The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-02
POLITICIANS PLAY PoSsUM.
SKETCHES AT THE NEWMAN SUP
PER NON-COMMITrAL.


Dirants-The Throns Turns Its At
tention to ReveIry Rather Than
Politics.
Atlanta. Ga, Jan. 1.-NIuch gossip has
been INDUCED in to-day &nent the Newnar
'rossum supper last night and this morn
ms,
1t was after ? o'clock when the feas,
broke up and two hours later a collecuon
Of 80 politicians and peaceable citizens OF
al degrees was dumped down in the car
shed here by the special train that carrie j
them to Brer 'Possum's banquent board
Many among this number were visitor
from other towns and those Of this cla-
who stopped over in Atlanta to-day helpaa
considerably TO keep the aftermath lively
The great feast was not a political Kl0--
dixie for anybody, though as a whole 81
was undoubtedly a Terrell crowd. Ba
the minds of the throng seemed more bent
upon revelry than politics, and if anyb3l
had sinister designs of a political natur.
they were abandoned for lack Of encout-
agement AS a witty gentleman descrio-
cd it to-day the great feast was more rec
markable for what it did not do Ia tho
way of political boom buildiu
than for what it did. just
the gentlemen who made the speech.
distinguished themselves for what taey
failed to say upon the subject assigned
40 them rather than discussing what was
proposed they should. The governor. for
instance spoke to THE State Admins, rl-
tion," and yet all but a wee bit Of his
time was devoted to "old cotton and his
'possum," though when his speech appear
ed in cold type this morning II was
studied and disnitied review of the work
he has done while in the executive chair.
The same applies to Judge c. c. Smith,
who was down for a toast to 1.-The Cir
cult Bench" but he did not mention the
bench in his remarks nor say anythius
akin TO the subject nearer than TO sing
a sonorous ditty called Bile EN- Cab
bage Down" which he paraphrased in
good time to bile EN- Politicians Down.
Then Editor Clark Howell was on the
list to talk about The National Democ-
racy' but the national democracy did not
seem to be a joke to him, and he was IN
a joking mood, so he eschewed tie
toast prescribed and set the boys a-laueh-
ing with his 1T.
The only man on the list who stuck 10
his text was Hon. Bob Berner. who closed
the evening with toast to " 'Possum ana
Taters. Under that head he had
license to say anything he pleas
cd and he did il. It can
thus be said that he stuck to his text Ills
speech was not only a most delightful e.
fort but ike B'rer Postum himself when
he had finished, everybody was guess ng
what he meant from "A political point of
view. He talked a good deal about poll
tics aud politicians in light vein. II Ie-
ferred to the suspicion that he himself
was looking with longing eyes upon The
executive mansion, and got Off some good
bon mots at the expense of the other sup
posed candidates. But after he had said
il all nobody could tell whether he me mt
that he might get into the race. or wheth-
or he wished to be understood as having
finally decided that he would say out
Those who Know him btst, however,
since the mists Of the banquet hall have
passed away, say that there can bc no
doubt that Mr.. Berner means to stay cut
of the gubernatorial race. He talked about
Il with a freedom and ease that those who
know him say he would not have assumed
had he intended TO become a candidate He
would have ignored state politics entire
Is had he intended TO become candi-
date.
Col Allen Gambler sent a letter Of regret
to the chairman of the feast. in which ne
said. a good many things calculated 10
whoop up the old soldier idea This lie ter
was not. however, read at the board,
though the papers here this morning said
Il was. Whether the failure to read It
was ulEnLAOItdA VI an ONNA6lsht AL@+}pA3
pretends to say, though the superstition is
that it was simply an oversight in the
general hilarity that marked the fog md
of the delectable affair.
Mr. Terrell, who it now seems will bear
the brunt of the fight with Col. Gambler.
was present in person, though ne got
away without allowing himself to be cali
ed for a speech. 1t may have been the
early retirement of Col Terrell that caus-
ed the failure to read the Gambler letter.
The supper wG@ a notable gather
ing. More than 200 prominent Geor-
gians were in attendance 1t was an oc-
casion of possum, politics and possioih-
ties with good deal of each quantity.
more or less, in evidence. There were
lots of candidates and lots of friends of
candidates at the supper. OF the guber-
material possibilities only Senator Robert
I, Berner and Attorney General Terrell
appeared in person, but Secretary of State
Gambler Hon. +. G. duBignon and Speak
er Jenkins were represented by friends
who saw TO il that their names were not
forgotten. Minor contests were also sugsas-
ted by the presence of men who are being
considered as in the race for state house
places. Senator Philip Cook, whose friends
are booming him for secretary of state.
came in on an early train. Shortly after
wards Mark Hardin arrived, and it was
whispered that he had chased Senator
Cook down from Atlanta on a special train.
This, however, was merely good-natured
chaff.
Com missioner of Agriculture Neshitt
could not attend, but ne sent down Chief
Clerk Hardeman TO look after his inter-
ests Senator o. 3. Stevenes OF Terrell
who is supposed TO be after Col. Nesbitr's
Official shoes. had come with party of
friends. and the rumor had gone out that
he was opening headquarters.
The state house, the supreme court. the
Senate the House of Representative. the
railroad and prison commissions, the SUI
prene court and nearly every county were
represented in the guests present.
Chief Justice Simmons headed the judi
cial contingent. among whom We're Judge
c. c. smith, Judge George +. Goler. Judge
John s. Gambler, Judge j. 3. Williamson.
OF Forsyth. Judge Samps Harris ana
others. Representatives Hal and Free
man of Coweta welcomed the arrivin. log-
Isiators, including Senators Cook HuI-
son. Battle and Gonghuy ana Representa-
tives Cole Thomas OF Ware Ney,n of
Floyd. Morrison and Henderson oil d..
KaIb Fielder Slaton and Knowles 3 A.
lanta. Kiser of Campbell, IoynUh OF
snaldsng. Clement of Gwinnett Ya Is OF
c.atoosa, Bennett OF Glynn, NaIaU ehlin
ard TAYLOR Of Meriwether and others
rr-t.1 of the ARA