The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-10
PRIMARY WILL SETTLE 1T.
FRACTIONAL DIFFERENCES SEEM TO
HAVE REEN ADJUSTED.

TO serve AuttA kAc 0OAl0 DE AHsAGt0
That Ee was satisfactory to Both
Facsions-ThiS Assurance Has Been
Given by Col. Dixon's Committee.
Political Sky Has Suffered "a Re-
marHzEbIe Change - Not Cloud
Now on the Horizon.
The resolutions. adopted by a mass meet
ing Of Citizens called in the interest Of
Solicitor General Osborne and his political
friends, held al the Theaier last night. re
move the last yesuge of doubt as 70 the
manner ia which Democratic nominations
for offices within the gift Of the people OF
this county will be made. The resolu-
lions are as follows:
whereas, although the rules adopted oy
the Executive Committee for the govern
xnent Of the primary on May Is, Ise5' are
manifestly unfair, as they give TINS PoI-
ton of the Democratic party, which VIII
have candidates in the field, only one
manager at each ballot box, while they
give their own faction as many as they
may desire; and although the appeal OF
a mass meeting of Democrats for falr play
and equal representation was refused, be II
Resolved, That la the interest OF mar
rnony and OF the party, we. as Democrats
in mass meeting assembled appeal 70 the
fair-mInded voters OF this community u
speak by their ballots their condemnation
of this unfairness; and. trusting TO the
voters Of Chatham county we agree 10
enter the primary on May Is. 1860, ana ad-
wise our candidates TO abide the result.
After the meeting at the Theater, Ar.
Osborne said that ne had notified Vice
Chairman Brown Of the State Executive
Committee that ma tiers had been ar
ranged with the County Committee ana
thai so far as he was concerned there
was no need for any action by the state
Committee.
,rhe political sky suffered a series of
Kaleidoscope changes yesterday. FROM
the condition produced py the posi,lSe
statement of Mr.. Collins, the leader OF the
minority of the Executive Committee, that
his faction would not enter the primary
a number Of recessions have been mace,
until Ii is now certain that there WAl
be a primary and that every candidate
for Office Will enter 1t.
This change in existing conditions has
certainly not been produced by any subse-
ouent change of understanding as to the
rules for the primary, for these were made
plain by Mr.. LaRoche, by whom the
amendatory resolutions were onered, at
the meeting. At the meeting the MEM
beers of the minority opposed the amend
ment making Mr.. IT. NJ. Cunningham, Jr.,
referee at the primary in place of Col.
Meldrirn, the chairman of the committee,
who, upon objection made, declined TO
serve in that capacity 1t is now officially
stated that Mr.. Cunningham Will be en-
tirely and wholly acceptable to Mr.. Os-
borne and his friends.
The changes that have been rung on
political conditions may, perhaps. be best
explained by the correspondence on the
subject that has passed between the va
rious parties at interest. Chairman Mel
drim, on yesterday morning. addressed the
following letter to Mr.. Cunningham:
"Mr. T. Mayhem Cunningham, City
My Dear Sir; l have the honor 10 in
form you that at a meeting of the Execu-
tive Committee b.ld last evening, yQu
were selected to act as referee upon the
Purging Commit &c and, in case of dis
agreement between managers at the cleo
ton. earnestly beg that you win act
in this capacity, for ii is the duty of
every good citizen TO aid in promoting
good temper and party harmony in this
emergency. Very truly yours
up. w. Meldrim.
chairman Democratic Executive Com
naittee."
To this letter Mr. Cunningham, after
some elaboration and consideration, re-
turned the following reply:
Hon. P. w. Medrim. Chairman Demo-
cratic Executive Committee of Chatham
County-Dear Sir: Your note informing
me that l have been selected by the Ex-
ecutive Committee as referee of the Purg-
ing Committee and of the primary cleo
selection is entirely agreeable to both fac
lions of the party on the committee 1
must decline 10 serve. From the news
paper report of the meeting of the COM
mittee II Is not clear to me that l am
acceptable 10 the minority of the COM
mittee. and. unless it can be made to ap-
pear distinctly and definitely that I am
acceptable to them. please consider this
note as declination to serve.
II am restrained from making my
declination positive in any event only by
a sense Of duty If I can do anything
toward promoting party harmony I do
not feel that my personal inclinations
can stand in the way. Yours very truly,
ct NJ. Cunningham, Jr"
Tn this dilemma the chairman scarcely
knew how to act. 1t had been posi-
lively stated by Mr.. Collins that under the
rules promulgated and amended by the
Executive Committee the Citizens Club
faction would not enter the primary, but
this statement had been in some measure
discredited by a request for a conference
with the chairman from the committee
composed of Messrs. Dixon Cam ana
Hitch.
This request had appeared TO the chair
main as indicative of the fact that Mr.. Os-
borne and his friends had not positively
declined 10 enter The primary, but that
there was still a chance that the differ
ences between the wings Of the party
might be adjusted and the primary so ar
ranged as TO settle all question as 10 The
right Of the candidates to the respective
nominations. The chairman's uncertainty
was further enhanced by the receipts Of
the following letetr from Col. Dixon, the
chairman Of the Conference Committee:
"IIon. =. W. Meldrim, Chairman Demo-
cratic Executive Committee-Dear Sir:
Will you kindly give me the benefit Of your
construction Of the resolutions Of last
evening In reference to the management of
the coming primary? If any members of
the Executive Committee on our side
should fail or decline TO serve is IL rot the
sense OF the resolution that our faction Is
20 name the managers TO be substituted in
their places ana the boxes at which they
are 70 be placed2 A reply by bearer will
Gid us in the consideration Of this mltter
and perhaps help 20 harmonize our differ
ences. Respectfully
M. w. Dixon, Chairman"
Col Meldrim answered this communi-
ca. ion in torns according wah the inter-
pretaion Of The resolutions that had been
made bV GOpmi fteeruan IaRoche their