The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-06
MUNICIPAL CAMPAIGN TALK.
GOSSIP OF WHAT Is LIKELY TO
FOLLOW THE FALL ELECTION.


Ex-Mayor Myers Friends Anxious to
Enter Him in the Race for Mayor
IL Mayor McIdrim Is a Candidate
for Re-eIectiOn-The Commissions
10 Cut Prominent Figure in the
Campaign.
The next municipal election I'm Savannah
Is over seven months in the future. Gen
eral interest in it has hardly yet been
awakened. Among the mass of voters
there has been scant discussion OF possible
candidates and stnl less Of the lines en-
which the campaign for control of the
city government will be fought But
among the politicians, among those who
essay to lead one faction or the other,
there is occasional discussion of the com
parative strength of men who might he
available as mayoralty or councimanic
candidates. The politician, no matter I'M
der what club banner he may align MINI
self does not forget that months go by
speedily, ana, war or no war. another
bard fight to the finish will soon be loom
ing up.
No talk of harmony or of compromise
has ever extended so far as TO include the
city election within its scope The utmost
limit to which it has been extended Is the
fall election, and no one yet knows
whether it VIII be even possible for the
rival factions to come to a mutually salts
factory agreement concerning that lhe
only basis suggested on which a compact
regarding the county and state election
could be made was the reelection of all
the present county officers without oppo-
sition and the division of the legislative
ticket, the Liberals taking two representa-
tives and the Citizens one representative
and the state senator, or viee-versa.
Whether this is done depends to great
degree on the local events of the next two
or three months Many of the prominent
men on both sides are understood to favor
avoiding a fight in october ana reservlng
and concentrating all the strength of their
factions for the city election In January.
one thing that will lend strength to this
movement is the impression becoming more
general that the city commissions are here
to stay and that the question OF the abol-
ishment will cut no figure In politics here
after. The Liberals now have complete
control of one Of the most important COM
missions that in charge of the fire de-
partment, and will continue to control it
for four years at least. on each of the
other commissions they have one member
and If they should win in the city election
coming they would, within a year, secure
control of all the commissions for the en-
suing four years. 1t Is this fact more
than anything else that has served 20
create the opinion among many that there
will be no further attacks on the commits
siohs 10 the state legislature
The control of the commissions will be
the chief prize at stake IN the January
election. The fact that whichever faction
elects the Mayor and aldermen WAL within
twelve months have sway In all the de-
partments guaranteed for four years Will
tend to make the fight hot and stubbornly
| contested. While the commissions are
supposed TO take the several departments
| out Of politics entirely, the average polit-
| ical worker is not apt to lose any sleep
| on that account. Once his faction,
whichever Il may be, is in control, he eX-
| poets to be rewarded for his services. The
workers can be relied upon to enter the
next municipal campaign with all the vlgor
| and determination that they have shown
| In the past They viii see the plums of
| patronage just ahead. Commissions will
| have no terrors for them. They may be
| disappointed even If victory comes to their
side, but they VIII take their chances on
| forcing recognition Of their value as polit-
| zeal partisans.
Candidates will not crop out until after
the fall election. but the friends of some
| who are looked on as fine material for
| heads of tickets are even this early talks
ing of their strength Mr.. Herman Myers
| Is regarded as one whose name may be
! presented for the mayoralty on the ticket
put out by what is still termed the Ciu-
zens Club, although the organization may
have a new birth and a new title before
| The election. A number OF the leaders
| of that faction are known TO favor Mr.
Myers if he will consent 10 run when the
| time comes. The impression among these
| leaders as that Mayor Meldrim will natu-
rally be a candidate for a second term
and they are DESTROYS of having the can
didates Of 1897 pitted against each other
again in 1899. THE people," said one
will then have the records of the two
| administrations before them and the con.
test would be based on actual knowledge
| Of the two candidates while In the Office
| of Mayor. If Mayor Meldrim is a candi.
| date next January / think al quite prob.
able that a very large element of the op.
position will request Mr.. Myers to stanc
| again"
If Mayor Meldrim does not run, and
new candidate is put out by the Liberals
it Is the current belief among many Cit
liens Club men that a new man viii bs
brought out on their side also. An en-
| tirely new alignment of voters Is expected
early in the fall, when political work will
be actively resumed Many Of those wht
were ardent supporters of one faction Of
the other last year have since changed
their allegiance There will be a fusinl
Of many new elements as soon as coo
weather comes, and until that Is done The
leaders Will hardly attempt to lay lines
| to land any man or men on their tickets
LOCAL Personal.