The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-27
Mr.. HARTRIDGE'S PLATFORM.
DOWN WITH KENO AND POLICY
4 LOTTERY. HIS WAR CRY.

ed Mr.. 0sbOrne's Record on That
Line and Challenged Him TO Meet
the Issue-He Replied Warmly to
Those Who Discounted His Ability.
The Liberal Leaders Well Pleased
With the Meeting.
Mr.. Walter c. Hauridge formally an
nounced his candidacy for the solicitor
generalship at the Liberal Club meeting
ct Turner Hall last night, and at the same
time announced his Platform. Mr.. Hart
ridges platform is the enforcement of
| those laws which are intended for the pro
| lection of public morality as we'll as those
which are intended for the protection Of
the citizens against crimes of violence.
In plain and explicit terms Mr.. Hart
ridge promised If elected not only to en-
force the laws against policy lottery and
keno, but to so enforce them that these
forms of gambling would be driven out of
the city within sixty days after he as
sumed charge of his Office. He challenged
his opponents to meet him on this plat
form and offered 1t to them as the issue
Of the campaign
The meeting was a most ausplcious one
candidacy and his platform. 1t was prob
ably the largest and by all odds the most
enthusiastic of the campaign. Owing to
the arrangement of the hall 1t was i'm
possible TO form an exact estimate of the
crowd present. The main room in which
the speaking was held was packed 10 suf-
location, as was the hallway outside while
the room in the rear appeared to De al
most equally well filed. There we're
number who could not get in and the
crowd which could not get in was esti-
mated by some at from go 10 300. Esti-
mates of the crowd varied all the way
from 300 to LOCO.
1t was a warm meeting in more senses
than one. The enthusiasm OF the crowd
ana the range of the thermometer were
ABOUT equal, and up near the speakers
desk the temperature appeared 10 be in
the neighoorhood of 100 The Citizens
meeting, which had beeen announced for
the same time and place, was called off
with the view, 1t was stated. OF giving
Mr.. Hartridge full swing to announce his
candidacy. Had the meeting not BEEN call
ed off Il would hav-. been held on the
same floor in the adjoining hall and the
consequences might have been serious
Not that there was much danger OF
collision between the two factions, but
that their combined efforts would almost
certainly have brought the building down
about their heads
The hail was in darkness when the frs.
contingent arrived and there was a smell
of gas throughout the building. twas
charged that the meter and gas lets ha
been tempered with, but Whether such was
the case could not be positively dete. mis-
ed. President John w. Smith wasted lit-
tie time in prelimlnaries and the bustne s
Of the meeting being to hear from Mr..
flartridge he was promptly called to the
front. He was given an ovation.
Mr.. Hartrldge, in his opening remarks
paid some attention to the speakers at the
Citizens meeting the previous night ana
bestowed some sarcastic praiEe upon them
He alluded 70 Mr.. Wade as an attorney
VINO had built up large and lucrative d ac-
tices IN Georgia ard Alabama, and had re-
turned 10 Savannah TO repeat this of>ero-
ton. He also alluded to the distinct De-
mosthenes of the Ciuzeu.s Club" and ex-
pressed his surprise that with a gentleman
possessed of such eminent ana command
ing abiltle3 available that either he or Mr.
Osborne should be considered In the race
for the solicitorship He had searche
the records Of the past TO find the equal IN
forensic ability Of the gentleman who "a
that ne. Ar. Hartridge, had neither the
energy nor the ability TO fill the Office of
solicitor general. The opp esition- so AK
ers seem TO 10y great stress he s1id. on
the fact that their candidate stood on his
record ana tAat inc Otner SIDE could Ctrjr
them no other issue. He proposed 10 give
them both a candidate and a platform, he
said. ather than that the other side should
continue to declare that there was no an
nounced candidate against Mr.. Osborn>,
and no platform upon which such can
didste could stand
There are two classes OF offenseS
which are punishable by the laws OF this
state" said Mr. Hartridee Gene class
may be styled as crimes OF violence and
tho other class as offenscs against
morality. As TO the latter class OF
ofenses Mr.. Oshorne's record Goes not
ent!tle him to recollection, as solicitor
general Of this circuit"
Mr.. Hartridse then declared himself
candidate for the Office Of solicitor gem
cral and pledged hinse /, If elected, 10 en-
force AL the laws OF either class. His
announcement was greeted with Wild APP
plause. Il am not sick. nor indispose3 ="
he said II am feeling perfectly w.ll and
7 propose to stay in th> race until the
polls clcse on May 10, como what will.
propose to prea this platform as laid
down ~ me tonight from every plat
form and every stump in the city Of Sa-
vaunah until the most ignorant partisan
Of the Citizens club realizes the fact that
AR Osborne has opposition and that
there Is 4 platform in this campaign.
Mr. HartIidge said that this Is a public
issue and one to which he specifically
invited the attention Of the opposition
II 1 am elected solicitor general in this
camG align" he said Il promise you that
che form Of public immoraity public
gaming in its most da rous forms.
pcli2y. lottery and kero Ill not be al
lowed to live In this G. ..sy. 1 propose TO
let the opposition to know through the
public press that this is my platform.
| When l have been elected and have as
sumed the duties Of my Office, within six
! ty days thereafter, keno and policy lot
terry win have shaken the dust of Savan-
nah from their feet To make this prom
Use good l will put my resignation In the
hands of three responsible citizens ana
will authorize them or any two Of them,
10 decice upon the question, and If they
| decide that l have not done my full duty
IN e. matter my resignation is to be sent
TO the Governor Of the state"
NOW II he can stand on that platform,
! let him do it," said Mr. Hartridgc refer
ring TO Mr.. Osborne The present sole
itor general has been In office three and
half years. The fact of the existence OF
policy lottery ara keno in this city has
been generally known. IL has been preach