The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-25
WILLING TO RUN FOR MAYOR.
HON. j. j. WDONOUGH DEFINES
HIS POSITION.

/
DO so-Opposes an "Open Town."
FnvOrs stopping Gambling, and
Does Not Approve IndiscriWinate
! Removal From Ofice-WOuld
Largely Adopt the Policy OF His
Former ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS the
Conservative Club Takes OF Mr..
McDOnOugb's Possible CandIdncS.
Hon John J. McDonough has made the
first move on the checker board Of the
coming municipal campaign by expressing
his willingness to became a candidate for
Mayor IL called upon by the people to do
so.
you ask if I will make the race for
Mayor provided 1 am called upon TO do
| So" Mr.. aMcDonough said when asked
about it. 81 have not considered the mat
ter, but If asked by the people to make
the race, might consent to do it."
There has already been a good deal Of
interest taken in the approaching city cleo
ton. and among the nance mentioned as
| probable candidates for Mayor has been
that of Mr.. McDonough. He has refrained
until now from expressing himself one way
or the other. He was asked by a Morn
ing News representative yesterday what
he would do if called upon to run, and
frankly replied;
"If asked by the people to make the
race, l might do It,"
For the last two weeks Mr.. McDonough
has been in New York. He returned 10
Savannah yesterday for the purpose of
winding Up a few business matters before
leaving for Atlanta tonight with Chat
hams other representatives in the legs-
lature. The representatives do not desire
to go on ahead of time, and by leaving
tonight will reach Atlanta in time to be
present when the House is called to Or
der.
Mr.. McDonough was asked about abol-
ishing the commissions upon which he
has previously defined his position. The
city got along many years, he said, with
out the commissions, when there were
nearly many people here as at present
and he believes the same thing can be
done again. The belief that abolishing
the commissions win put more work on
Council than the aldermen viii be able to
perform he does not lake seriously. He
believes the city was quite well and
economically managed under the old or
sanization as ii is now under the present
II see no need for commissions" Mr.
naCDOnpuSn SalQ, Out II II Is desired 10
have them. my idea is to have an act
passed giving the city the right to Sreate
them as il sees fit attaching no powers
to any of them that win interfere with
the Councils complete control of the city
government. One of the most regretable
defects In the present commission bills is
that the Council has not the power to car
~ out its objects at times. Being run
separately and apart from the main branch
of the city government some of the depart
ments exercise arbitrary powers, and for
| that reason do not work in harmony with
others The commissions, if they are again
created. must be subordinate to and CO.
| ordinate with Council"
THE fHct that the city is now being
run wide open is an Illustration of the in
! ability of Council to execute the law"
| Mr.. McDonough said. Saloons are kept
open Sundays, and no effort is being made
| by those in charge of The police force to
! put stop TO it. Council might be eX-
| pected TO assume the Responsibility of this
| state of affairs, which is altogether too
| plain to require a statement of its exist
| ence, but the aldermen are not in con-
| troll of the police force, and this RESPONSE
| bility must therefore fail upon those who
are in charge of it. There is no need for
| any more laws. 1t seems 10 me what the
city needs is the enforcement of the pres
| ent laws, which cover the whole sit
uation, and which would close the saloons
| which are apparently running Sundays in
| defiance of the law"
'Will the closing of the saloons be a
| plank in your platform if you run for
! Mayor Mr.. McDonough was asked
! THAT is the policy | followed before
| and would follow Ii again. he replied
| Il do not favor closing half dozen sa-
/ looms on Sunday and letting the others
run, but in making the law applicable 10
| all, so that there can be no claim of I'M
/ oil /
! platform containing this as one of its
| panks, and in enforcing the law I endeav-
ored to treat every saloonkeeper with due
courtesy sent out notices
giving them copy of the
law, and informing them in unmis-
taxable LANGUAGE that it was my intention
TO enforce it 10 the letter. While a md
jority compiled with the law and gave the
officers no trouble, others did not, and
some of them were among my friends
| men who supported me in my race. When
! the fines We're imposed some thought [
was not treating them right in not remit
| ting them and called my attention
10 the fact that they were my friends
But when they urged this in condona ton
! of their not complying with the law, l
| told them l thought they We're my friends
but l could not hold to that opinion if
they expected me to allow them to violate
| the laws which the people elected me to
| enforce"
Would you favor closing the gambling
dens?" Mr.. McDonough was further ask
ed
while there is no city ordinance cover
ing this. the city authorities can stop 1t
as easily as If there were. They can set
| the evidence and turn II over to the solicit
tor general. and in this way a stop would
soon be put to the evil. l would favor do
ing it,
do you think this platform would split
the present Liberal Club organIzation?''
he was asked
mo, l do not For every one who left
il is my opinion ten would be gained. The
people want the law enforced. During my
former administration there We're some
things done which | did not approve as
il was not the right way to get evidence
This was the feat two men performed by
climbing telegraph poles. thereby getting
view of a room in which gambling was
| going on. Such circumstances might give
the people reason for dissatisfaction, but
whore there is a fair, impartial enforcing
of the law, il raises and efevates the com