The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-19
POLITICIANS BRAvED RAIN.
FIRST DISTRICT OSBORNE CLUB
GATHERED IN A DOWNPOUR.


That He Promised to Vote for Mr.
OsbOrne-He Accepted what He
Said Was Mr.. Davis own Solution
of the DificuIty-VictOrs and Spells
Sentiment Literally Applauded.
The w. W. Osborne First District
Club gathered at Turner Hall last night.
That is. the more enthusiastic portion
of the clubs members, whose devotion i'm
PEELED them to brave the elements and to
defy the grip and kindred evils OF the
flesh, were on hand. The others. of less
devotion and more discretion, remained
a home.
In all between 125 and $50 men were in
the hail, all of whom 1t was said, in ac-
cordance with the custom, were register
ed voters. President R. l.. Holland, Of
the club presided and introduced the
speakers. Some of the latter furnished
instruction mingled with entertainment
for the crowd, and those whose colds per-
nit them to speak. are doubtless express
ing this morning their perfect satisfaction
with their course in attending the meet
ing, despite the rain.
The first speaker was Mr.. R. L. Cold
ing. Throughout Mr.. Colding's speech
and throughout every speech that follow
ed, his every reference to Mr.. Hartridge
was in terms of perfect respect and of
high appreciation of his qualities as
man. There was not in the course of the
evening single departure from this
rule.
Mr.. Colding devoted his attention large
~ to the speeches made by some of the
N1rfF. l.
trict meeting the night before. He char
acterized the speech by Mr.. E. a. Leon
ard as a perfect marvel of Inconsistencies.
contradictions and statements impossible
of reconciliation among themselves. Mr..
Leonard had started out with the asser-
ton, said Mr.. Colding, that ito the vic
tors belong the spoils," and had then pro-
ceeded TO roast the present city admins
tration for proceeding upon the same po-
Htical principle to which he had just de-
clared his firm and fixed allegiance. Mr..
Colding said there had been a~river ex-
curs!on on the day preceding Mr.. Leon
ARDS speech, and as these seemed to pro.
duce disastrous effect upon all great
men, he presumed Mr.. Leonard had been
of the party.
The only charge that has been brought
against MIR. Osborne in this campaign
said Mr.. Colding, had been made al the
last Liberal Club meeting by Mr.. w. S
Coburn. Mr.. Coburn had said, on the au-
thority of some one whose name he did
not give and whose identity was unknown,
that Mr.. Osborne had told a city employee
that if he was seen speaking on the streets
to member of the Liberal Club he would
lose his place Such a statement, said Mr..
Colding, is absurd, and no one who knew
Mr. Osborne would believe him capable of
such an indiscretion, even if they placed
their refusal to give credence to- the re-
port on no higher ground. However, as
the report was without an author, it was
nameless, and until the authority upon
which it was given was named it did not
rest with Mr.. Osborne to dignity it even
by a denial.
Mr.. Colding thought that the state
ments made by some of the opposition
orators to the effect that fabulous sums
had been made by Mr. Osborne during
his tenure Of Office, were all to the ad-
vantage of the solicitor general. If he had
made large sums of money, and the re-
cords would not bear out the statements
as to amount made by the opposition, it
yet showed that he had been diligent
and faithful prosecuting officer, and that
crime had been punished without favor or
discrimination.
Col Merritt w. Dixon was the next
speaker, and the most interesting of the
evening. Col. Dixon prefaced what he had
to say with an expression of the high
ridge, and stated that Mr.. Hartridge knew
than if he wanted to ask a favor, outside
of politics. of Merritt Dixon, he could ask
it with the perfect assurance that it
would be granted.
Col. Dixon, abiding to his introduction
to the Liberal Club of Mr.. Hartridge, to
which the latter had made reference a
few nights since, stated that when Mr..
Hartridge was running for the Leglsla-
ture, after his nomination, he had come
TO Col Dixon and asked him for his sup
port. Mr.. Hartridge had been nominated
then by a set of politicians who did not
expect him to win, but merely wanted to
use his candidacy to perfect an organza-
ton for use in the next municipal cleo
ton. His opponent then was Harry Will
link, now one of his political friends and
| allies
Il did everything 1 could for him." de-
clared Col. Dixon. when some of the
| members of The Executive Committee
you know whom I mean, Harry WiIlink
and Marshal Powers and orners-would
not give him justice at the ballot box,
fought them. on the morning of the cleo
ton l was up bright and early and in
the gray light l saw the twenty-five
Fourth district boys who were to help
around the polls sitting like crows on the
fence and refusing to move until they
were paid 500 apiece.
Il have not deserted Mr.. Hartridge,"
said the Colonel but he has deserted
me. He knows that i am for Mr. Os-
borne; he ough4 to know that the men by
whom he is being nominated and sup
ported are using him for their own selfish
ends. and he ought to come over and help
me elect my candidate. l have always
done what l could to further that boy 5
ambition"
Col. Dixon paid his respects to the state
ment made by Mr.. Harridge that the
present administration was a "vitriied
brick administration" There is no use
mincing words or hiding behind phrases,
he said. Although no positive statement
had been made, the inference that was
intended TO be drawn and was drawn
from the remark was that the chairman
of the Street and Lane Committee of the
city Council, his brother, Alderman James
Dixon. was in some improper way profit
ing by the purchase of vtrifed brick by
the city.
In the first place, he said, vltrifed brick
had been first used as a paving material
here by Alderman Davis and Commits
s.oner of Public Works Willink. And by
the way" said Col. Dixon, this is about
-. tahI 4 Ut,