The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-07
WHY THE LETTERS WERE SENT
WANTED NO DOUBT ABOUT THE
COUNTY OFFICERS STAND.

pie and the People Have the Right
to Know Their Position on the A.
~, A. Issue-MaJ. MeIdrim Says the
Liberal Club Is Distinctly Opposed
to the A. p. A. and VIII support no
One Who Belongs 10 IL or Cooper
ates with 1.-THE Letters Viewed
From Both sides-The Replies Not
Yet Made known.
The fact that letters were sent to the
county officers by a committee from the
Liberal Club asking where and how they
stood with regard TO the American Pro
tective Association, has perhaps created
more talk in local politics than any de-
velopment since Mr.. I. B. Tiedemans at
titude was so widely discussed.
1t appears that the letters were sent to
all of the county officers Those who sent
the letters, Of course, had definite pur-
pose and object in view, and there has
been considerable curiosity to know just
what 1t is.
A representative Of the Morning News
saw Judge A. H. MacDonell, chairman Of
the Liberal Club committee, yesterday and
asked MN ABOUT tic AGAltASs AAC HaAA NAieNN
he had been somewhat surprised at the
publication Of the facts in the Morning
News, for though there was nothing to
conceal, he said, he had not expected the
matter to become public until after the
replies had been received.
ut is true, as stated in the Morning
News" Judge MacDonell said, that let
tiers were sent by the Liberal Club com
mittee to all Of the county officers, asking
them to define their position with regard
to the organization known as the A. F.
A. The election is only a few weeks off,
these officers are elective by the people,
and the people have a right to know, or
rather a right to inquire how those Off
GERS stand on a question that involves the
right Of so many OF our fellow citizens
10 hold Office, vote, sit on juries, and
perform the functions of citizenship.
Personally, 1 am in favor of the re-
election of every one Of the present coun-
~ officers. Without undertaking to speak
for the Liberal Club, for 1t has taken no
action whatever in the matter, other than
to seek TO ascertain how these officers
stood in regard to this question. 1 believe
the club desires the reelection OF all these
officers. At the same time II can be stated
that II is not in favor Of any man who is
waging war on the constitutional rights
of his fellow citizens to hold Office and,
incidentally, to vote and sit on Juries, be-
cause of the religious opinions they enter
tain, nor will It be likely to put itself to
any Inconvenience to help any officer who
is trying to straddle on both sides of the
question as to whether, in a community
like Savannah, an association such as the
A. p. A., ought to be encouraged, or tenn
ported with"
Maj P. W. Meldrim, president of the
Liberal Club, was also seen with regard
10 the letters. Maj. Meldrim said:
'Our natural position in local politics is
TO stand by all of the old officers and de-
fend them against the deal which 1t is
pretty well understood was entered into
between the Citizens Club and the A. p.
A.. by which the former was to get the
representatives and the latter was to
have the county Offices. That deal Is now
sought to be contaminated and we SIM
ply desired to know whether we were to
stand by all OF the old officers, or whether
we should have to leave any of them to
fight their own battle without our help.
THE committee has not gone into the
replies as yet, and what the replies will
be cannot be stated; but this much Is GER
tain, that the Liberal Club is opposed to
the A. P. A. The fact is that from Ban
gor to Atlanta this organization has en-
deavored, wherever there was division,
10 seek to profit by it, in casting its vote
for whichever side would give to 1t the
best terms.
1.-THE Liberal Club will not support an
A P. A., or anyone who co-operates with
1t, and we will insist upon
knowing the position OF every
candidate on this question. II
that candidate has proven himself a
worthy officer and is not an A. p. A., OF
in sympathy with It, We should sustain
him. IL is a very easy question to an
swer, and, speaking for myself, I think
a direct answer should be required. The
Liberal Club does not seek for Offices 1t
is organized in opposition to the A. p. A.
sentiment. and every good citizen should
declare himself. and every candidate
should be required TO do so. About this
question there should be no evasion. The
issue, in my opinion, is clear-cut-A. P. A.
or anita. P. A."
1t Is understood that all of the replies
TO the letters have not yet been received.
Chairman MacDonell would not say what
was contained in those that have been re-
ceived. They have not yet been consld-
cred, he said. He said, however, he did
not know that the officials had considered
the letters in themselves confidential. The
letters were in substance just as stated
in the Morning News and IL is understood
that some of the replies were not as di.
rect or emphatic as they might have been
Citizens Club men are inclined tC
make capital of what they appear and re
gard as a mistake on the part of theiI
adversaries. "It was mighty poor poll
tics to write such letter" said one OF
the leaders. land worse still to get caught
at IT, The letter is a boomerang
he said, land will lose the
Liberal Club a considerable mum
Der OF vest pocket votes, which ii might
otherwise have obtained. 1t is too plair
an attempt TO bulldoze those county Off
cials who have not allied themselves with
either club, and TO dragon them into
giving unwilling support to the LIBERIA
Club. IL was a very poor attempt tC
coerce Capt. Roman, Capt. MCGOWAN
Judge Ferrill and Mr.. Carr into a position
where they would find Il necessary to sup
port Capt. Dillon and Mr.. Russell in theii
fight for reelection. Perhaps now the
Liberals will nominate candidates agains
the four gentlemen. Such political moves
will not win any votes"
Other Citizen Club men expressed them,
selves on the same line. One said thai
II was specially directed at Sheriff Ro.
nan and Tax Collector MCGOWAN. who
have preserved a strict neutrality be-