The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-10
STILL CALL 1T UNFAIR.
Continued from Eighth Page.)

VIII he ever be able to explain in this
world or the next why he did not give us
this. All, gen'ler'en there is no halo
around this mans head.
"If Mr.. Charlton wanted to do what was
right" said Mr. Osborne, 'he should have
resigned three months ago. After this in
famous scheme was put upon us he had
no right 10 resign until ne had righted the
wrong"
Referring to Mr.. Hartridge's desire for
fairness Mr.. Osborne said that Mr.. Hart
ridge had said that he wanted to be fair.
but that he had been marking time on
it," lie referred TO his letter to Mr.
Hartridge three months ago, and said
that if he had wanted to be fair he would
have said then give those people equal
representation" Referring to the recent
arrangements for the primary, he said that
Mr.. Hartridge had, in burst of gener-
osfty, conceded that I'VE should take one
and he should take two"
1T is all right, gentlemen" said Mr.
Osborne. 1T is an uphill fight, but !
have been fighting that sor all my life.
Ny whole life has been an uphill fight,
and feel that ought to be handicapped
a little in a race with him."
Mr.. Osborne then gave his attention to
Mr.. Hartridge's platform and replying 10
the latter's challenge to answer him in
detail, said that he had answered him
fully. II have stated fully and en-
phatically," he said. that I would not
adopt the policy of Mr.. Hartridge, nor
that of his respected uncle. l will
neither raid nor spy and he has acknowl-
edged to doing both. If any lawyer in
Savannah can show me where il IS the
duty of the acting solicitor general to
swear out 160 warrants against private
citizens to break up a single vice l will
give up my office"
Mr.. Charlton, he said had been practi-
cally the acting solicitor general under
previous to his election TO the office, and
yet this new light did not break in upon
him until he had been himself solicitor for
two years. He attacked Mr. Hartrldges
sincerity and inquired when the new light
had broken in upon him. He had been
candidate for over three years before he
found a platform and then when one had
been prepared for him by his advisers he
got upon ii very gingerly. He dwelt sar-
castically upon the Odell incident at the
recent Hartridge meeting and intimated
that ii was prearranged. Mr.. Osborne re-
peated his former assertions that he had
impartially prosecuted oil kinds of vice and
challenged his opponents to look over the
records of the courts and say If he had not
prosecuted more different kinds of vice
more vigorously than any solicitor general
who had ever held the office He renewed
his assertion that he would not spy upon
anybody and that he would surrender the
office before he would adopt the practices
advocated by his opponent.
Mr.. Osborne aroused something of a SEN
sation In referring to statement by Mr..
A P. Wright at the Hartridge meeting,
90 the effect that everyone present knew
that a gambling house had existed for
years in the shadow of the oldest sane
tuary in the state He prefaced this with
the statement that the law made no dis
tinction between the property owner who
rents his property for gambling purposes,
10 w
house. Both are mentioned in the same
paragraph, and the punishment Is the
same for each. And yet this same house
referred to by Mr.. Wright, Mr.. Osborne
said, had stood up to year ago in the
name of one of the principal speak
ers al the Hartridge meeting, and is now
owned in the family of one of the leaders
of the opposition. What kind of a crusade
against gambling is it, he inquired, when
a leader of the meeting and one of the
principal speakers own the property In
which gaming is conducted And yet Mr..
Wright had said that every one of the
1900 people present knew that such was
the case.
If he made it his duty to originate cases,
he inquired, where would II lead to. 1t
certainly would not stop with the man
that maintained the gaming house. 1t
was fortunate indeed for some people
that he had not tracked the law. If the
grand jury, knowing these facts as 1t
certainly must know what is declared to
be so generally known, had not brought
indictments against these people, why
should the solicitor general Toxic this
upon himself? 1t would Immediately be
said that he did it for money. The solic-
itor general is the last man who should
originate indictments, because there is
a profit for him In every warrant.
"1f there Is to be a crusade against vice
In this community" said Mr.. Osborne,
let's start at the top. Don't confne it
to the little fellows. And when this Is
started God knows 1 will do my duty"
Mr.. Osborne was given the closest atten-
ton throughout and received frequent
applause.
Mr.. w. H. Wade discussed Mr.. Charl-
tons account of his keno raids The story
as he had it from some of those having
feeling remembrance was that the three
raids occurred in one week and The gam
bling places were running again in a short
time thereafter. and that when Mr.. Charl-
ton went out of office they were running
as regularly as ever.
Mr.. Wade said he did not doubt the sin
'erity of Mr.. Hartridge, but be doubted
his ability to fulfill his promises. The re-
form cry has done more harm in This
county than any other, he said There are
two classes of reformers, those who shout
to deceive the public, and those who real
" believe what they advocate, but find
themselves unable to carry out their
Promises. To the latter class he assigned
Mr.. Hartridge.
Judge Twiggs received an enthusiastic
reception from the crowd. He said he
had sought to avoid acrimony and per-
sonalities in his discussion of the issues
Yet at the recent meeting one of the
speakers of the other side had character
lied the leaders of the other side as men
whom he would not care TO follow, either
in morals in politics. Col. Meldrim
he
remark as it applied to the chairman OF
the meeting, but had left the stigma
upon all the others. AS the report had
not been contradicted by Col. Meldrim,
Judge Twiggs took 1t to be true. He read
Col. Meldrfm's remarks, quoting the lines
with special emphasis, and INTERPRETING
remarks of his own. He thanked God
that Col. Meldrim was not following them
IN morals or i'm politics. In moral race
the Colonel wouldn't get second money,
he declared.
The query, Are we aliens?' seemed to
AwR 80