The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-12

number of men. and improved it's service,
and yet kept within the budget.
The results of combining seven of the
city departments under one head were
discussed and a comparative statement
was given OF the expenditures of each
of these departments for the last several
years, showing, according to the state
ment, a saving to the city varying from
81, 1S2, as compared with 1894, to $50, $50 as
compared with 1892. The park and tree
commission was praised for it's good work.
81 desire to say in conclusion" said Col.
Garrard, that 1 bear testimony to the
unremitting, laborious, cheerful and in
telligent devotion to municipal duties of
the mayor and members of the aldermanic
board, emitting myself, during the past
two years. The public will notice that In
the proceedings of council, there have been
few speeches made. There have been no
acrimony or ill-feeling between members
of the board. There have been at some
times opposing ideas, but the minority
have always yielded gracefully to the de-
termination of the majority, and after
matter was decided in council the whole
board supported the decision. l submit
that this has been a business-like admin
istration, and we are content to be judged
by the actual results; but we have never
played to the galleries, or sought to be
patted on the back by editorials in the city
papers.
We frankly admit that the commission
bills, no doubt, need some amendments,
and from time to time ought to be amend
ed, until experience has demonstrated that
they fully meet the requirements of
growing city, but we maintain that, tried
by the record, a repeal of the acts creating
the commission, other than the park and
tree commission, and of the act creating
the commissioner of public works, will
be distinct retrograde in the matter of
h1te Int cfY.af - oft y
affairs. If these repeats were effected,
the city of Savannah at large will GER
talnly and distinctly suffer in her inter-
ests and we submit the showing that we
have made, not only to the people of Sa-
vannah at large, but to the distinguished
gentlemen who have the honor to repre-
sent Chatham county in the general as
sembly.
Mr.. w. T. Leopold was introduced by
President Cam. He said he was called
upon to give his opinion of the present
city government He did not vote to put
the administration in, however, but he
became convinced that a business admin
istration had seized the reins and Savan-
nah was about to move forward in a pro-
gressive spirit. When he became so con-
finced he became a convert.
Chairman w. L. Grayson of the fire COM
mission was introduced as the youngest
of the commissioners Mr. GRAY
son SAID he was no orator, but
would attempt to speak his mind"
Whether competent or not, he said the
fire commissioners had place twelve more
men on the fire department, had put the
apparatus in fine condition and still had
left $1,000 uneXpended. Although the Lib
eral Club representatives had been in At
lanta for some time, he charged that they
had introduced only partisan bills. Mr..
Grayson paid his respects to Mai. Mel
drim for his criticism of the commission
ers.
Mayor Myers was called for, but did not
respond.