The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-15
HOW THE FIGHT WAS WON.
STORY OF WALTER HILLS Sue
CESSFUL RACE.

Washington Dessau, at the Meet
ing of the State Bar Association.
MIR. Dessau Urged MIR. Hill to Per-
NIT the Use of His Name and Final
Iy Secured His Consent 10 This and
Promise to Accept the Office if He
Were EIected-The Election of the
New Chancellor Becoming More
and More Pleasing to the Alumni.
Comment upon the election of Hon. Wal
ter d. Hi of Macon to the chancellor
ship OF the University of Georgia continued
yesterday wherever one or two of the
alumni of the university were gathered
together on the streets, I'm the clubs, every
where that the alumnus could get an op-
por,unity to talk and command listener.
It was the concensus of opinion
that in electng Mr.. Hill the trust ees
acted wisely and well, and that under his
administration of its affairs the university
will thrive and flourish in the future as
il never has in the past. Those of the
alumni who were at first blush disposed
to cruclse the new chancellor, on the
ground that his opinions on prohibition
are entirely too strong to permit him 30
govern with wisdom and discretion, were
later inclined 10 modify their views and TO
confess that no better man could have
been chosen than Waller Hill.
Has long experience al the bar, where he
has been unusually successful, has devel-
oped in him the judicial temperament that
mas always been one Of his chief charac
tcristics, and even by his most bitter enc
mics he is acknowledged TO be a n eminen iy
fair and just man. In the heated contests
in Macon between the prohibition aud an
u-pronibition factions, MIR Hin has been
the leader of the former clan. but not even
in The heat of such a political campaign
has there been breathed against him a
word of rcproach. On the contrary It was
The leader Of the prohibition faction
VINO was among The first to offer his con-
gratuiauons to Mr.. Hill.
Hon. S. G. McLendon of Townsville
came down from Macon yesterday morn
ing and spent the day in the city. While
in Macon the news of the election of Mr.
l1ill was received and from Mr. Washing
ton Dessau, who conceived the idea of
making him chancellor and actively en-
ginecrod the fight in his behalf. MIR. Nc
LendOn learned the story of how and when
the campaign had its inception and how it
was carried to a successful conclusion
This story Mr. McLendon retold to a Morn
ing News reporter.
al The last convention of the Georgia
Bar Association, at Warm Springs" said
Mr. McLendon, washington Dessau,
thinking of the various gentlemen whose
names had been mentioned in connection
with the chancellOrship and of their avail
abn1tY for the position, decided that with
each of them there was something lack
ing. As an alumnus of the university and
one of its warmest friends, he took an en-
thusiastic interest in its welfare and the
prospective election for chancellor had abb
sorbed a great part of his time and atten-
ton"
1T was while he was in this mood that
the name of Walter Hill occurred to him
as just the man for the place The more
he thought of the matter the more he be-
came convinced that Mr. I1i,l was the
IDEAL chancellor, and that he united in
himself the attributes that would make his
administration successful. lie consulted
with other gentlemen, common friends of
both Mr.. HNl and himself and they agreed
! that he was right and that Mr.. Hill should
be urged 10 make the race. The matter
was mentioned also to Senator A o. Ba-
can. who added the sanction of his APP
prevail and promised his support in case
Mr. Eiu could be induced to allow his
| name to go before the trustees Il was
finally decided that Mr. Dessau should
see Mr.. hin al the earliest. opportunity
and urge him to make the race"
con his way back to Macon he happen
| ed to be on the same train with Mr.. Hill
| and took care that his seat should be next
! to that occupied by the man whom he was
/ going 10 try and induce to make the race
| for chancellor. He slipped into the seat
| by the side of Mr.. Hill talked calmly on
! uuimportant topics for a few minutes, and
| then leaned over and said, Walter, you
/ are the man that ought TO be the next
| chancellor Of the University of Georgia. -
| "G1r. ueSsau says that Mr.. Hin was
] In hp OnlDT-
! tuuity to recover his presence of mind or
! to protest, his enthusiasts friend had
! poured into his ears the reason that had
/ urged the suggestion almost succeeded in
convincing Mr. Hill that he was the man
! for the place and wrung from him prom
Use that he would consider the matter and
! give, a Gay or two later, the result of his
! dclibciltion and conference with his wife
| TO Mr., Dessau.
THE result OF that conference. said Mr..
| McI4cndon was Mr.. Hill's agreement to
permit the use of his name He would
not bo an avowed candidate but if he were
elected chancellor he would accept the Of
flee and the trust and Try to deserve them
Seth Vita this agreement on the part Of
their candidate 10 work upon his friends
started the campaign lis direction IN
| the board Oc trustees was paced in the
hands OF Senator Bacon.
Tho senator went to Atlanta armed
NSssau i'm which he agreed to accept he
chancollorship il ii We're rendered him and
outlined his ideas on the subject of how the
| university sAould be mana ged Yesterday
forenoon Senator Bacon telegraphed to
/ Mr Hin for permission to use a part of
/ the letter in the meeting of the board of
trustees. and | presume ii was used to
| good effect. This is the story of the cam
paign from the inside. Mr.. Hill had
agreed 80 accept the position in case he
| was elected before the board met. ! am
convinced" concluded Mr. McLendon,
! taat an appreciation of the entire fitness
OF the man for the place will become grad
uaNy more and more apparent to the alum
! nj Of the university, and that under his d.
rccion the institution will advance to a
position of distinguished usefulness and
| Importance"
1t is said that in his law practice Mr..
! Hin has amassed quite a fortune, and that
! Mrs. Hin is also well supplied with this
worlds goods. If this be the case they
! VIII be in position to take the direction
! of The social life of the university, which,
! tbn,foh a. may seem pip1portaDt some