The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-29
TROUBLE IN GAMBLER CAMPS.
APPOINTMENT OF brown MAY
CREATE DISSATISFACTION.

LEGISLATURE Wanted Wimbish RE
tanned as Special Attorney for the
Western aud AtIantic-Gov. Cand-
Ter Took Another View and Named
Col. BrOvvn-Said lie knew Col.
Brown From the Ground I'D, and
wanted Him There.
Atlanta, Ca, Dec. 2S-(SpeciaD. The ap-
pointment Of Col. f. T. Brown Of Athens
TO be special attorney for The Western
and Atlantic Railroad, which was fore
Swallowed in the dispatches last week, and
Officially announced by Gov Gambler yes
terday. has caused good deal of str
in state political and official circles.
Ii was well kept secret that Col
Brown aspired to this position up to the
last hours Of The recent session of the leg
5s,ature Nobody on the outside dreamed
that he had his eye on the place until
then, unless perchance Gov. Atkinson had
something of that sort In view and wanted
10 scotch it when he recommended to the
legislature the aboHshment of the Office.
Col Brown was Gov. Gamblers right
hand man all through bis campaign, and
his appointment is due to the close ties of
friendship existing between them, though
he is lawyer whose ability 20 fin the
place Is questioned by no one who knows
him.
Col W. A. Wimbish, VINO has held the
position for six years, had agreed with
Gov Atkinson TO finish up all work per
aaining TO the office without an additional
appropriation, after the close of the pres
ent year, and 1t was acting upon this
agreement that Gov. Atkinson recon-
mended that the appropriation be dis
pensed with III his final message to the
last legislature.
May Create Some Trouble.
Here is where the trouble about the new
appointment comes in. The word,trouble
is used advisedly, for there is no doubt at
all that there is going to be a good deal of
soreness in some quarters over il for
some time to come.
Disregarding the recommendation of eX-
Gov. Atkinson, the House of Representa-
tives made the usual appropriation for the
payment of the special attorney The
strongest and in fact practically the only
argument used by those who were work
ing to secure the continuation of the APP
propria ton was that Col. Wimbish, by
reason of his experience, had gained such
valuable information in regard TO the
states property and states rights, in
connection with the Western and Allan
tic that it would be unwise to dispense
with his services until the lest vesuge of
this compeXity of legislation and arbitra-
ton was settled. When this was met by
the statement that the attorney general
could conduct these matter, the reply in
Variably was that, while he or any other
good lawyer might attend 10 them, yet no
one could do so as well and as advantage
ously to the state as Col. Wimbish, be
cause of the six years constant study he
has given to the subject. Undoubtedly it
ewas this argument that carried the ap-
propria ton through in opposition to the
recommendation of tho outgoing Cover
nor.
Resolution That Didn't work.
Col Brown nor anybody else had been
mentioned openly in connection with the
pace until the appropriation had been put
through. Then at the eleventh hour of the
session. it leaked out that Col Brown was
going to get the place. as win be recalled
by those who read these reports Of the
final scenes of the legislature. The House
made a desperate effort to enforce its ideas
upon Gov. Gambler by passing a resolution
commencing Col. Wimbish, and in effect
declaring that it was not within the PROV
ince of the Governor TO make an appoint
ment to displace him.
This resolution. however, did not get
through the Senate. and therefore except
in so far as it expresses the sentiment of
the House 1T could cut no figure in Che
case. Gov. Gambler says that he simply
wished to put a man in the place whom
he knows from the ground up, and without
any disparagement whatever to Col. VIM
Dish, he called Col. Brown to it,
He is resDOp SibIe To tha naoD;a for his
administration. he says, and this being the
case he reserves the right at all times to
select the members of his official family
and council of advisers. The legislature,
without any suggestion from him. saw fit
TO continue the appropriation for the office.
and he simply filed it with the man whom
be thinks wifi meet all the requirements
without regard to the aspirations or fitness
of any other man or men.