The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-14
WILL COME UP THIS WEEK.
THE SENATE TO TACKLE COMMITS
SION BILLS.

DR.. Duncan Snys the Senators win
Consider the Question on Its Mer-
its. and VIII Not BE Governed by
Senatorial COurtesy-ExDects the
Passage of the BIIIs-sOIicitOr Gem
eraI Osborne and MIR. Lawrence
Return From Atlanta and FIJI the
Hearts of the Citizens With JOY
with the Report That the Bills
Have No show of Passing the
Senate.
The Savannah commission bills may
come before the Senate this week, provided
Senator Geiger returns to Atlanta in time.
The senator is still at his home in Bryan
county. where he was called about ten
days ago by the serious illness of a mem
Der of his family.
Dr. William Duncan came down from
Atlanta yesterday morning. When seen
by a Morning News reporter in reference
to the commission bills, DR.. Duncan said
that they will probably be before the Sen
ate as soon as Senator Geiger returns.
The Chatham representatives, he said.
have good reason to hope for their pas
sage.
The senator's understand the local sit
uation here pretty thoroughly now" said
DR.. Duncan, land, consequently, do not
think senatorial courtesy will cut so much
figure as It did when the bills were before
that body at the last session. The sena-
tors, l think, are more inclined to con-
slider the bills on their merits. They
will consider the question on its
merits, as to whether commissions have
proven beneficial and advantageous to the
city of Savannah. We, of course, claim
that they have not, and we shall present
evidence to this effect, sufficient to estab-
lish our claim. The other side will, of
course, take the contrary position"
DIR. Duncan said that committees from
both sides would doubtless appear before
the corporations committee of the Senate
for a hearing.
DIR. Duncan said that Messrs. w. w. Os-
borne and A. A. Lawrence, representing
the Citizens Club, spent some time in At
lanta during the week and they seemed
very confident.
A reference was made to the deal of the
city council with the street railway COM
pany, and DR.. Duncan remarked that coun-
the hasty manner In which it passed upon
the matter.
IF the committee had taken three
months in which to consider it," he said,
they might at least have
given the people as well as the
other members of council two weeks in
which to consider 1t. The matter was
too important to have been passed upon
so hastily"
The Citizens Club people seemed very
much pleased with the news brought down
by Solicitor General Osborne and Mr..
Lawrence who also returned yesterday
morning. Whenever a Citizens Office
holder returned from a conference with
one of them his face was wreathed in
smiles. The report was they had said
that everything was all right and that the
commission bills hadn't ghost of show.
Neither gentleman was disposed to be in
terviewed.
Mr., Lawrence, when seen, said that he
was very well pleased with the situation
in Atlanta, but declined to make any
statement for publication. His manner IT.
dicated however, that he considered the
defeat of the bills as certain.
Mayor Meldrim Is expected in the city
to-day. Hon. ]. ]. McDonough has gone
on a trip to Portsmouth, Va, on bust
ness.