The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-08
INDIGNANT AT SEN. GEIGER.
HIS OPPOSITION CONSIDERED
QUITE UNREASONABLE

Taken Against the Anti-C IS
sion Bills Is Looked on as an Out
rage. Mayor MeIdrim Says-HOuse
May Pass Them TO-day-OppOsed
TO Exclusive Privileges For Cor
poratiOns-AI at sea on the Com
Wet QuestiOn-HOn. j. J. McDon-
Ough's views on LegisIatiOn-He
Condemns the street Railroad
Deal.
Mayor P W. Medrlm came down from
Atlanta yesterday. and spent the day in
the city. The mayor was necessarily quite
busy during the day as he had large
number of callers, and there were several
important city matters that had to be
attended to- A representative of the Morn
ing News saw him for few minutes last
night and asked him about the status of
the commission bills now pending In the
legislature, and as to their probable out
come.
Though the commission bills were on
the calendar for Friday. they were not
reached at that time on account of other
business" Mayor Meldrim said. They are
now ready to be passed in the House to-
day, and will be if they can be reach
ed At any rate they will be passed at an
early date. There is no doubt about the
passage of the bills in the House by prac-
tically unanimous vote.
THE feeling, so far as have been able
to ascertain, is that with the knowledge
on the part of certain members of the
Senate of two elections in which more or
-s=fe lie
was an issue, that the mayor and council
are united on the subject. that the bills
are supported by the entire delegation
from Chatham, by the representatives, from
Bryan and Effingham in this senatorial
district as well as by the representative
from Mcintosh, and by the senator from
the adjoining district, the feeling is that
an outrage is being perpetrated in inter-
fering with local legislation, particularly
in the light of the fact that it is not
sought to initiate new legislation, but sim
ply to repeal local laws which the people
have condemned.
THE fact that council is helpless to re-
move commissioner, no matter what Of
Tense he might be guilty, If the decision of
Judge Falligant is correct makes MEM
conVersed on the subject indignant at the
opposition of the senator from this district.
The opposition is particularly to be regret
ted in view OF the close relation between
the counties of Bryan, bingham and
Chatham. The welfare of the other two
counties in the district depends in a large
degree on the welfare OF Savannah, and
Savannah depends for many things upon
those counties. The situation has brought
about a growing feeling of alienation,
which is very much to be deprecated.
Il spent last Monday in Bryan county,
and as far as / could gather there, the
senator has not the support of his people
in his stand"
What do you think of the street rail-
road contract?' Mayor Meldrlm was ask
ed Mayor Meldrim was not in the city at
the time council entered into the agree
ment with the street railroad company.
Il have just secured a copy of the agree
ment Mayor Meldrm replied, "and have
not had time TO give the matter much con-
sideration. When the petition came in
several months ago 1t was referred TO the
street and lane committee, which has
been at work on il for sometime. l am
exceedingly surprised at the expression
of so much feeling on the subject, as
thought the whole matter was merely the
adoption of lines practically agreed upon
by a large committee of council on one
side and the railroad interests on the
other I am unalteraby opposed to any
exclusive privileges being granted TO any
corporation. The time has come when,
If there is anything Of value to be given
out, either by a city or by a private in
dividual, 1t should be paid for"
Mayor Meldrim said he had not looked
fully into the contract and further than
that could not express an intelligent opin-
ion. He expressed much surprise that the
people should have shown so much oppo-
sition to the contract.
~What, in your opinion, will be done
about the convict question at this ses-
sion?' Mayor Meldrim was asked.
at would be impossible to express any
sort Of an opinion on that subject" he
replied. THE fact of the matter is ev-
erybody is at sea on that question, and 1t
Is impossible to get any definite ideas
about 1t. In my opinion a special session
of the general assembly will have to be
called to consider It, for ! regard it as
practically impossible for anything to be
done at a time when so much general and
local legislation has to be considered It
seems to me that a special session of the
legislature will bring about the only solu-
ton of the problem"
WAS not the repeal of the law giving
three days of grace on commercial paper,
measure in which you were much inter
ested2" was asked.
Yes" was the reply, land I regretted
NNSNCNAA6lg tiG idlluTe TO pass tndI Dill.
] am member of the commission on the
uniformity Of law, by which body care
ful consideration was given the matter
before an adjustment of the three days of
grace was recommended In all the states,
with no other object In view than that
of facilitating commercial transactions.
There was absolutely no reason given for
the opposition to the measure except the
foolish notion that the debtor should be
allowed the time. They did not seem to
realize that interest must be paid for those
three days whether they are days of
grace or not"
Mayor Meldrim returned to Atlanta last
night. He is a member of a number of
important special committees of the House
and finds his time all well occupied. It
means hard work. he says, and plenty of
IL.
Hon. John J. McDonough, who was also
In the city, was seen at his home on Price
street by Morning News reporter Mr.
McDonough confessed that the legislature
did not seem to be making much Roadway
with the convict question and other leg
islation. The members seem to have so
maQV different ideas as tO the prOnar dis