The Savannah morning news., 1900-11-30
THE MYERS-LESTER CLASH.
morn DISCUSS THEIR DIFFERENCES
N POINTED MANNER.

tuE the Letters go the hht"F ""u
AIdermen-Iind Bcen EndcHvorinE
10 secure Action on ni~ Franchise
Petition for Month~-IIts Letter
simply Points Out the chief OBJ
struetEonist-Wayor Nsers Says
That VIZ. Lester Hesortcd 10 HULL
doing Tactics-Hsd HiRh words
About the unttrr Two weeks Ago.
Confederation Of Franchiscs 90 Ne
uesumed NcNt W~rA.
Tine Nvers-f.eeter emcufc ia city Council
"wednesday nisht was tho subject OF very
general talk yesterday. Friends of
Mr Lester and others interested in the
proposed line 90 White Biun say that
while Dc may have been imprudcnt. Doe had
just cause Tor provocallon la the attitude
OF the Mayor. They point 20 the fact
that the white Blun road project hos been
favortc scheme with Mr. Lester for
years; that ne has devoted much time 90
working 30 up and has been at consider
allie expense iu thc matter That having
finally. after much trouble. eot the
project In shape where be- had reason 60
believe that d could be- put into success
ful execution. ne had been balkcd aud
the success Of che project endangered by
che apparently unreasonable delays of
Council. Having reason 90 believe that
che Mayor was chiefly responsible for
these delays aud having ureed the uecc'-
sity for a. hon upon the Mayor, only 20 Doc
rchuned by him. aud being unable 60 at
tribute che Mayor conduct 10 anything
hue personal prejudice. he had felt jusu-
fed Ia writing enc Ietters which aroused
the ire Of che Mayor and furnished "a sen-
satlon for Council Wednesday night.
j, Is pointed out by Mr testers friends
that the paragraph - which Mayor Ny
crs took special exception was not sub
ject 90 the construction placed upon "
and ga MOI reflect upon ha official action.
hui simply pointed out that d w.is be-
tween his nr-t term as Mayor and Dds
present Germ "that the street railroad
monopoly stripped Savannah OF tho
brightest jewels she had ~ the way of
franchises without offering penny 90
return The uAiusion. 90 is claimed, being
90 Mr. Myers connection with the street
railway company al che time 81 the
"stripurinE' and not hts previous and suh-
scqueut official connection with the city.
Mr.. Lester when seen by Moruiug
any statement. saying that he bad been
strongly advised by hts friends not Ia do
no. for fear OF nutaEonizing members ~
Council who mighs boz favorable to grant
ing the ffunchise desired by him ana
others. Aftcr considering the matter for
some time. however ne agreed 90 a brief
interview
what have YOU so say 10 Mayor Ny
crs' comment upon your letter To- him."
he was asked.
"Afy letter speaks for Itself" hc replied.
'aud any one 81 common sense can see
that che Mayor has not been honest iu hts
criticisms n ~ was not director in the
parsous railroad during the time thar
elapsed between his ur.t term as Mayor
OF savannah aud his second term. when
80 many Of the franchises were taken
from the city. lee him deny it. IL makes
no difference whether ne was directly or
indirectly financially interested so long
as h. was party 10 the taking. II ne
was director. aud his railroad accepted
these franchise lrt Rim explain 20 tho
people Of savannah what Is ne difference
between DIS taking q franchise rs di-
rector In an enterprise and my trying TO-
Get "a franchise for an enterprise"
As 10 the reasons. which influenced him
60 write the letter. MIR Lester said ''rhe
Tight OF citizen 10 petition 60 tho powers
who govern. g. as old as our country %.
FftAH HANA tiAN NANtt.lAi MtiH tAsNhrf MNAANns
or deuriYes that citizen OF this right
stands condemned Nearly six months ago
] petiti0ucd the Mayor ana Aldermen %
the city ~ Savannah for Franchise. ami
ty some unknown and mysterious in
nuence that petition has been hold up
from month 10 month ever stree
This franchise would have brought 10
Savannah one OF the greatest enterprises
tnat Savannah has ever had an enter
prise that would have brought several
hundred thousand dollars Of taxable prop
erty 10 the city OF Savannah and the
county Of Chatham. an enterprise thai
would have given employment and sup
port 90 several hundred people. an enter
prise that would have developed Chatham
county more than any ENTERPRISE within
Its limits to-day. an enterprise that would
have connected savannah hy an electric
railroad with many industries that are
now without means OF transportation save
that OF wagons.
My letter 90 tho Mayor simply brings
out the fact that the unknown and mys-
FERROUS influence that has stood in the
way OF passing upon my petition has been
properly located. and the only excuse that
the ohstructlonist has 10 offer 10 his own
defense o.. that thr promoter Of this en-
terpriso is going 60 be financially bene-
fitted iu scene way ask iu the name OF
common sense and in the name Of an that
" fNEHk anu ~ NiftFl was mere ever a sue
ccssful enterprise that benefited the city
or the county that should nof De Of some
benefit TO the promoter or founder OF the
industry II we were TO shut down to-day
every enterprise in the city Of savannah
that IS operated under a'pubiic franchise.
becausf the brains behind those enter
prises had been personally benefited our
city would be iu darkness and We would
be the laughing stock ~ civilization
do sou think your letter 60 the Mayor
Will prejudice YOUR interests in tho mat
Ger 81 the frlnchisc?' he was asked
II do not Mr. Lester replied 81 be-
llsve the Aldermen 10 De "a fair minded
set Of men, ana that they viii not De
Influenced 10 their Judgment by n dlffcr
cncc ~ op!u.ou between the Mayor and
myself"
Mr.. Lester said that Mayor Myers was
mistaken n he Thought THAI he Mr. las
ter had not expected She letters 10 b..
made public. he had written the letters
Wlth the expectation chat they would b.
made public, he said. but Acknowledged
thar he had not expected the matter 90
be brought up at Wednesday might meet
ing.
Mayor Myers. when seen said that 80
was a matter of indifference Go him
whether MIR Lester had anything further
a. say. II doubtless took him by surprise
IN having his letters read So Council and