The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-09
Mr.. CHARLTON TO HIS CRITICS.
HIS SPEECH AT THE FOURTH DIS
TRICT LIBERAL RALLY.


Did Not Go to Europe, He snid-rhe
Community Cannot Afford to See
Mr.. Hartridge Defeated ON His
Platform, Said Mr.. Charlton-Sfr.
Hartridge Challenges Mr.. Osborne
TO Meet Him I'm Detail.
The Fourth District Liberals had a
largely attended and enthusiastic meet.
ing at the Harris Street Hall last night
Several hundred Liberal voters cheered
the speakers and expressed their approval
of Mr.. Hartrdge's candidacy in no nm
certain terms. The speakers were Mr.
John E. Schwarz Hon. Walter G. Cnarl.
con. Mir. J. r. Saussy. Jr., and Mr.. Wal
ter c. Hsrtridge.
Mr.. Charltons speech was of chief in
terest. this being his first appearance IN
the campaign. He denounced the
charges or limitations of any unfair
ness on his part in connection with his
official position as chairman of the pa--
~. whether coming from Mr.. Osborne or
amy one else, as unquaifedly false. Mr..
Charlton also gave the history of the war
which he conducted upon the keno rooms
during his administration of the office Of
solicitor general and said that this par
tcular feature of his record was some
thing Of which he had always had reason
TO feel proud.
Mr.. Charlton said that 1t had been
charged that he made a raid upon the
keno rooms toward the close of his term,
without having any effect upon the brsl-
ness. and that he then made a tour of
Europe. The truth about the matter he
said. ives that his crusade against the
keno rooms was conducted during The
middle of his term that he effectually
suppressed the business, and that he had
never been in Europe in his life.
President T. H Mcmillan presided at the
meeting and Secretary Ennis was at his
post as usual. Mr.. Schwarz was the first
speaker. Mr.. Schwarz discussed the rela-
tive positions of the two candidates on the
gambling question, as given by them in
their public utterances, and then proceed
ed to return the compliments showered
upon him by some of the opposition
speakers. paying particular attention to
Mr.. ''Demerit" Dixon. Mr.. Dixon, he
said, had characterized him as a pin
cushion fish. one of the kind that swells
up when tickled under the chin. The Pc
culiar characteristic of this fish, he said
Is that 1t is armed with sharp spines and
that the fisherman who takes hold of il
is likely to remember his experience ever
afterwards. Fishy comparisons being in
order, Mr. SchwarE suggested the eel as
being most suited to Mr.. Dixon because
of the ease with which he slipped from
one political position to another
Mr.. Schwarz aroused the laughter Of the
crowd when he characterized Mr.. Osborne
as 1T in the little political game now
being played, and declared that, like the
little boy who gets caught in the game
To he hod
run right off and told "Flem' just as
soon as he was caught Abiding to Mayor
Myers announcement that he would use
the police force to see that order was pre-
served on the day of the primary, Mr..
Schwarz declared, "If blood be shed on
that day be 1t on Mayor Myers head
In conclusion Mr. schwarz declar-
ed that the approaching primary would
prove the death warrant of the profess
lonal office seekers and political spoilsmen
of Chatham county, and that the volers
would put the seal of their dlsapproval
upon the methods which have prevailed
during the last few years.
Mr. Charlton was received with a lively
round CT applause. and was given the
closest attention throughout his speech.
He was glad to be able to feel that he
could come within the confines of the dis
trict, he said, without fear of physical APP
prehension, and referred hum. rous.y to
when boy from the other side of the
city felt that he had accomplished a re-
markable feat If he had passed safely
through the "Old Fort" Living here
many years, however, he had gotten to
know the Fourth district better, and he
had come to the conclusion tina the "Old
Fourth pretty generally goes right"
He had not come before the meeting 10
talk about Mr.. Hartr'dge or his platform,
Mr.. Charlton said. Mr.. Hartridge was his
own bloodkin, the grandson of his grand
father and the son of his dear dead friend.
Naturally he could not be otherwise than
for him. AS for Mr.. Eartridge's Platform.
he said. that speaks for itself" If the
time has come when Walter HsrtridGe' S
platform can be turned Gown in this coun-
ty. then our civilization Is at fault"
So many things had been said In the
campaign and yet SO little. Mr.. Charlton
said. that he hardly knew whether Il was
worth while to make any reply or not
He wished to be fair to Mr. Osborne and
to make all possible allowance for the ex-
element attendant upon a political cam
paign, but this much he would say and say
1t plainly: IF Mr. Osborne, or any ether
man, in public meeting or anywhere
else, undertook to say, or to put the sup
position in anybody's mind that l. rs
chairman of the Democratic Executive
Committee, undertook or countenancad
anything unfair, in the interest Of Mr.
Hartridge or anyone else he not only said
what was false, but he knew that II was
false when he said IT,"
Mr. Charlton said that he was at loss
10 understand the condition of politics
which permits such a condition of affair
as has been exhibited in this campaign
While he would not discuss Mr.. Hartridge
or his platform he had no objection to dis
cussing Mr.. Osborne and his platform. 1t
had been said that Mr.. Osborne made SfS-
900 year out OF his office He doubted
II he made this amount or anything like Il.
He had been a solicitor general of the cir
cult himself and knew what the work was.
II Mr.. Osborne made this much he did nor
begrudge him the amount. He had tried
to malcsall he could while there and mar
never made $4,000 or 5000 a year.
II wish to make this point. however" he
said. ANY solicitor general. even with the
amount of energy accredited to MIR. Hart
ridge can make $4,000 or $1,000 a year On
paper, but no solicitor general of this cir
cult ever has made or ever will
make this amount in cash and put
a stop to crime. No man can make the
amount of money attributed to Mr.. Os5o- ne
and stop crime"