of
five each, be appointed by the chairman,
one to look after the campaign in Chat
ham, and the other an advisory commit
tee for the entire district to act in con-
Junction with the committees in the sew
eral counties. The motion was adopted
and the chair announced that he would
take until to-day to make the appoint
ments.
DR.. William Duncan, chairman of the
executive committee of the mass meeting
democrats. was present at the meeting and
manifested a very active interest in Col.
Testers success. To a Morning News re-
porter DR.. Duncan said:
81 shall certainly support Mr.Lester with
all the influence 1 possess All good demo-
Gratis should do so. AS chairman of the
democratic executive committee l am
ready TO call a meeting of the party. If de-
sired for the purpose of endorsing him
and arousing interest in the campaign.
This is a question in which fractional diff
ferences should not enter. 1t is a good OPP
portunity to bury fractional differences. Col.
Lester should, and l believe will, receive
the full democratic vote of Chatham
county"
When seen by a representative of the
Morning News Chairman f. G.. du-
Bignon Of the executive committee elected
at the democratic primary, was out
spoken in his declaration that ii is the
duty of every democrat in Chatham
county and in the district to cast his
ballot on Nov. for Col. Lester.
1T is especially the imperative duty of
every democrat in Savannah and Chat
ham county" Mr.. duBignon said, ito go
TO the polls and vote for him. 1t is a
time when all local ties and local party
issues here, as well as everywhere else,
should be laid aside. The fight should not
be considered unimportant simply because
direct local issues are not involved. 1t
may be said, however that local issues
are involved. Col. Testers work in con-
gress has been invaluable, both to Sa-
vannah and Chatham county. What he
has done has been for the benefit Of the
whole district but especially is it true
Of Chatham county What he has ac-
complished for US since he has been in
congress is little short Of marvellous, and