The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-29
COMMISSIONS WILL STAND.
MAYOR MELDRIM COMEDIES TIE
DEFEAT OF THE REPEAL BILLS.

Beside the OreaNer dutNAiOh VI Inv
Government of savannah by Leg
fsIation by Way of AtIanta-Scnn-
tor Geiger Would Not Argue These
Questions with Him, But Told Him
TO Go Before the Committee.
REPRESENTATIVES. Meldrim, Duncan and
McDonough spent yesterday in the city.
Mayor Meldrim and DR.. Duncan re-
turned to Atlanta last night Mayor
NIeldrim, when seen at his home, discuss
ed the commission question and other
matters now before the assembly freely.
When asked as to the probable action of
the Senate upon the commission repeal
bills. he said:
Il do not think it at all probable that
we will be able to overcome the so-called
senatorial courtesy. A number of gentle
men have made promises TO Senator Gel
ger which puts their support out of the
question, so far as we are concerned. l
have never entertained any great hopes
of being able to overcome this thing of
senatorial courtesy. The interposition of
Senator Clay and Judge Gober had con-
siderable effect. Judge GOber doubtless
smartng from his recent defeat for the
vacancy ON the supreme court bench, and
Clay doing the bidding of others. The
senators seemed to be reluctant to dis
cuss the question. Senator Geiger even
would not discuss the question with me,
but simply requested that l would argue
the matter before the committee.
THE question of commissions or no com
missions is of no great Importance" con-
tinued Mayor Meldrim, assuming the
personnel of the commissions to be sat
isfactory. The question whether Savan-
nah should control her own affairs or
whether they should be controlled by leg
islation from Atlanta is one of vital i'm
portance. Savannah occupies, in this re-
spect, the same position as many other
cities throughout the country. One of the
great problems of municipal government
Is to determine how a city can be gov
erned without constant legislative inter-
ference. st. Louis had this problem to set
tie recently, and settled it in favor of
local sef-government. AS matters stand
to-day, I am charged with the preserva-
ton of the good order of the city, and
yet l cannot order the arrest Of man on
the streets who may be grossly violating
a law of the state or an ordinance of the
city. In case of a riot on the wharVes,
for instance, ! would have authority 10
order out the military, but | would have
no authority to order out the police force.
There is a bill now pending in the legis-
lature giving the power to the mayor to
command the police force, but it is coupled
with the deprivation of the right of the
,avN assFafg to
force
I'm a word" said Mayor Meldrim,
"where an administration is charged with
the responsibility of government it ought
to be clothed with the power of execution.
The true Idea of municipal government. in
my opinion, is that the mayor and alder
men should be held directly responsible to
the people and that the mayor should
have the right to appoint. subject TO con-
ffrmation by council. the heads of the sew
eral departments, and he should hold the
heads of these departments TO a strict re-
sponsibilty for the discharge of their du-
ties. He should be given the right to re-
move them. These heads of departments
should have the power to APP
point and to remove their sub
ordinates, but the subordinates should
be under civil service rules and should
not be removable except for cause. Heads
of departments should report to the mayor
daily or weekly, as the case might be- so
that the head of the city government
should at all times be in touch with, and
have full knowledge of every department.
This view, while 1t is the view of the best
thinkers on the subject will probably new
er be generally adopted for the reason that
its purpose is for the general good and does
not seek to promote the interests of spoils-
men. / had hoped to have embodied by
an amendment to the city charter this idea
into our corporate life, but where every
effort looking to better city government is
fought by politicians and placemen from
every section of the state / have deemed
1t fruitless to undertake it, l had hoped
to have discussed these views with Sena-
tor Geger, but when l approached him on
the subject of municipal government, he
simply threw up his hands. SAID. that l was
lawyer, and that he could rosf lrgue these
questions with me, and Begged that
/ would argue them before the committee
THE great vice in the commission idea, ."
continued Mayor Meldrim, lis that there
is no assurance that the commissions will
work in harmony with the mayor and al
dermen, and where there is that want of
harmony no economic and progressive city
government can exist But whether the
commissions are to be continued or dis
continued is of little Importance as COM
pared with the outrage of the city being
placed at the mercy of alien politicians
from all over the state, who, banded to-
gether their own interests, feel bound to
support one or the other irrespective of
the rights involved.
To illustrate the arguments which we're
used against us, a senator from one or the
northern districts said that he was in
formed by a Savannah commissioner that
the present city government was made up
OF Irish and negroes. The A. +. A. business
has been worked for all it is worth The
populists are appealed to on the ground
that we failed to support the populist NOM
inee for senator from this district and the
democrats are instructed to vote against
US because we refused to go into a pri-
mary. Even the arrests of certain persons
charged with gambling has been ascribed
TO US when, in fact, l requested Mayor
Collier to give me specific informa ton on
that subject. Yesterday he was kind
enough TO call on me at my seat in the
House and to state that the informa ton
on which the arrests were made was not
received from any of our people; that the
detectives had spoilers at the hotel and
that the information was obtained in this
way All these influences added to sena-
torial courtesy, will probably result in the
defeat of the commission repeal bills"
Mayor Medium said that he felt posi-
tive. that the matter was as stated by
Mayor Collier, and that no member of the