The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-04
A SPLIT IN THEIR CLUB.
THE MINISTER'S COULDN'T CONTROL
AND 80 THEY BOLTED.

The COIOred Independent Club Had
Lively Time at Its Meeting Last
NIght-The Report of the Commit
tee on Permanent Organization
Brought on "A Lively Debate-Rev.
+. h. Love, Rev. 4. \. VI. smith
and Others Leave rhe Club on Ac-
count of Its Action and Hold
Meeting of Their Own-YOrk MIL
ledge Elected Chairman and W.
ID. Armstrong Secretary.
The Independent Club of the colored
voters Of Chatham county. organized a
week ago last night. has already INDUCED
in the luxury of a bolt. There were symp-
toms Of this At the first meeting. when the
efforts Of the ministers, who had called
the meeting, TO control were unsuccess-
full.
The club held its second meeting last
night at the Duffy street hall After a
hot discussion of an hour or more Rev.
f. K. Love. Rev. T. y. N. Smith. and
several other ministers, followed by about
fifty. left the hall and went 10 a room
on the first floor where they held a meet
ing Of their own. The other meeting con-
tinued in session and perfected its organ
izaton by the election of York NJ. Mil
ledge as chairman, and W. D. Armstrong
as secretary
The fight came up on the report of the
committee appointed on permanent organ
ization at the last meeting. The committee
recommended that the temporary organ
izatiOn be made permanent which meant
Mtlledge for chairman and Armstrong Tor
secretary. There was a large crowd pres
ent, said to number between 400 and 500.
A long and excited discussion followed.
Rev. +. X. Love, Rev. I. \. NJ Smith
and others of their friends led the oppo-
sition to the adoption of the report, and
spoke long and earnestly against 1t.
1t was evident that Rev. Love was the
choice of the opposition for the chair
manship. II is said that Rev. Love him-
self declared he was the man for chair
man because he was the only man who
could raise the means to register the votes
of the club. The young men were prac-
tically a unit for Milledge and Armstrong
and showed very plainly that they did
not propose that the ministers should run
the club.
One of the speakers declared that the
preachers should keep out of politics and
attend to their churches. They would be
glad to have the friendship and advice of
the ministers, he said, but they did not
want them as leaders
When the vote was taken the motion
to adopt the report of the committee on
permanent organization was carried by
large majority When the vote was an
nounced Rev. Love requested the privi-
lege of making "a few remarks. This per-
mission was granted by the chairman,
but when he attempted to speak he was
howled down by the crowd. After this
Revs. Love and Smith left the hail. fol-
lowed by their friends
The meeting preceded with its business
and speeches were made by J. c. Sim
mons, Rev Hosea Maxwell j. Tucker,
Frank Murphy and others. The tenor of
the speeches was for good government"
The club adjourned to meet next Friday
night at the Harris street hail. when exec
utlve, finance and other committees will
be appointed.
The peculiar thing about the split in
the club is that both crowds profess he
same views, and the only difference seems
to be as to the control. Rev. Love was
elected treasurer, according to the report
adopted, the report on permanent organ
lzation recommending him for that office
Judging by his action, this was not sat
isfactory. He may still claim the office
of treasurer, however. The result may be
the formation of two clubs of colored
voters. While neither side has expressed
any preference for either political faction
in local politics, both are evidently in
clined toward the Liberal Club and against
the administration.