The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-03
WILL ATLANTA BE WIDE OPEN?
SPORTY ELEMENT HAS LOOKED
FORWARD TO MORE FREEDOM.

Liberal in His Views and a Let
Up" Is Expected.
Atlanta, Jan. 2.-(SpeciaD.-f there IS
anything in the talk of the sporty eie-
ment Of the community, or rather those
who would ike to be sporty, for Atlanta is
Short on the real thing a new era was in
augurated in che town tonight
James G. Woodward who took the oath
of Office as Mayor this afternoon, is sup
posed to presage this new order of things.
From the commencement Of his campaign
for the mayoralty, he was held up, in con
demnation by some. in, approval by others,
as the man who wanted 10 see "a wide
open town
one side thought this would defeat
Woodward, the other was just as conf
dent that 1t would elect him. The latter
declared that the town had outgrown the
two by four" style Of municipal govern
ment, as they called the present plan of
regulating. and although it must be said
In justice to AIr. Woodward, that he has
never yet said or done anything calculated
to justify the assertion that ne is in favor
Of what is known as a wide open town,
yet many Of those who fought hardest for
him in the campaign were actuated by the
belief that he would advocate relaxation
In the saloon and kindred laws.
The New Mayor Liberal.
The new Mayor is undoubtedly liberal in
his views of these matters as an individ-
ual. but whether or not he will fulfil the
predictions of the sports" remains to be
seen.
For some years past, Atlanta has been
hard place for the tin-horn element to
live in. They have been kept constantly
on the move by the police who are under
instructions to enforce ordinances to the
letter. The extent of this vigilance will
be well remembered by few Savannah
men who fell into the hands of local
sleuths while engaged in a friendly little
game of penny ante in their own rooms at
the Kimball several years ago.
The reaction of this sort of policy be-
gan to manifest itself early in Mr. Wood
wards race and ever since his election
there has been great talk of what would
happen when he takes hold of the muni-
cipal reins. And TO some extent this
talk has already had its effect
Whether due 10 the approaching change
of administration or not, IL is still a COM
monty admitted fact that in some respects
Atlanta Is more wide open than ever be-
fore in her history. In one particular it
is doubtful If New York or Chicago could
offer more license. and that is in the
character of stage performances per-
mitted by the police. Within the past
few weeks Decatur street has out
stripped the bowery with It's vaudeville
shows. Right under the eyes of the po-
lice, and more than once, too, directly I'M
der the eyes of the new administration.
gazing out frcm the front rows, there
have been exhibitions of indecency that
would have caused the arrest of the
whole show a short while ago. Yet moth
ing has been said or done TO suppress the
development of Decatur street along this
line and taking this as their cue, the old
time "tin-horns" who have been sojourn-
ing abroad are beg ginning to come back.
Familiar Faces Bob Up.
Every day or so an old familiar face
hobs up 20 show which way the wind is
blowing. The police are keeping tab, while
the tin horns gather about and discuss
the situation. They have been looking for
ward to the change of administration
which took place this evening with great
concern. They heard the word that was
sent abroad, that Atlanta would be wide
open after Woodward took hold, and they
are coming back to lend a hand at the
opening.
1t is this sort of condition that con-
fronts the new Mayor, who took the oath
of Office and delivered his inaugural to-
day. In his address he pledged himself
to a conservative course. Woodward is a
big, brainy sort of man. Whatever he
does, he does with fun head of energy.
His course in municipal affairs has been
a radical one. He has always been ag-
gressive, always outspoken and neither po-
htical faction ever claimed him as an ally
because he would never line up with eth
er. He was sent TO Council and kept there
by ward that has few people in it that
aspire to leadership, and he has conse-
quently always felt independent of the
bosses.
Did Not Commit Himself,
In his race for Mayor he refused 10 com
nit himself on the wide open" PROPOSE
ton, though his opponent who opposed
any such change in existing regulations
loudly denounced him for his refusal II
was this defiant independence that at
tracted to him the support of the Sporty
element He accepted the support, but no
more pledged himself to this element than
TO those good people who wanted to close
up all the saloons and put a policeman on
guard at every drug store.
While the campaign was on, and since
Woodward would go down on Decatur
street 20 a show at the Imperial This
gave comfort and encouragement to the
sporty crowd, and made them hail him as
the man who wanted wide open town
But he never went into a saloon. for he
is a teetotaler, and no one ever heard OF
him being an a game for money or for
fun. he was one of the original movers
of the 10 o'clock saloon closing ordinance
yet at another time he voted to give the
saloons little more rope
1t is not difficult to imagine that there
is an interesting time in store for the
town under the new administration, witt
Mayor Woodward in the center Of the
stage, the sports lined up on one side, ant
the old regime on the other.