The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-18
MEANT TO BREED DISc0RD.
,vpIGNATIoN EXCITED BY ATTACKS
Upon GEORGIA RIFLE TEAM.

aesnOusibiIity for Statements in
Atlanta Newspapers Georgia
Tcam's Action Compared With
Tbat of Lord Dunraven-COI. Mel
drim's statement Distorted-Friend
of the Team Gives Its Side of the
controversy.
The seeming efforts of one of the At
,,nts newspapers to bring about discord
:, the Georgia State Troops, by state>
vents as TO the refusal of the members
y, last years Georgia team, to compete
.,sin at Sea Girt, are exciting general
Indignation here.
That these articles are inspired
-, apv representative members of the
Governors Horse Guard. is evidenced by
telegram received from the troops COM
handing officer, Capt. Hope. in which he
states that his command is a thorough
sympathy with the movement to have a
STATE shoot at Savannah next Septem-
her which contest is controlled by the men
u1o have been attacked. Capt. Hope,
the Savannah men feel, may differ with
them upon a question of propriety, but
is incapable of resorting to the tactics
that have characterized the articles in
the Atlanta paper.
one. who. though not a member of the
Georgia team, is in touch with the feel
ing that prevails among its members,
and among the members of military COM
mands generally in this city, gave voice
Yesterday to the Indignation that the
urwarranted attacks that have proceeded
from Atlanta have provoked. He said:
THE Atlanta paper that has been pub
fishing wilfully garbled and incorrect ac-
counts of the pending controversy between
the members Of last years Georgia team
at Sea Girt and the Atlanta fathers of
the enterprise to send team to the New
Jersey Range this year, continues its eff
forts to mislead the public and distort
the truth. The other day there was an in
terview in the Morning News with Col.
T. w. Meldrim. The interview was
brought about by the publication of a
screed in Atlanta. in which it was stated
that the commanding officer of the First
Regiment of Cavalry had already made
up his mind as to the merits of the case
and had announced that he would disap-
prove any request made by the Governors
Horse Guard to send a team to Sea Girt.
The article contained other statements,
for which unnamed members of the Gov
errors Horse Guard were given as author
lily. which severely criticised Col. Mel
dim. Since Col. Meldrim's denial of the
statements imputed to him, the Atlanta
newspaper has not found it possible to pro-
duce its authority for anything it has
said and is placed in the position of will
fully slandering an officer in the state
service. In a more recent article it en-
deavors to make it appear that Col. Mel
drim favors the plan of the Horse Guard
10 send team to Sea Grit This is pal
pably an unfair construction of what Col.
Meldrim said. Indeed. it is an impossible
construction All he did say was to deny
that he had ever announced an intention
10 disapprove an application from the
troop, to which he added that it was his
rule not to withhold his approval of any
recommendation made by troop and SQUAD
ron commanders, unless it were impera-
lively demanded by the good of the ser
vice. While Col. Meldrim did say that a
strong case would have TO be made out
before he would disapprove the applica-
ton. he yet said positively that no one
was authorized to speak for him in this
matter and he did not know what action
he would eventually take. His whole in
terview was in the nature of a protest
against the untrue and Unauthorized state
ments made in the Atlanta paper.
1t has been the policy of the Atlanta
paper TO found its articles upon series
OF abusive statements, as to the course
and the conduct of the members of The
Georgia team. Never an argument based
upon the facts of the case, has appeared
in its columns. The facts speak for them
selves and uphold the position of the
Georgia team upon every contention its
members have made.
THE latest thing it has committed"
continued the gentleman, lis TO compare
the protest filed by the team from this
state and its subsequent refusal. when
justice was denied it, to enter future
matches at Sea Grit to the protest and
the action of Lord Dunraven, in the mat
ter of the Valkyrie and the Defender. In
this connection it publishes a statement
from Mr.. c. Oliver ISelin. the owner of
the Defender. in which he says: Lord
Dunraven is no sportsman and should not
he permitted to try his luck against gen.
uemen Only one can be first in races;
the others, If they be gentlemen, do not
whine over their defeat and make false
accusations.' 1t would be matter OF some
local interest If the individual who drew
the parallel between the action of Lord
Dunraven and the action of the members
OF the Georgia team could be identified
and himself compared, in standing, repu-
tauon, craftsmanship honor, or any 9TH
er Of the attributes that make up the gem
Henlan, with those whom he has under
taken to vlify and abuse. The outcome
would be certain and the trial speak for
itself
NO, the Georgia team, to those who
know the men who compose It, does not
need TO have its sportsmanship defended.
II has shown its ability to accept defeat
with grace often enough TO put il beyond
question. What it cannot bring itself 10
40 is 10 return to Sea Girt, after being
once treated with fragrant, wanton and
pa'pahle injustice. and accept a second
sap In the face with the meek humility
mat seems to be OF the essence of sports
manship in Atlanta, according to its ac-
credited or discredited, newspaper repre-
sentative.
The members of the team are sports
men in the truest and best sense of the
WORD, but they are not cravens. and do
nor care for the title, even when il comes
sheet"
LOCAL Personal.