The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-31
SPEECHES WERE LEFT OUT.
CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES VS.
TIA BUSINESS AFFAIR.

The Party Left With Assurances of n
Full Consideration of Savannah's
Interests Whenever They Are Sub
mitted to COnRress-COl. Testers
Prominence Among His Fellow
congressman.
The Congressional party left yesterday
for Washington, Savannah being their
last stopping point on their tour of South
ern ports. Mayor Meldrim, Presidents viii
liams and Purse of the Cotton Exchange
and Board of Trade, President Conner and
Vice President Egan of the Central Rail-
way, and several members of the Board of
Aldermen saw the party off.
The congressman left with many express
sions of pleasure at the cordial and hospi-
its people, and assurances of their good
will, whenever the interests of Savannah
come up for national consideration.
Congressman Lester and Mrs. Lester re-
turned with the party to Washington. The
Savannahians who met the members of the
Congressional delegation during their
stay here, were pleased to find
that Col. Lester was held in marked favor
by the members of the committee. This
esteem was evident, not only from the
consideration shown on account of the
presence of the party at his own home.
but in their ordinary conversation. Many
of the members of the committee have
served several terms in Congress with Coz.
Lester and Familiarity address him as
rufus" The Republican members seem
ed to vie with their Democratic brethren
In regard for him.
When Col Lester declined to accede TO
q plan proposed by some of the party Oh
their arrival here to make a morning in
spection of the harbor and take the
o'clock train for the North they gave in
with the remark. Another victory for
RUFUS showing that victories in the
committee room are not unusual things
with the Congressman from the First
district Col. Lester seemed in better
health than for some time.
There was one remarkab BILE feature of
the visit of the river and harbor commit
tee TO Savannah. 1t is probably the first
time in the history of Savannah that "a
congressional or other party of distin-
guished visitors ever spent a day in its
limits as the guests of the city that there
was not a flow of oratory on both Sides
There was nothing of the kind on this oc-
casion. Neither on the trip down the
river nor at the dinner at the De Soto
ct night was there any speech-makng.
There were said to be some good takers
among the congressman and Savannah
has never failed in an ample supply of
orators of unquestionable talent in this
line on previous occasions
The Savannah river has listened to the
eloquence of many men of national prom
inence on the occasion of former river
trips, and the dinner would seem to have
afforded splendid opportunity for patri-
otto remarks.
Mayor Meldrim however, was firmly i'm
pressed with the belief that the visit of
the committee was not junketing trip,
but business one, and must be regarded
as such. With this idea in view, no invi-
tations We're issued, except to the MEM
bers of the several committees having
charge of the entertainment of the party
and prominent officials At the dinner ct
the De Soto only about half a dozen Sa-
vannahians were present.
Doubtless the Congressman had had
enough of speechmaking at other places
and We're glad to be entertained for once
without unnecessary oratory. Mayor Mel
drim said from the first that there would
be no speeehmaking, but he is the only
man in Savannah who ever handled a
party of wind-jammers without giving
them chance 10 break loose once.