The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-25
WHAT THE POLITICIANS SAY.
ONE SIDE CONFIDENT AND THE
OTHER DETERMINED.

Gems Confident That Adverse Action
VIII BE Taken on the BiIIs-What
the Returned Messengers Say-Mr.
Burrows Opinion on the Authority
Of Council to Try the Commission
| ers-Alderman HamiIton's Views.
About half of the two opposing delcga-
tons which went up to Atlanta to sup
| port and TO oppose the bills for the repeal
Of the commissions returned yesterday
| morning.
All of the aldermanic party, consisting
of Aldermen Hamilton. Charlton, Hull,
| Guckenheimer, Reid and Wylly, returned
! OF the other delegation, Hon. Pope Bar
| row. Mr.. ]. Ferris Cann Mr.. James NJ
| Dixon, Maj. Edward Karow, Mr.. w. l..
| Grayson, came down. They left behind
them Solicitor General Osborne, Commits
sioner Willink, Supt. H. M. Lotion, Mr.
| A. N. Manucy, Mr.. A. A. Lawrence and
| others, representing the Citizens Club
| Capt. John r. Dillon and other Liberals
| also remained in the field. The entire
Savannah contingent is expected back this
morning. as the Senate has adjourned I'm.
| til Monday.
The Citizens returned jubilant and pro-
| claimed that victory had perched upon
their banners. The Liberals would not
| concede defeat, however, and asserted that
there is still chance to win. They con-
coded that surface indications were
against them, but held that these amount
ed to nothing and that they have just as
good a chance to win as their opponents
when the committee makes its report
! Strange to, say, neither side seems to OBJ.
| ject to the, postponement of the commit
tees decision. Each doubtless calculates
upon turn of the tide in it's favor
at is impossible to forecast the result
until the Senate takes action upon the
| matter" said Mr.. S. P. Hamilton chair
man of the aldermanlc committee. There
are still some of the senator's who are un-
decided in their views. found that the
senator's looked upon the matter purely
as local fight, consequently senatorial
courtesy and political Influences will have
very strong effect, which it is difficult
to combat. Next to these our main obsta-
Gle. 1t seemed to me, is the difficulty of
securing a full vote when the vote IL
taken. A measure may receive a majority
of all the votes cast, but unless 1t secures
majority of the whole body it cannot be-
come a law. I doubt if there will be
full vote, but unless the bills can secure
this requisite majority of the whole body
they cannot become laws. An absent SEN
ator in this case will count just as much
as a vote against us"
Alderman Hamilton said that Senator
Clay and Judge Gober evidently had con-
siderable influence with the senators.
Another member of the Liberal delega-
ton said that until the appearance of Sen
ator Clay and Judge Gober on the scene
a majority of the committee was favorable
to the repeating bills.
The speeches of Messrs. Charlton and
Barrow were generally spoken of as able
arguments for their respective sides.
Mr.. Charlton's presentation of his case
was an exceedingly able one" said Mr..
Barrow ut was the ablest presentation
that could possibly be made for his side"
Mr.. Barrow was very liberal in his ar
gument. He said that If he had arrived
home in time to register for the last city
election he would have voted for some of
the members of the present council. He
did not attack the democracy of the Lib
erals. He surprised some of those present
by stating positively, as his opinion, that
Judge Falligant was in error in his decis-
ion that council had no right to try the
commissioners on specific charges pre-
| ferred against them.
THE other side are welcome to all the
comfort they can get out of my argu-
ments," said Mr. Barrow MY position
in the matter is simply this: / have never
| looked upon these commissions as politi-
| cal measures, but purely as economic
ones. They should be judged by business
rules and not by political rules"
las to my statement In regard to Judge
| Faligant's decision, l did not hear the
argument in the fire commission case, but
| several months ago, at the request of a
commissioner, I investigated this matter
| and was convinced that under the law
! council has the right to try members of
pd
charges, and to suspend or remove them
| If it should so find. The right of GER
| tiorari would ttem lie, and the commits
soners affected could appeal the matter
| to the superior court"
$50 far as the repeal bills are concern
| ed,'' said Mr.. Barrow, II am satisfied
| that they will be adversely reported
| Mr.. j. Ferris Cam, Mr.. James M. Dixon
and in fact. all of the delegation from
| that side who were seen, expressed them
selves as fully satisfied that the bills
| would be
upon the bills from the Senate commit
tee" said Mr. Dixon. 1T would not be
| surprised If the Senate should be practi-
cally unanimous in it's action"
1--WE have good chance to win YETI
said Alderman Hull. You can't tell any
thing about these political fights until the
battle is fought. These other fellows are
not half so confident as they seem. You
! observe that they are still at work, don't
| you"
| Alderman Wylly shared Alderman Hull =
| views. 1t would be impossible to tell the
| result until the last moment he said.
1t was a subject of general congratula-
ton that the meeting in Atlanta had been
devoid of all unpleasantness, that no per-
sona,ities had been injected into the ar
guments, and nothing said or done which
| would tend to arouse bitter feeling
among the factions. The car load of polit-
| ical opponents which came down from At
| lanta yesterday morning was as jolly and
| pleasant a party as could have been gath
| cred anywhere. Messrs. Charlton and
| Barrow, the two champions who had
| shivered lances a few hours before, occu-
| pied the same state room and fought their
| battles over again in their dreams only.
| The commission bills had not even been
read before the corporations committee
| when the matter came up before them for
discussion, though the members of the
! committee had doubtless heard a great
| deal of the bills. The committee took
| yesterday to consider the bills, and will
| make its report on the reassemblng of
| the Senate Monday.