The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-22
LIQUOR WILL PLAY A HAND.
ATLANTA's MUNICIPAL CAMPAIGN
TAKING ON HEAT.

Candidates Galore, Nightly Meetings
and All Sorts of Speeches Enliven
the Various COntests-Twenty As
pirants for the Position of sexton,
While the Liquor Question Has
Been Injected Into the MayOralty
Rnce-Mr. Martin, the Lavyer-Can-
-idate, Makes a Bid for Liquor
Mems support. and RumOrs Gain
Ground Regarding the Views of
His Opponent.
Atlanta. Ga. Sept 21-The municipal
campaign Is beginning 10 get warm. The
primary is but two weeks off. and from
now on the candidates, who are more nu-
rnerous this year than for a long time
past, will make the welkin ring with their
public spirited effusions.
Every night there are from one 10 half
a dozen meetings in the various wards,
with speeches from all sorts of candidates.
There is a contest in every ward but two
the Second and Seventh-and for every
city officer from Mayor to sexton. For the
latter office which pays about $500
year, there are no less than twenty candi-
dates who have paid their fees and quail
fed themselves to be voted for in the pri-
mary.
On account of the number of candidates
this contest has assumed proportions of in
terest almost equal to the mayoralty race
In the fight between Woodward and
Martin for Mayor, the liquor question has
been injected. with the result that the old
line of prohibition and ant-prohibition,
which formerly made local politics sui
phurious, are being redrawn. Both can
didates disclaim responsibility for raising
the issue, though to a non-partisan OBJ
server there is little doubt that Candidate
Martin and his advisers are responsible
for 1t.
month ago Mr.. Martin opened the
ball by making a bid for the support of
the liquor association. The bid was made
on the quiet, but some of the saloon men
talking out saying that Mr.. Martin had
made threats to what would be done
with them unless they supported MIN and
knowing that they would not be buldozed
even If it cost another regular election
under the local option act
Since this little incident the LIQUOR dues-
ton has been assuming more and more
prominent proportions in the mayoralty
race. The Martin side has laid the charge
against Mr.. Woodward that he is in favor
of changing the existing regulations so as
" give luS saloons more latitude. IllS
was based upon Mr. Woodward's public
declaration that he would not pledge him
self in advance to override the action Of
the Council on this question, though he
helped to make the present regulations
eight years ago as member of Council,
and was in favor of standing by them.
Under these regulations the saloons nav a
license of $1,000 and are compelled to close
their doors at 10 o'clock at night at the
same time keeping their windows end
doors clear from obstruction so that
passersby may see inside and know what
is going on without entering This plan
has proven satisfactory to the citizens
generally, but on several occasions eff
forts have been made to extend the open
hours by the saloon men.
The Martin people In the present cam
paign are appealing to the prohibitionists
of Old, who surrendered under the local
option law, upon this sort of a compromise
by charging that if Mr.. Woodward is
elected he will favor a reversion Of the
compromise and advocate such new regu-
lations as will be advantageous to the
saloon men and a menace to sobrlety and
the good order of the city.
Mr.. woodward and his friends declare
that he is being misrepresented by the
other side in their desperation TO get
votes. There Is little or no doubt, how
ever, that Mr.. Woodward viii get the
support of the liquor element, he having
been an anti-prohibitionist and Mr.. Mar
tin a prohibitionist in the old days when
this issue embittered everything in local
politics
Conservative people deplore the reopen
ing of the old fight and are doing all they
can to smooth things over, but like Ban
quo's ghost since II has been invoked 1t
will not down, and the contest now
promises to be fought to a finish upon
that line.