The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-07-20
FOR AN EARLY ELECTION.
What Might BE Accomplished by
Conference of Candidates.


Conference of Candidates.
1t may be that the candidates for
ordinary will get together within the
next few days, and agree upon plan
to have the County Commissioners call
an election for an earlier date than Oc-
! tober They realize that the longer the
| fight is kept up, the more expensive the
campaign will be, and it is quite likely
that something will be done to short
en- IT,
In the event that the County Commits
sioners can not be induced to call an
election for an earlier date than Octo-
her, or November, there may be some
interesting complications. 1t is believed
that If it could be shown to Clerk of the
Superior Court Carr that the candidates
are unanimous in desire for an early
election, he might agree to order one.
If it should happen that the clerk
call an election for an early date, and
the County Commissioners order one in
October, a fight in the courts would
probably be the result. 1t has never
been determined whether it is the duty
of the commissioners or the Superior
Court clerk to order an election, in case
past it has been arranged to have the
county board and Clerk Carr call an
election for the same day, and thus do
away with any chance of a protest.
SHOULD a difference of opinion as to
the time come up, the result would be
surely followed by a fight.
There appears to be no change in the
situation and Mr.. Walter c. Hart
ridge has not yet received a reply to
fha laff ln h.
candidates, several days ago. None of
the gentlemen have shown any dis
position to hurry about the matter, and
MI. Hartridge is waiting patiently.
M. Bailey said yesterday that the let
ter is one which cannot be answered
with a single word, and the other can
dldates appear to view it the same
way.
Mr.. Keilbach said that he wants a
fair and square election, and will do
everything in his power to secure one.
He is willing, he says, to meet the other
candidates and agree upon some plan
than VIII assure an election without
corruption or fraud. 1t is quite prob
able that the candidates will hold
conference and talk over the the sew
eral matters now under discussion.
While there have been no ward
clubs formed as yet and no indorse-
iutnlH iHdue, lIle lTleTuS Oh edGn man
are hard at work securing pledges
Most of the ward politicians are of the
opinion that some of the candidates
will have to drop out before the finish,
and do not believe that more than two
will be able to stand the strain of
battle at the polls. The wardman is
naturally 'leary," and he does not wish
to be put in the awkward position Of
having his followers indorse a candi-
date who may drop out before the fin
ish Despite this feeling, each candi-
date declares that he will be in the
fight until the last ballot is counted.
Mr.. Collins says that only death can
prevent his being before the people on
the day set for the election. He re-
called that during the last fight for the
office he had never announced his can
didacy. He is in the race now, and is
there to stay. Mr.. Collins business
partner. Mr.. William l.. Grayson, is
making a fight amongst his friends on
personal grounds, and his appeals for
their votes for MIR. Collins are framed
in this way.
While it is not believed that money
will be spent as openly as in the past,
unlesss the candidates agree among
themselves upon some plan to keep
money out of the fight, there will be
plenty of II used. There are a hun
dred ana one ways TO get around the
law, and the political managers know
them all. While votes will not be pur-
chased. it will be an easy matter to
employ men ''tQ work around the polls"
or do some other sort of work" for
any one of the candidates.
Then, too a man running for public
office could not afford to refuse to
lend" a friend" a reasonable sum
of money. particularly when the friend
could show satisfactorily that he had
just cast his ballot the right way"
Candidate Hartridge says that it is his
purpose not to use money in any way
and that he does not propose to sub
init to its being used by others. Just
how he hopes to get around the "bor-
row game" or any of the other SINH
lar stunts. is not quite clear to those
who know of the fondness of certain
individuals for the long erreen