The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-08
FOURTH DISTRICT LIBERALS.
An ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING AT
THE HARRIS STREET HALL.

President Dixon says There Are BE-
tween $50 and 800 Members En-
rOIIed-He Gives the Citizens Club
"A Few Choice ShOts-A Registrar
tiOn Committee AppOinted-W. c.
Hartridge, Warning Russell and II.
L. Hill the other Speakers-The
Latter Pays His Respects to a
Certain Organizations"
An enthusiastic meeting Of the Fourth
District Liberal Club was held last night
at the Harris street hall, near West Broad
street. There were between 800 and $50
present when the meeting was called to
order by President NJ. W. Dixon. The
meeting assembled at $50 O'Clock bu,
the speaking did not begin until o'clock,
as some time was spend in enrolling new
names.
When this work was completed Pres.-
dent Dixon addressed the club, stating
that between $50 and 500 mem ers were
on the roll as members. There were many,
he said, who attend the meeting ana
who are in sympathy with the liberals,
bPt who will not ally themselves with any
we calculate on carrying this district"
ne said, by four-tifths majority. There is
a young man now presiding at a meeting of
the other club who is quoted as saying
that he is responsible for the management
and the running of the city of Savannah,
that he is responsible for the commissions
and these offices, and that the last cleo
ton was run exclusively on a commits
sion basis That last statement l deny
positively. The question has been evaded
in every particular. They defeated US
because we were divided. Now we are
united, and they will notsdefeat us again.
The statement was made to me by a
wei known gentleman that last year we
were defeated because the Irish were di-
vided and the Jews were united This
year the Irish are united and the Jews
are divided If all but the members OF
the Citizens Club We're asked TO retire
when one of their meeting is held they
hall.
1T makes my heart sick to see our
old citizens laid aside" said Chairman
Dixon, in order that new voters may
be brought in from Bryan and Bulloch
and Emanuel and Liberty counties and
given jobs.
Il want to state. right now that 1 am
not seeking office, 1 don't want it. The
man who states that l am hunting Office
IN this night for principle 1 simply want
right and justice for the people of Sa-
vannah. All of the leaders of the other
club have been supplied with Offices ex-
solicitor generalship."
Mr.. Dixon insisted that instead of re-
ducing taxation the present administra-
ton has increased it by $4,000 to $4,000
a year. The reason the Citizens Club had
a large meeting last time, he said was be-
cause there are 400 or 500 employees of the
CITY government who had to go there or
lose their jobs There were at least $50
Liberal Club members at the meeting
he said, as they went out of curiosity
President Dixon then appointed the Fourth
district registration committee as follows:
Northern division, from Liberty to Bay
street: +. n; Gearon, Robert Charlton,
charles Carroll, j; Cohen, Tommie Reyn-
olds, Col Peter Reilly, 2. A. Leonard
Elliott Meyer, Tom Ballantyne, Jr., Frank
Carney and John Dinon.
Southern division, from Liberty street
soutn: U. II. McLaws, w. b. Stillwell, T.
); WILLY, r. F. McKenna, T. NJ Cum
bingham, Jr., ALBION d. Johnson, r. NJ
HULL Samuel Reynolds, Trenholm Hop
klns, r w. Adams, Jr., T. j. Davis and
John T. Rowland.
Mr.. Dixon stated that the executive
committee of 100 will be appointed at the
Thursday night April 16.
Mr.. Walter c. Hartridge made a ring
ing speech, referring to the fact that all
the speakers at the last meeting of the Cit
liens Club were oficeholders under the
present administration, with the exception
OF one, Mr.. r. NJ. Hitch He argued that
taxation upon the poorer classes had been
increased, and said in effect that practi-
cally the only thing done in the line Of pro
gress was the movement TO pave South
Broad street. This, he said, would not be
done with the money raised from increased
taxes as every property holder on the
street would be made to pay his two
thirds.
Mr. Warning Russell was then called.
and was warmly applauded as he rose to
speak He said he, had fought against
the commissions all along. Referring to
the Citizens Club. he said THAT is the
party which l created and organized. -
There viii be no more of it, he said, after
the election. Mr.. Russell said forty of Sa-
vannah's old citizens had been cut down
IN one day, and turned upon the world
without bread for their families. After
Mr.: Russell spoke Mr.. e. c. Gleason was
called for, but he had left the hall
Mr.. T. L. Hill made a brief but pointed
speech, in which he stated he believed
the organization of the Liberal Club in
sured it success. He said he had been So
licited to become a member of a certain
organization, and that he wished to make
statement to put himself right He
could not countenanee any organization.
he said which prescribes a mans reli-
gious or political opinions, and such an
organization was not one for an hon
est man to belong to.
The matter of registration was briefly
discussed, and the meeting adjourned.