The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-08
To UPHOLD THE COMMISSIONS
TUE CITY COUNCIL TO PROTEST.
AGAINST THEIR REPEAL.

Meeting Called for That Purpose.
the Plan to Send n Committee Be
ruIment of the Commission Laws.
,,oVor Myers Telegram to Mai.
EeIdrim Requesting "A Postpone
ment of Action by the House Until
he Council Can De Heard From.
Hard Fight to BE Made in Behalf
,f the missiOners.
THE city council will meet this after
.,,on at 4:SO O'Clock, for the purpose
~ entering a formal protest against the
,,ssage of the bills now before the Iegis-
,,ture. repeating the acts creating the
mice. fire, water and public works COM
missions.
In all probability a committee will also
10 appointed to appear before the Senate,
p,bon the bills go before that body, and
state the position of the council on the
subject.
Mavor Myers wired the following formal
,rotest to Atlanta yesterday:
Hon. P. W. Meldrim, Atlanta, Ca: The
,,nricipal government of the city of Sa-
vannah protest against the local bills in
troduced by the representatives of Chat
ham county, seeking to repeal the acts
creating commissions as unwise and detri-
mental to the interests of this city. You
are respectfully requested to have action
oostnoped on these measures until fun
nretest of the city council can be for
warded to you by mail. Please exhibit
This message to the Hon. J. j. McDon-
onpb and the Hon. William Duncan.
Herman Myers, Mayor.
N1avor Myers and the aldermen do not
think they nave been treated with proper
oourtesy by the representatives from
Chatham. When seen by Morning News
raDorter Yesterday Mayor Myers said:
.sThese bills have been introduced by the
representatives, referred to committees,
and reported back to the House without
any notice whatever being given to the
council 1t certainly seems proper that
as these bills relate to matters directly
concerning the city of Savannah We
should have been notified of their intro
duction and given an opportunity for an
expression of opinion. These laws were
enacted at the request of the present city
council of Savannah. 1t is certainly prop
er that we should be consulted in such
matters The mayor and aldermen are
the representatives. of the people of Sa-
vannah and not the three gentlemen who
are now in the Legislature from Chatham.
They are the representatives of the county
and not of the city. We We're not even
shown the courtesy of being furnished
with copies of the bills. 1t was proper that
this should have been done and that
We should have been invited to appear
before the legislature for the purpose of
giving our views upon the commissions,
whether or not they had proven satisfac-
tory and the results o. sheir operations.
The manner in which they have handled
these bills shows very plainly that the
representatives, are acting as representa-
tives Of faction, and not of the people of
Savannah"
Copies of the bills were secured by Mayor
Myers recently. and it was this that re-
suited in his immediate protest against
further action before the city council
could be heard from. Mayor Myers point
Cd out that he regards q peculiar feature
OF the bills. The police, fire and water
commissions are repealed and their duties
are placed upon council and its commit
tees. The peculiar feature, he said, is that
The repeal is to take effect Immediately
upon the passage of the bills and the terms
Of the office are to end at once, but the
necessary officials for these departments
only for the remainder Of the present term
OF council, and the succeeding council is
ID elect officers for the full terms.
In the case of the commissioner of pub
lie works, the act creating his office is
simply repealed and the duties of the Of
ice are placed upon council and its com
nlittees.
Mayor Myers said that the bills had pro-
crossed so far before the House that il
would hardly be worth while for a com
mittee from the council to appear before
unat body and hearing for the committee
would doubtless be requested before the
Senate. Mayor Myers has ordered data
prepared, showing the results of the oper-
atoms of the commissions, which will be
presented before the Senate.
Mr. w. w. Osborne and Mr.. Harry Will
link, commissioner of public works, are
In Atlanta, it is presumed, for the purpose
OF opposing the bills. Petitions are in cir
eulation opposing the repeal of the CON-
missions. These petitions will be pre-
sented to the legislature.