The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-03
NOT DEAD BUT SLEEPING.
ALDERMAN DIXON's DTsPENsARY
ORDINANCE TABLED.

Were Ten Aldermen Present and
Prospects for the Passage of the
Ordinance We're Not Favorable.
Its Opponents Might Have Forced
Ito "a Vote-AdVocates of the ordt-
nance Declare That O'keefe win
BE ont in a Week-Hayor Myers
Put Himself on Record a in Favor
of the Ordfnan ce-HeHIth Commit
tee and Not sanitary Board Has
Managed the DLsDensnry.
The Dixon ordinance to repeal the pres
ent city dispensary ordinance was laid
on the table at the meeting of Council
yesterday How long the ordinance VIII
lie there Is a question. il has been read
second time and can be taken up any
day now, as Council is under recess.
The supporters of the ordinance claim
that Mr.. O'Keefe wiz be out OF office on
.the date named in the ordinance, Aug. 10.
This is just a week off. As Council Is
under recess a meeting can he called any
day when the supporters of the ordinance
regard the occasion as p-opi sous and the
ordinance may be adopted if a majority
OF the aldermen present choose to vote TOT
It. This is very likely the programme
as some of the aldermen who opposed the
ordinance have announced their intention
of leaving the city on their summer vaca-
tons
The mistake which the opponents of the
ordinance made yesterday was in not vot-
ing against the motion 90 lay on the ia
bic. There were ten aldermen present
five of whom had placed themselves on
record as opposed 70 the ordinance Two
of the remaining five were doubtful, and
with one of these doubtful votes with the
opposition the motion to lay on the table
could have been defeated and the ordi-
nance put on its passage when II might
have been defeated. Alderman Thomas
realized this and voted in the
negative. Ills was the only vote that was
heard. however in opposition to the mo-
ton to lay on the table. Some Of those
present were doubtless glad 20 dispose
of the matter temporarily in this simple
manner.
All the aldermen in the city We're pres
ent, some of those who had announced
their intention of leaving before the meet
ing being on hand. When the watchers
calculating the chances as 10 the passage
Of the ordinance, saw that ali of the al
dermen were there, they realized thdt
there was no possibility OF its passage anu
did not waste further time by remaining
10 attend the meeting OF the ten alder
men present five, Tiedeman. Graham,
FARRELL Mills and Thomas, had put them
selves on record against the ordinance.
There were only five against them, ana or
these two, Aldermen Williams ana
Schwarz. were on the doubtful list There
were only three sure votes for the ordt-
nance Dixon, Doy.e and Bacon, Hence
the wisdom of Alderman Dixon IN haV-
ing the ordnance laid on the table.
No one need suppose, however, That Al
derman Dixon has given up the idea OF
passing the ordnance. He has the ordi-
nance now in just the shape that he
wants a. and those who agree with him
say that a programme has been decided
upon by which the ordinance will be put
through within the desired time.
Mayor Myers put himself on record as
IN favor Of the ordinance. The resoiu-
ton adopted by the sanitary board its
meeting last week. opposing the removal
of the control of the dispeusary from the
board aud stating that under the presen,
system the dispensary has been economi-
cally and efficiently conducted, was read,
a communication, inc .osing the resolution,
having been received from Health officer
on the reading of this resolution, Mayor
Myers stated that ne was not present at
the meeting of the sanitary board at
which the resolution had been adopted,
and that had he been present he would
not have favored IL.
Il do not agree with the statements
contained in the resolution adopted by the
sanitary board" sad Mayor Myers Il
find that the sanitary board has had moth
ing TO do with the management of the dis
pensary and that it has been hooked after
by the chairman of the health committee
This being the case, The charge that il is
the purpose OF the ordinance to take the
control of the dispensary out of the hands
of the sanitary board is not well founded -
In speaking of the matter after the
meeting of Council Mayor Myers said: Il
am opposed to the present dispensary ortli-
nance because il is of partisan origin.
The ordinance passed In January. 1897, Tor
the re-establshment Of the dispensary
was repealed for the evident purpose of
getting rid of the men who had been Sc
lected to conduct the dispcnsary. Not
long after the present dispensary ordi-
elected keeper. He was elected for term
are elected for only two years. l am not
personally opposed to MIR. O'Keefe. He
has been a bitter partisan, and / have
10 reason to favor him. At the same time
should he be the only competent applicant,
a law. he will receive my vote. Other
for some friend of my administration"