The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-16
MAY FUSE ON HERRINGToN.
Emanuel May Have an Independent
Out for Congress.


Rumors stil continue that Hon. Alfred
Harrington of Emanuel county is contem-
plating making the race for Congress
against Col Rufus e. Lester, as an indie
pendent Democrat.
There is no doubt that some of Mr.. Her
rington's friends are endeavoring TO induce
him to take this step. Several consulta-
tons are known to have been held with
Capt. Nj. ]. Doyle and other Republicans
looking to the Withholding of any Republ-
can candidate this year, which would prac-
tically mean the Endorsement of an indie
pendent Democrat by the Republican lead
ers il one were in the field. Among those
in attendance at the congressional conven-
ton on Thursday there was some quiet
talk of such a movement being under way,
but the majority of the delegates refused
to give credence to the report, believing
that Mr.. Harrington would not run out
side of the Democratic party.
The original idea of the Republican
leaders was to run Mr.. T. F. johnson in
the event that Mr.. Harrington ran indie
pendent and endeayor to secure the Pop
ulist Endorsement for him Mr.. johnson IS
stated to have had the matter under ad-
visement but to have decided and an
nounced that he would not be a candidate
under any circumstances. A number of
the Popuhst leaders, it is said would be
glad to have Mr. Harrington run and
would try to throw the Popullst vote TO
him. A fusion of Populists and Republi-
cans, with his own following, would give
him a good vote, it is pointed out.
Capt. Doyle stated yesterday that he
had not seen MIR. Harrington since his
visit to Savannah three or four weeks
ago. zone of his warmest friends was
in to see me yesterday" said the captain,
land told me that Mr. Harrington had
been ill., but was now in good health and
fully able to enter a campaign. Many of
Mr.. Herrngton's friends are DESTROYS of
having him practically made the fusion
candidate in this district while running a
an independents Democrat. don't think
the Republicans will put out any candi-
date, nor the Populists, and they seem to
think this would give a good fighting
chance As I told them though, it takes
money to run a campaign, and they can't
expect the Republicans to put Is up. Mr..
Harrington, l have no doubt would make
q strong candidate If he desires to run, but
the matter Is yet IN an unsettled cOndl-
ton His friends are of the opinion that
two years ago he was promised the regu-
| lar Democratic nomination this time if
he would then step aside. In fact, l be-
Iieve from what Mr. Harrington told me,
| that that Is his own view of the mat
| ter"
| Emanuel county elected Harrington dele
| gates to the congressional convention, but
| they failed to attend. Emanuel county
was not represented in the convention. Thss
! failure on its part to take any hand In
! Col. Testers nomination is regarded as
lending some weight to the rumors of Mr..
| Herrngtons friends being at work on him
| to run independent.
Col. Testers friends do not believe that
| Mr.. Harrington will accede to the wishes
of a few ill-advised friends. In regard to
| the claim that he was to have the nomi-
nation this year, a story which has been
! circulated to some extent in the country,
| the utter absurdity of 1t is pointed out. No
| man or set of men can promise a subse-
/ quent nomination for the Democratic par
| ty of the district. The only basis for it APP
pears to have been the belief two years
| ago, that Col. Lester, then in bad health,
would not be in condition TO be a candidate
| in 1898. Some talk on that line may have
| lead some of Mr.. HerTington's friends to
| believe that he would have a good chance
to secure the nomination this year
1t Is not believed that any candidate who
| can be brought out in opposition to Col.
Lester could give much trouble. The inn
! preston is that the campaign win resolve
itself into one IN which there will be but
| the Democratic candidate.