The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-09
TO BE JUMPED ON IN GEORGIA.
One Convention Decision Raises a
storm of Protest.

Atlanta, Ca March s.-The meeting OF
the state executive committee yesterday
and its action in calling only one state
convention, that TO be held in Macon,
has stirred up more political interest than
has been manifested since the contest for
the gubernatorial nomination two years
ago.
Despite the talk of harmony in the
meeting yesterday, after the silver men
had captured IL by systematic wire pull
scheme through, 1t appears that all is not
as serene as was made to appear. In
fact, unless other council prevails. the
tight over the one convention viii be car
ried to the people for final settlement
The proposition to have the people vote
direct upon 1t was rejected by the ring
in these dispatches yesterday, because
they were afraid of the result. This,
however, is not accepted as settlement
Of the question by some of those who
made the fight against the one conVen-
tion scheme, and they now propose to call
upon the convention itself to set aside the
action of the committee.
Hon. 5. G. McLendon of Thomasville,
who made the vigorous protest against
the one convention during the meeting
of the committee, in an interview with
the Morning News correspondent to-day,
declared that when the convention meets
in Macon a resolution Will be introduced
overriding the action of the state commit
tee and providing for a second convention
to nominate state housesofficers after the
delegates to the national convention. The
people will be put on notice of this inten-
ton, he said, and will be governed accord
ingly in voting for delegates to the con-
Vention when the primary is held The
convention, Mr.. McLendon said has full
power to do this, as it is the supreme au-
thority of the party. When the conven-
ton once assemblies the state committee
ceases to exist, and the convention can
do as ii pleases in the matter of nominat-
ing a state ticket then or reassembling
at a later date to do it.
Gov. Atkinson left for Washington last
night to be absent from the capital sew
eral days. He went in company with
Judge Allen Fort of the state railway com
mission and Attorney General Terrell, who
are to appear before the interstate COM
merce commission on Tuesday to argue
the case of the fruit growers against the
railroads for reduction of rates. The
governors mission is understood to be Of
a different character. His trip is made,
it is believed, in regard to the business
proposition that has been made to him,
ana the acceptance of which will cause
him to withdraw his name from the state
ticket this fall He stated to his friends
before leaving, although not intimating
the nature of the offer which he has under
consideration, that he will have made up
his mind regarding his candidacy for the
goVernorship when he returns.
The announcement yesterday that Gov.
Atkinson was seriously considering retire
ment from politics created a panic among
the politicians. The Atlanta papers We're
all "scooped" on the story despite its high
ly sensational proportions, and this morn
ing's papers tried to discredit 1t, although
Gov. Atkinson was quoted in the belated
article as still considering the offer made
him and will not be ready to make a posi-
tive announcement of his future course in
politics for several days yet. The fact of
the matter is, when the governor was in
tervieWed on Friday by the Morning News
correspondent, he had then practically
made up his m ind to retire from the execu-
tive office, and accept the business position
that has been offered him. When the mat
ter became public Saturday, however, as
was predicted there was great pressure
brought to bear upon him by the party
leaders, who urged that he owed 1t to the
party to carry the standard again this
YEAR There was constant stream of call
ers at his office all day, and his closest
political advisers did all they could TO in
duce him to give UP his contemplated
withdrawal from the ticket This pressure
was not sufficient, however, to secure the
governors authorized statement that he
would YIELD and thus set at rest the spec
ulation, as to his position He told
it was a question of duty to his family and
party obligation. He had not made up his
mind yet, but in justice to the party he
would do so within a few days. The gov
ernor does not take seriously the talk Of
those who say that he is the only man
who can lead the party TO victory this fall
but says he believes there are others" :"
The politicians are completely demoral-
lied at the probable retirement of the gov
ernor Some of them, at least, will get
but little sleep until his final decision Is
announced.
came down from Washington the other
day to look after his fences, will have an
other hot fight on his hands to get back
to the Fifty-ffth congress, if, in fact he
ever lands there. Ex-State Senator Whit
lev of Douglas county, has been quietly
AT work preparing for the announcement
of his candidacy against Livingston. SEN
ator Whitley's friends are confident that
he can carry Douglas, Campbell and Rock
dale counties without his making fight
there, and they are now at work il 'ulton
county to see what his chances V Id he
here If they get the encouragement that
they count upon, Senator Whitleys an
nouncement will be at an early day. Full
ton is naturally predispOsed against Iiv-
ingston, and it is pretty certain that SEN
ator Whitley or any other man will be
given all encouragement to enter the lists
against him. With Fulton county, Whit
ley would need to make a fight for only
one more vote in the conventionato to defeat
Livingston, and his friends, who have been
at work for some time, are confident that
he could get Walton.
It was given out here yesterday that
Hon. w. n. Venabe, president of the
last state Senate, will be a candidate for
chairman of the state convention and
chairman of the next state executive COM
mite, this, is is said preliminary to his
candidacy for governor two years hence
if Gov. Atkinson should conclude to serve
another term.