The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-12
SAYS NO CHANGE is WANTED.
SOLICITOR OSBORNE'S VIEWS ON
LOCAL POLITICAL SITUATION.

The Bill Creating "A separate Solicit
tor General for the City Court. Nr.
Osborne Says, Is Not in the Inter-
est of Public GOod-He Has No Oh
lection to the Bill Making City on
GERS Elective by Incoming board.
Solicitor General w w. Osborne, who is
generally regarded as the leader Of thu
Citizens Club faction in local politics, in
an interview with a representative of the
Morning News, has given vent TO some
pungent expressions OF opinion relative to
the several Local acts that have been ad-
vertlsed for introduction at the next ses-
sion of the Legislature. Speaking of the
bill making city officers elective by the in
coming board of aldermen, he said
oh, the bill is all right. But lis intro
duction will place the Tammany delegation
in a most ludicrous attitude before the
general assembly. The bill is
good one. In principe it is right In my
opinion, no sensible reason can be urged
why an outgoing board should elect the
servants of an incoming beard. / remem-
Der distinctly when this question was first
raised-about six.years ago."
Il am quite satisfied with the bills max
ing the offices of clerk and sheriff elective
by the people of the county, instead of
by the City Council" said Mr. Osborne
THE people of the county pay the bills
and it seems proper enough that they
should elect the officers of the court.
have no objection TO the bills at all and ]
anticipate that the representatives OF the
county in the Legislature viii have no
difficulty in having them passed. We are
willing to meet the opposing faction be-
fore the people on almost any question, on
which we have declared ourselves, ana TO
fight them for any office.
"Well, how about the bill creating a
separate solicitor general for the CITY
Court? What are your views on that
THE bill to create that office" said Mr..
Osborne, lis not demanded by the com
munity, is not needed for the more speedy
administration of the law but is the work
of few politicians and of1iceseekers, who
see as they think. an opportunity to have
a personal slap at me. The office of So
lcitor general has been administered by
one man since 1t was instituted. II has
been thoroughly administered Nothing
has been neglected, and they know it.
They think however, that TO diminish the
revenues of the office would hurt me, and
the bin has las origin in desire 10 crafty
personal spite, and, at the same time,
appeaSe, in a measure, the per-
sonaf ambitions of some of their support
ers. To my mind it is a certain Indication
of weakness on the part of these people.
1t is practically hosting the VIII flag b.
fore The battle begins. In fighting par
lance. ii is a clean-cut bid for the losers
end of the gate money. Everyone in the
community knows that every effort on the
part of the opposing faction in this county,
for The past two years. has been centered
upon the proposed candidacy of enc of tier
number for the Office I now hold. 1t Is
safe 10 say that this biz. which proposes
to cut the revenues of the office of sol'ci-
tor general in af, would never be advo-
Gated by the opposing faction, if they felt
they were strong politically in the pro-
posed race before the people. If they
thought they could win, we would find
| them nursing the Office and its emoluments
until the proper time. They would want
| II aR.'
1.-THE original circuit, of which until
| twelve months ago. Chatham county form
| ed a part, had been in existence for 100
years." said Mr.. Osborne. at embraced
the counties of Chatham, Bryan, Effing-
ham, Liberty and Mcintosh, and one solic-
itor general attended TO the prosecution of
criminal cases and the interests of the stale
in all these counties The circuit has now
been divided and Chatham is a circuit to
itself. The solicitor does not move out of
the county to attend to his duties, unless
he be called to try a case in the Supreme
Court, and yet this howl for a change has
gone up. If anything further were needed
to justly my statement that this bill has
It's origin, not in any desire TO serve the
people or further the prompt administra-
ton of justice but in the effort 10 sa tisfy
the political ambition of some member Of
this faction it is furnished, I think, by
this locally historical fact"
"Wfli the bill pass?"
'That l don't know 1t is a matter that
only the future can determine. But l as
sure my political opponents of one thing
which is, that if it does pass, they will be
exceedingly conscious of the fact that a
fight has been in progress and of the fur
Their fact that it has taken place In their
immediate vicinity. The fight will come to
pass, at any rate