The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-13
SENATOR eEIGER CAUGHT ON.
AND THE POLICk COMMISSION
AMENDMENT WAS KILLED.

NV the Myers Council Changed SO
as to Place the Commission in
the Power of CounciI-Dr. Duncan
introduced the Bill, But Does Not
know Who Amended It-Chntham
May BE Separate Circuit Yet.
Recorders Court Bill Has No show.
DR.. William Duncan returned to Atlanta
last night to resume his duties with the
legislature. He does not expect TO return
to Savannah before the end Of the week.
Although the legislature adjourns Thurs
day. there will probably be night ses-
sion, on account of the large amount OF
unfinished business on hand, and the old
expedient of turning back the hands of
the clock in order to prolong the session
NAV be resorted to. Mayor Meldrim and
Mr.. McDonough did not spend Sunday at
home. as usual, considering it hardly
worth while TO make the trip on account
of the few days left before the close OF
the session. They are expected IN Sa-
vannah Saturday morning.
DR.. Duncan was seen yesterday by
Morning News reporter, and discussed the
bills now before the legislature. A Dill IN
troduced by DIR. Duncan at the last ses-
sion has caused considerable discussion
among the politicians on both sides, be-
cause of the queer things that happened
to it before it was finally reported upon
unfavoraby by the Senate committee.
Some time last year the Myers admins
tration decided that the police commls-
sion act was not exactly what was want
ed. and. after a consultation with the
commissioners, a bill satisfactory to both
bodies was drawn up and sent to DR.. Dun
can. with the request that he introduce At
The amendment to the park and tree COM
mission act was sent forward at the same
time and both were introduced. The lat
ter was passed. The police commission
had some features which the representa-
tives approved and others which they ana
not. The amendment placed the mayor IN
charge of the police force provided lot
the impea chment of the commissioners
on a vote of nine members OF the ooard
and withdrew from the chief the right 10
recommend appointments to the force.
The representatives regarded the latter
feature as a slap at Chief McDermott.
The bill was introduced by DR.. Duncan,
as a matter of courtesy TO council but
thereafter was allowed to slumber an the
committee room.
Understanding that the representatives
did not regard the amendment with favor,
the Citizens delegation which fought so
industrieusly and so successfully against
the commission repeal bills paid no atteh-
ton TO The bill which they knew, anyway,
had been introduced at the request OF
their own friends. The bill passed the
House without attracting any attention,
and early last week it came before the
Senate on its second reading. AS the bill
referred to Savannah, Senator Geiger
attention was attracted He got hold OF
1t and read it. He was somewhat sur
prised at its contents. An amendment
had been inserted totally changing the
purpose of the original amendment. Had
il been adopted the election of the chief
and the assistant chief and the fixing Of
their salaries would have been placed in
the hands OF council and council would
have been given the right on vote Of
nine members to supend the commission
ers on charges of malfeasance in Office,
and during such suspension the duties of
the commission would have devolved upon
council.
Senator Geiger thought it very strange
that such bill should have been allowed
to pass unnoticed by his friends in Sa
vannah and he took steps to communicate
the contents of the bill to them. The re-
suit was that when the delegation to fight
the city court bill arrived in Atlanta Fri
day morning, Chairman Karow of the po-
lice commission, was among the number,
and the delegation devoted its efforts to
both bills with equal success. An unfa-
vorable report was made on the bill by the
corporation committee and il is not eX-
pected that the bill will come to a vote.
The amendment which changed the
whole character of the bill was written on
Kimban house paper, and was pinned on
as an amendment to one of the sections.
The strange feature of the matter is that
DIR. Duncan, who first introduced the meas
ure, knew nothing of this change in its
character.
When asked about the matter Dr. Dun
can said that he was surprised when he
heard of the altered character of the bill
Some such changes as those mentioned
had been discussed by the Chatham rep
resentatives, he said, but he understood
that the idea had been abandoned.
eve did not favor the bill in its original
shape" he said, because it deprived the
chief of a prerogative which he had en-
1oYed even before the establishment of the
commission. When l heard that the bill
was under consideration in the Senate l
questioned Mayor Meldrim about it, and he
assured me that it was the Identical bill
which l had introduced in the House. 1
had nothing TO do with the amendment to
the bill and knew nothing of it until it
came before the Senate
In fact, DIR. Duncan was under the i'm
preston that the Citizens had adopted the
very peculiar policy of fighting measure
which had been inEoduced at their own
request
DIR. Duncan is very much in hopes that
the bill constituting Chatham a separate
judicial circuit will be adopted. The SEN
ate has already adopted the bill, but it's
fate before the House is doubtful, he said.
The House has already defeated one bill
for this purpose The defeated bill. how
ever, proposed to take Tattnall and Eman-
uel from other circuits and to combine
them with Liberty Mcintosh, Screven and
Effingham of this circuit, and there were
come objections to this. A bill to create a
new circuit in another portion of the state
was also defeated DR.. Duncan fears that
the House having placed itself on record
In this manner, may be disiuclned "a
change its position at the eleventh hour.
The bill which was introduced and
adopted by the Senate last week at the re-
quest of the Savannah delegation which
went to Atlanta for the purpose differs
considerably in its provisions from that
defeated in the House 1t provides for the
creation of the Atlantic circuit" the cir
cult to consist Of the four counties of IF