The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-03
WILL MOI GO IN TIE PRIMARY.
rHE LIBERAL CLUBS UNANIMOUS
DECISION TO STAY OUT.

Five Read at Last Nights Meeting
BY the Chairman. Judge 4. u. Mac
DoneII-speeches Made by Hon.
walter G. Charlton and sIr. 4. $.
Morgan. Jr.-Both DenOunee the a.
T.. A.-AnOther Meeting TO be Call
ed soon for the Purpose of Max
ing Nominations.
The Liberal Club unanimously decided
dast night that this club and all others
who have a regard for the true interests
q democracy do not enter into the pri-
mary"
The meeting was held at the theater and
was called TO order at $50 o'clock. The
orchestra was filled, some stood in the
rear Of the house and the gallery was fair
ly well crowded. There were on the stage
President P. ". AIeldrirl. Secretary W. p.
LaRoche. Judge A. Fl. MacDoneii, Capt.
John Flannery, Mr.. z. A. Wen, Mr. S.
Krouskoff Col. n. W. Dixon. Messrs ".
B. Sulweu, David Wells J. Perlinski,
George J. Miis, T. II. Mcmillan and VIII
liam Kehoe.
In opening the meeting Maj. Meldrlm
eaid ne would give a brief review of the
circumstances which made the meeting
necessary. He spoke Of the resolutions
adopted by the executive committee.
''some sixteen in number, many Of them
airy nOthing-, but beneath the surface it
could be seen there was, @ purpose to con-
trol by a faction the primary election
which is soon TO be held"
MAJ. Meldrim spoke of the former meet
tng, at which the committee of five was
appointed TO go before the executive com
mittee and ask for certain notifications
an the resolutions which would make the
primary a fair one for all interested. He
spoke Of the high standing and repre-
sentative character Of the gentlemen APP
pointed by him on that committee. Judge
"a H. MacDonell. Capt. John Flannery,
Col. j. II. Estill, Mr.. L. A. Weil and said
they were entitled to all due consideration
and respect. This committee. he said.
would report what it had done and the
reply 1t had received from the executive
committee.
Maj Meldrim said If the meeting de
eided to go into the primary, the club
q 5a,,o6 faith 70 and win with e d sSa595
decide that the resolutions were not
Saade in he interest Of a fair election but
OF a faction. in the interests Of the C!ti-
zens Club, and, therefore, that the Lib
then he said it would devolve upon the
club and upon its advisory committee to
consider what plans should 3Sy be d aG9p'SSa
said, should be done wisely, ana. In what
ever deliberations might take place,
Indulgence in personalities or abuse.
Maj Meldrim concluded with some
Te5erePSe 52d tn the ascPP F99en Of e aa
ployes who have been IN the active serv-
dee of the city for years, simply TO make
haps. they were not believed TO be in
thorough sympathy with the politics of
The administration under which they were
Maj. Meldrim then called on Judge A.
il. MacDoneil, chairman of the committee
of i've to read the report of that com
mittee Judge MacDonel spoke first Of
the committees efforts TO get as early as
possible meeting OF the executive com
mttee, for the purpose Of presenting the
request Of his committee for the modihca-
lions desired.
presented by the committee OF nVe TO the
executive committee. The committee of
five, he said, was in the position Of the
man who went to the doctor and asked
how he could tell the difference between
mushroom and a toadstool Eat Il,
said the physician, and If II kills you its
toad stool. but If you survive its
Judge MacDonen then went into the de-
tails of the request as made by the com
mittee. He said the committee never had
any intention N any way sighting or
Jramplng on the feelings Of the vice chair
man Of the executive committee.
The executive committee he said, 'in
the matter OF purg1ng the lists instead Of
letting us appoint the two from our side,
their side appointed two Of the cty's Of
nee holders, one of them IN for four and
the other for six years The resolution on
the face of II appeared to be fair but
Judge T. NJ. Norwood, for whom we all
entertain the highest regard, told the
sheriff of the city court he could not serve
as referee, before the resolution was
passed. After il was passed Mr.. Osborne
was told by Judge Norwood that he did
not think It consistent with his office TO
act in that capacity Judge
Norwood had never been informed official
81 zala IN,
Of purging the lists, because IL was
Known he would not serve. This leaves
the matter at a standstill Al two and two
Mr.. Willink and Mr.. Collins on one side
other"
When the control of purging the regis
tration. and of the management of the
election, for the managers must be con-
nfmed by the Citizens Club majority on
the executive committee, is left with the
Citizens Club, Judge MacDoneu said the
Liberal Club could not afford to go into
the primary on such basis. Judge Mac
Doneu then read the report of the COM
mlttee Of five. as follows:
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen-Your
committee of tiv appointed at the meet
ing of this club held on May 90 1896, to APP
peal to the executive committee and pro-
cure notifications of the rules of the pro-
posed primary, beg leave to report that
We appeared before the committee on
May Is, and made an earnest appeal in
the interest of harmony and for such
notifications would ensure fairness
and justice TO the entire party.
experience IN savannah elections has
taught this community that too many
safeguards cannot be placed around the
exercise of the ballot, that these safe
guards must be placed in advance, that
one cannot wait until the last day when
the interests, the ambitions and the pas
slons of men are engaged in a final strug-
gle and expect to receive justice, fair
ness and adherence TO law from those di-
rectly interested in the result and having
the manipulation of results in their con
trol. We desired no partisan advantages
IN the rules for the primary. We equally
desired that none should be given TO the
opposing wing. The requests which we
presented to the executive committee
were framed with this view and well cal
culated to secure this end
We had hoped that the executive COM
mittee would rise 10 a sense of the re
spons10fTCy which it owed to the whole
party and grant our requests In this we
We're disappointed BY factional vote
they were denied, ana in their stead a set
of rules Were adopted for the primary
which in our Judgment leave iii ouy
rights and opportunities for expressing
our preference for nominees TO the tender
neTcies a. the office holding class Of r,t