The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-24
WOULD TAKE MANY OFFICIALS.
City Government Well Stocked With
Military Men.

City Government Well Stocked With
Military Men.
If the Georgia troops are ordered into The
field the city viii be considerably crippled,
officially as we'll as in other circles Mayor
Meldrim Is major of the First Battalion
of the First Regiment of Cavalry, Clerk
of Council w. p. Bailey is sergeant of
the Chatham Artillery. and Mr.. Frank
Patton, the Mayors stenographer. is a
member of Company B of the Guards. " 5
The city would be left without am official
head. Alderman Hamilton, chairman of
Council, Is confined to his bed by serious
illness, and Alderman w. w. Owens vice
chairman of Council, is surgeon of the
First Regiment of Cavalry. Dr. A. A,
Morrison one of the city physicians. is as
sistant surgeon of the First Regiment OF
Infantry. In the treasurer's office Mr..
Harry Dreese is a lieutenant of the Chat
ham Artillery. Capt. G. B. Pritchard aud
Mr.. Alvin nj. Bell, both of the treasurer's
Office, are veteran members of the Georgia
Hussars and the Chatham Artilery re.
spectively, but they would hardly be caH>
ed upon to go. Nearly everyone of the
city departments has one or more military
men in its employ
Mayor Meldrim was asked the other
day what the city would do in case a
call was issued for the troops Would
they be allowed to go, would their places
he retained for them and would their pay
be allowed them during their absence?
''If a call be issued the enlisted men
would certainly have to CO." he replied.
Doubtless exceptions would be made in
favor of married men and others so sit
uated as to make it more important that
they should continue to discharge their
present duties. AS to positions 1t would
certainly be unjust TO the men who en-
danger their lives and health in, the, SER
vice of their country to leave them strand
ed on their return. Some arrangement
would doubtless be made by which the
positions would be filled temporarily with
the understanding that the former occu-
pants should have first claim upon them
on their return. OF course IL the war
should be of long duration, II might not
be possible to carry out this agreement.
1t might not be necessary to fill all the po-
sitions Immediately. Council might make
some arrangement by which the duties
of the absent men would be performed by
those who remain, or others employed at
less pay, and the difference allowed the
men in the field. 1t would not be right to
ask a man with a family TO give up a
good position to fight for $1S a month with
no other resource for his family to de-
pend upon" "i '1h" hi"
Business men who do not wish to be
quoted made assertions that they would
excuse their enlisted men and pay them
their regular salaries as long as they were
in the government service.
Some of those expressing themselves in
this patriotic spirit further said they be-
lieved there are scores of others in Sa-
vannah who would do the same thing.
mi ~. ~ A. L.
hardly sufficient to keep his family, in case
he is married, but with the employer reg
ularly renting the soldiers family a
check covering his salary, there would
be no fear from this source. Such a Thing
might be a considerable tax on the bust
ness men, but several who have expressed
themselves say they are willing to con-
tribute that much toward the possible
conflict.
Several prominent business men were In
terviewed by a Morning News reporter on
this line. Everyone said that the enlisted
men in their employ would be allowed to
go if they wished, and their places would
certainly be given them on their return.
One Broughton street merchant said: IF
have any enlisted man in my employ who
can go and won't go. have no further use
for him."
Another prominent Broughton street
merchant said that his employees who vol
unteered would be allowed portion of
their salaries. A Bay street merchant said
that the families Of employees of his firm
who volunteered would be taken care of.
One well known Bay street merchant
said, My enlisted employees can go and l
will pay their salaries in full during the
time they are in service" rsts
A bank official said he thought the banks
were disposed to deal generously with
their employees in this matter. The enlisted
men who volunteer he said, would certain
ly have their places kept for them and
would probably be allowed portion of
their salaries during their absence.
The disposition of the business men gen.
orally seems TO be TO view the situation In
a patriotic spirit and to lend their assis-
lance to the aid OF the government in
every manner that comes within their
power to do. To a man almost they were
opposed to war, but now that war Is upon
the country they are desirous that Savan-
nah should maintain her honorable record
of the past on this score, and are ready
to cooperate to this end
s-o-s--------