The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-21
TO ASK FOR NOTIFICATIONS.
EVERY EFFORT To BE MADE To
SECURE A FAIR PRIMARY.


40 Ask for an Immediate Meeting
of the Executive Committee to
Consider the Matter and Make
Proper Notifications Liberal
Club officers Say They Want a Pri-
mary. but Want Justice and Fair
ness-A Large and Enthusiastic
Meeting of the Club and Its sup
porters at the Theater Last Night.
The Liberal Club and friends OF the
movement met at the theater last night
The orchestra was filled. many standing
and there was a good crowd in the
gallery.
The club adopted resolutions providing
for the appointment Of a committee Of
fve. OF which the chairman Of the meet
ing was made one, 10 request a meet
ing Of the executive committee at once,
and use every means to secure such mOdi-
fcations Of the resolutions adopted by
that body Nay II. as win secure fair
primary.
At the conclusion Of the meeting Pres
ident p w. Meldrim appointed the COM
mittee provided for as follows: Judge A.
H. MacDonen, Capt. John Flannery' Col
j. H Estin. Mr.. Z. a. Well and Maj. 2.
W. Mel4rll4s his appointment DGAAAo AAA~N
by the resolution itself.
Only President P W. Meldrim and Sec
rotary w. P. LaRoche had seats on the
stage. Maj. Meldrm. in opening the
meeting. announced that at the first meet
ing OF the Liberal Club the chairman was
authorized to appoint an executive com
mittee of twenty-five. Secretary w. p.
LaRoche read the names Of the com
uyffh cheers
The committee is composed Of Messrs.
Thomas Ballantyne, T. ]. Davis, j. B.
Chestnut, NJ w. Dixon, c. II. Dorset,
William Duncan. NJ. D.. J. H. Estil' e.
S. Elliott. John Flannery. E. Geffcken'
Charles Seller, William Kehoe, G. K.es-
ling. S. Krouskoff, L. II. McLaws, I. II.
Mcmillan. A. H. MacDonen A. r. Law
ton. Jr.. George J. Mills. L. w Nelson
julius Perlinski. W. 3. Stillwell, ]. W..
smith, e A. Well and David Wells.
Mai. Meldrlm called attention to the fact
that there had been vested in him the
authority TO call a meeting Of the club
whenever in his opinion he deemed it
necessary.
.sWhat we want" he said. sis fair pri-
mary, and that is what we are mere TO-
night to discuss. You VIII pear IN Hlil9
the principles on which we are orsanl1eu::
We have endeaVored TO keep the contest
,non 4. high plane, and maintain 1t justly
and free from abuse. a primary mas pe zen
ordered by the executive committee OF thls
county. The question before US, is Wneth-
er that primary is based on fair principles.
If ct is, ii is the duty OF every aeh3oeI ia
to support il; II not,'it is our duIy 10 see
If we can arrange 20 have tair primary.
our deliberations here tonight should pe
careful, and free from prejudlce or Dlas,
but when we act we shouiu DC Ne'e'
Maj. Neldrim then reviewed the cir ;.r.
cumstances under which the e&eCV5lle
committee was called together Mo Mon ~,
Nav II, the call being issued ne sald, on
Sunday a day on which politicians were
not expected to be gatneEe1 1,,i tSi bs ,r,T
an hours notice TO the secretary OF the
committee, or TO a respectaDle WlnB u
the party, which the eNeeoEe so ne said
was called on Monday q DAY Wnen Sa-
vannah had thrown wide her gates 70 ne, er
visitors, and military events We're the
Mai. Meldrim then took up the question
Of whether the primary as ordered Is a
fair one No man, he said, should SIT IN
Judgment upon his own casei as VIII pc
done when the registration nsls are
purged by a committee composed OF q
majority of members OF the Citizens Clup.
Such a power he said makes the pri-
mary unfair to the other faction. re
said he was not speaking 10 evoke the
kind applause OF the audlenee, puI a. as
citizen OF Savannah, who felt 1t his duty
in behalf of his city TO speak for fairness
and Justice He spoke of the conditions
prevailing in many municipalities where
a crowd Of "banditti" are banded together
for the purpose of securing the spois or
Office. The rest of the community, he
. said, too often lays supinely on its back
and submits TO being over-rldden. Such
a state of affairs should no longer exist.
A pure ballot is essential in maintaining
the principles upon which your country
Mai. Meldrim then spoke of the matter
OF the appointment Of managers being
confirmed by the executive committee. He
spoke of its being in the power of the
Citizens Club to keep turning down mana
gers untn the Liberal Club was forced to
put in incompetent men, who might be
controlled. He said he did not mean to
impute such a low spirit or intention
to the executive committee, but the pos
sibility of wrong is there and 1t is against
the possibility Of wrong we have met to
OF the. referees. provided for in the reso-
buttons" he said, "in case of a disagree
ment you would have five arbitrators,
three on one Side and only two on the
other"
He spoke of the machine rule in govern
ment, and as far as boosted freedom is
CONCERNED, he said, you might as well be
IN Russia under car rule as here where
all you have is the name OF being free.
They get in control of the administration
and keep down good honest men simply
to reward some heller whose competency
is not qualification.
Maj. Meldrim said he made no charge
and no insinuation against any member OF
the executive committee.
Let us assure them that we want a
primary" ne said, but we want a fail
primary, and If they are willing to give it.
then we will go with them and if we are
defeated we will accept with grace the re.
suit. If they are not willing, then we will
determine a another meeting what course
to pursue. and il will be such as all fair.
minded democrats can approve"
Maj. Meldrim then declared the meeting
open FOR business and recognized Judge A
II. MacDonel who was warmly cheeret
as he rose. The crowd Insisted on his
taking the stage, which he did and reat
and offered the following resolutions:
Whereas, the democratic executive com
mittee of the county of Chatham at {
meeting of that body, held on the 11tl
day of May 1896, resolved to hold a pri
mary election IN this county, on the i0tl
day of June, 1896 for the selection OF dele
gates to the gubernatorial, congressional
and senatorial conventions, and for rep
Iesentatives to the lower house of tn
general assembly, as well as for the Sc
lection of a new executive committee o
the democratic party; and
Whereas, the said committee resolved
among other things, that the registration
list should be purged by the executiv
committee, that the managers of said cleo
ton should be subject to the approval o
the executive committee, and that a ref
cree should be appointed by that commit