The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-09
THEY DIE BUT TO LIVE AGAIN.
COMMISSIONS TO BE ABOLISHED ny
THE COMING LEGISLATURE.


Though, Giving Che City Council
Power to Create such Commits
sions As 1t May ses. Fit and En-
dow Them With Certain Powers.
This Seems to BE the Program.
Officers Under Commissions Now
Nay BE Restored to Their Former
status and Elected BY the OutgO-
ing Council.
All OF the commissions Of the city OF
/ Savannah are to be abolished by the in
coming legislature. The bills, the cap
/ lions Of which have been advertised, will
/ be introduced as soon as the thirty-day
! limit expires, which will be a few days
I after the legislature meets. and it viii be
/ comparatively short time after that be
/ fore they viii be wiped off the statute
/ books. The legislation so carefully pre-
pared by the leaders of the old Citizen
Club viii disappear. although the memory
/ Of it VIII long survive.
This course was decided on, It Is stated
on good authority, at the conference at
the house Of Hon. J. J. McDonough Fri
day night. At this conference, alluslon
to which was made in yesterdays Morn
ing News, there were about twenty-five
of the most prominent men of the Lib
eral Club present. men of recognized high
standing in the community in business or
professional life, as well as the those
more especially recognized by their prom
inence in politics. The affair, as stated
partook largely of a social character
Among those present, besides the host
were Hon. T. II. Mcmillan, Walter p
LaRoche, Esq, w. G. Charlton, Esq, s.
B. Adams, Esq. Capt. John r. Dillon, Mr.
John Power Mr.. W. B. stnwen. Mr..
Waring Russell, Mr.. w. C. Cam. Col Mer-
rift w Dixon, DR.. William Duncan. May
or p. w. Meldrim, Mr.. w. P. Bailey, Mr..
Waring Russell. Jr., Mr.. Frank e. Re
barer and others.
The disposition of the commissioners
was the main question considered. The
several local bills proposed by the city
administration, such as extending the CITY
limits, changing the time of election OF
city officers, giving the acting mayor veto
power, etc, seem to have met with no
opposition. The commissions were the
main topic Of discussion.
All or those present were found to be
opposed to a continuance of the commits
sions as at present constituted under the
state laws passed two years ago The
legislation enacted by the Citizens Club
1t was decided, must go. Several pointed
out that the Liberal Club was pledged to
this and that outside Of any merits or de-
merits of the commissions the party would
make a mistake if 1t did not stand by its
promises to abolish these bodies as they
now exist as contrary to the best public
policy.
There was no protest against this view
and it was soon apparent that the only
matter about which there was any room
Tor ditference of opinion was as to the ad-
visibility of amending the state law so
as 70 give the City Council more effective
control OF the commissions The PROPOSE |
ton was advanced that if the CITY Coun-
cll were to have the commissions subject
to II the best thing to do would be to
ailoW Council to create the commissions |
by ordinance. This led to a question as
10 the power of the City Council to create |
such bodies ana give them some or all of |
the power and privileges conferred upon |
them under the existing state law
city Attorney Adams was asked for his |
views on this phase of the matter. As far |
as can be ascertained, Mr. Adams was of |
the opinion that there might be some |
question raised as to the authority of the /
City Council to delegate certain powers TO |
commissions created by Itself without spe- |
clfc stale legislation granting It fun right |
TO do so. As a result of the discussion |
the statement is made that 1t was decided |
TO pass bil's abolishing the commissions, |
parks ana trees, water police, fire. public |
works, and tax assessors and receivers
A bin IS 70 be prepared by the city at |
torney, giving 10 the City Council the |
right, if il sees fit to do so, to create such |
commissions as 1t may see proper and to |
grant TO them such powers and privileges |
as II may deem IL best to delegate Under |
this bin, which will be passed by the leg
stature, the commissions viii be entirely |
under the control of Council. II win create !
them or not, as il sees fit; give them such
rights as it sees ht. and elect their mem
ners VINO WIZ be subject to removal by the .
creating body.
The commissions proposed will not be !
coordinate They will be distinctly subor-
dinate, although it is proposed to grant
them considerable privileges in order to
make them valuable working adjuncts with
the City Council. They wiH be what one
man termed assistant aldermen whose
services viii he of much value and who
viii in all probability become permanent
fixtures in the administration of city bus
!ness"
This solution is said by some to be
very happy decision, meeting the obiec-
tons OF those opposed to the present sys-
TEN and placatng the large element who
contend that the idea of the commissions
Is good and that they should be retained
Wtlh amendments.
Another matter under discussion is stat
ed to have been as 10 whether the in
coming or the outgoing Council should
elect the commissions under the new ar
ransement There were arguments in
favor of both of these propositions. 1t
was seen that nothing was to be gained,
in a political way, by the OUTGOING Coun
ell elecdng the commissions If they
were not in sympathy with the incoming
board it could soon get rid of them by
wiping out the ordinances providing for
such bodies and then reenacting other or
dinauces TO suit itself.
II is understood that the consensus of
opinion was in favor of the incoming
board selecting the commissions to serve
with it during its term of Office. on the
ground that men in sympathy with the
administration would then be selected
who would work in harmony with il for
the good Of the public business 1t was
the impression though, that after the