The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-16
WILLINK PROVES THE WINNER.
SENATE COMMITTEE STANDS by
THE COMMISSIONS.

A Unanimous Vote Against the
Measure Fathered by the Liberals.
The Defeat of the Bill FOregone
Conclusion Several Days Ago-The
Legislators From Chatham County
Refuses to Believe Such a State of
Affairs Possible.
Atlanta, Ga. Dec. 15.-The Citizens Club
manipulators have won in the fight be-
fore the Senate corporations committee
over the bill abolishing the commission
of public works. Ex-senator Osborne
and Commissioner Willink have not been
camping in Atlanta for the past two
weeks for nothing. They did not sit up
with the senators of the corporations
committee, as well as with other sena-
tors, to no purpose. They courted these
gentlemen as lover never courted maiden,
and the action of the committee shows
that they were adopts in the wiles neces-
sary to win in such a case.
When the committee met yesterday af-
ternoon to hear from the Citizens Club
contingent on the bill which was designed
to abolish Mr.. Willink's means of sup
port and strike a body blow to the reign
of political factions in Savannah munich
pal politics, it was easy to see that the
fight had already been won and lost. The
committee, of course, gave the members
from Chatham, who stood sponsors for
the bill, a courteous hearing, but all
who know anything about the work that
has been done by Messrs. Osborne, Will
Is1Ir nd OIL Of hot
the mind of the senators had been made
up before a word was spoken on either
side. This is rather severe on the COM
mittee, but if it was a case that could
be proven as any other case that is not
strictly within the keeping of a mans
own conscience might be, it would be
easy to demonstrate that this was the
real situation.
AS matter of fact, it is known that
the members of the Chatham
delegation were put on notice several days
ago by a gentleman who is in a position
to know that the corporations committee
had already been won over by the Cit-
zens Clubs representatives who came up
to do this work a couple of weeks ago.
The Chatham members, however, took
the high ground that this could not be so,
and refused to give any credit to the
warning. They took the position that no
committee could be won in advance of a
hearing from both sides on any question,
especially on local measure, in which
the local representatives alone should con-
troll Taking this view of it they would
not, to use the everyday phrase, get
down on the curbstone, or sit up at night
with the senators in order to have the
bill passed. They believed that they could
meet the opposition on even ground when
the fight came to be made before the
Senate committee. They considered that
the Senate had no right to disregard the
wishes of the 900 majority of the people
of Savannah. who put their condemna-
ton upon the Citizens Club, its methods,
and its commissions, and believed all that
was necessary was to lay the case before
the senators.
But, as already stated, it was plainly ev-
ident to those who had kept up with The
fight that there was. no chance for the
Willink bill when the committee took it
from the table last night The Morning
News correspondent could have foretold
the result, but preferred to give the com.
mittee the benefit of the doubt.
When the committee met this
morning the vote against report
ing the bill favorably was unanimous.
The unanimous demand of the members
from Chatham, backed up by the result
of the election, in which the commissions
and the Citizens Club were the issues
had not feathers weight with the COM
mittee against the work done by Osborne.
Willink & Co. The rabbit foot carried by
this firm was all powerful with the digni-
fed and superstitious senators. What
sort of a specimen of conjure goods this
is, is a mystery to all. but the reverend
senators upon whom it was used. 1t has
been kept well hidden from all but them
Messrs. Osborne and Wilink are still
here awaiting the final obsequies over the
bill Mayor Myers and Aldermen Screven
and Tiedeman went home last night, con-
fident that there was no use of their stay
ing longer as all that was left to do was
to place the flowers upon the grave. The
action of the committee will hardly be
news TO them.