The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-05
PLOTS AND coUNTERPLoTS.
PETITIONS RELATIVE TO THE So
LICITOR BILL.

OsbOrne's Supporters Circulated
Petition Asking That the Bill BE
Defeated, and Signed by "A Number
of fIrish-Americans"- From
the Opposing Camp Came Talk of
"a Petition Asking That the solicit
tor Return TO the City-MayOr My
ers and Mr.. Osborne Differ as to
the Aninus of the BiII-Present So
Iicitor May Run for Solicitor of
City Court Should the Bill Pass.
The center of local political activity has
| not changed within the last few days and
the fight sun goes on between the two
factions for Inc passage or defeat of the
bill creating a separate solicitor of the
City Court. True, the fight Is waged on
che floor Of the Legislature, but every
phase of the controversy and every Skin
mish of the campaign has had its reflex
in Savannah.
A curious instance of the plots and coun-
| terplots Of the factions mad its origin yes
terday. The supporters of Solicitor Cen
eral Osborne had a petition in circulation,
presumably for the purpose of submitting
| it to the Legislature when the required
number of names he'd been signed, thai
/ reads about as follows: 1--WE, the under
signed Ir.sh-Amerlcan citizens of Savan.
nah and Chatham county. desire to enter
our protest against the passage of the bill
creating a solicitor general for the City
! Court" To this it is said, large num-
Der of signatures were obtained.
Though this seemed to be carrying the
] fight into the camp of the enemy, and in
deed, into their very stronghold, the Lib
eral Club people were not long dismayed.
! They talked of 1t among themselves. and
il may be circulated, petition, which was
designed for presentation to Mr.. Osborne,
and It is to be presumed incidentally for
exhibition to the members of the Legis-
I lature, In which he was besought to re-
turn to Savannah, and not to leave the
business of the office Of solicitor general
in the hands Of another lawyer. Thus
/ the fight proceeds, with never a day that
! has not its own peculiar development.
/ An amusing feature of the CORRESPOND
ence that has lately taken place between
I Mayor Myers and Senator GroYenstein, in
| which the Mayor ascribed the introduction
of the City Court solicitor bill to 'pur-
pose to punish the present solicitor gen.
Of the present representative and father
of the bill in his race for the Mayoralty
last January" is found in the fact that
when Mr.. McDonough and Mr. Osborne
were last together in the city a week ago,
they each expressed to a Morning News
I reporter sentiments of high admirat ton
for each other. They were seen separate
I ~, Mr.. McDOnOugh first and he gave an
admring description of the fight that Mr..
Osborne was making, and to pay a high
tribute to his talents and ability There
was never a hint of malice or the desire
for revenge to be CLEANED from the talk of
the representative, but on the contrary, he
said that his personal relations with Mr..
Osborne were and always had been pleas
ant.
Later Mr.. Osborne was seen at a Cen
trail, train, which he was about to take
for Atlanta, and In the course of the con-
versaton the previous interview had with
Mr. McDonough, CHANGED to be mentioned.
Mr.. Osborne Endorsed what Mr. McDon-
ough had said about their personal rela-
lions, and in the most positive terms dis
claimed all belief in the assertion that he
had written or originated the bill. He said
he attached no blame to Mr.. McDonough
for the part he had taken in the matter
1t would seem, therefore, that there Is
some difference of opinion between Mr..
| Osborne and his warmest supporters as to
! the right man 10 blame for the bills in
Mr.. McDonough is the father of the BILL
while Mr. Osborne says that he has no
idea or belief that Mr.. McDonough had
anything to do with it, This 1t is true.
was before the bill was introduced in the
| House and it may be that Mr. AIcDon-
ough is a sort of adopted parent and as
sumed responsibility after the birth. This,
even, Is denied. and it has been most pos
lively stated, by close personal and po-
Htical friend of the representative, that
though the bill bears his name, he did not
| introduce il.
tain indication of which way the bin will
turn out Those who favor II, say 1t will
he passed. while those who oppose IL, say
ii will be defeated. Both sides express
much confidence i'll the ultimate result
but it is noticeable that neither Is resting
on It's oars. Political moves of every sort
and description are daily made by both
factions and every influence that viii serve
TO resist or advance the passage of the
bill is called into play by one or the 9TH
err. The Supporters of Mr. Osborne say
they stin have some money, for which
they are unable to find takers, that they
are willing TO wager in blocks of $50, at
even money.
A consideration that has never been pub
licly discussed by either of the factions is
the strong probability that even If the
bill becomes a law, Mr.. Osborne will stand
for election for the office of solicitor gen.
eral of the City Court, as well as Of the
Superior Court. There is no law in Geor-
gia that prohibits man from holding two
offices. II is noticeable that the Citizens
Club people have been especially active
and diligent in the matter of gathering
their cohorts and seeing that their names
appear on the registration books of the
county. 1t may very possibly be that 1t
is with fight of this kind in view.
-S-e-S-
GrrnUrU n DEnAUN E0STIVT DARN<