The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-15
WILL NOT RESIGN
MEMBERS OF COMMITTEE WILL
TAKE NO EXTREME MEASURES.
WILL REMAIN IN COUNCIL
THOSE BACK FROM ATLANTA DO
NOT SEEM MUCH CUT UP.

Committee-LonEes On
GERS Have Been the Most Salts
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Cam Given
Credit for Passage of the Bill, Not
the Telegram of the Council Ma
jority-Alderman schrOder's Con-
science Would Hurt Him.
Alderman Thomas and Alderman
Schroeder returned yesterday morning
from Atlanta. whittier they went as
members of the special committee that
sought to induce the Senate to quash
the bill providing for the election of
the city officers of Savannah by the
incoming, instead of the outgoing,
Council. Alderman Frank, the third
member of the committee, did not re-
turn, remaining over for a day or two
in Atlanta.
Solicitor General Osborne went up
with the committee to Atlanta, and he
did not allow the aldermen to dwell in
ignorance of the telegram, reversing
the attitude of Council toward the bill,
having been ssnt to Senator Cam BIZ
seven members of the board. He told
them that they Cd not, as they had
thought, represent majority, but
minority, of Council.
This was great surprise to the COM
mittee, as might have been expected.
1t did not induce the aldermen to give
up hope or their purpose of seeking
the defeat of the bill, however, and
one or two of them even questioned
the effect of the telegram, saying that
they thought it not improbable that
the bill would have passed, even if
Senator Cam had not received the tel
egram.
The bill had been reported favorably
to the Senate by the Committee on
Corporations. Senator Cam was fair
enough to secure the recommital of the
bill to the committee, in order that
the Savannah delegation might be
heard against it. Present at the hear
ing, besides the aldermen, were Sena-
tor Cam and Representatives Hitch,
Harden and Wells, all of whom were
heard. Alderman Thomas, as chair
man of the committee, was the prin-
cpal speaker for the opposition to the
bill, but Aldermen Frank and Schrodei
were also heard. Senator Cam and
the representatives spoke in it's favor.
Both Alderman Thomas and Alder
man Schroeder, when seen yesterday
said that they considered that the
committee would have won its point
before the Committee on Corporations
had Senator Cam not spoken for the
bill. This being the case, Senator
Cam may be regarded as the power
that passed the bill, which was again
reported favorably.
Senator Herndon, chairman of the
committee, told Alderman Thomas at
ter the conference that he and mem
bers of the committee had been i'm
pressed by the arguments that had
been adduced to show that the out
going board should elect, as at present,
but that the array of the senator and
three representatives on the other side
was too potent, and that the courtesy
prevailing in the Legislature would
force a favorable report. The alder
manic committee, therefore, had the
satisfaction of knowing that it had i'm
pressed members of the Senate COM
mttee.
Alderman Thomas was not disposed
to criticise the action of those mem
bers of the board who had signed the
telegram, repudiating the formal ac-
ton of Council He said that he would
leave the public to judge the case from
what had been printed of it. In view
of the expressions that had fallen from
a good many persons to the effect that,
had such a trick or joke as the ma
jority telegram been perpetrated upon
them, they being aldermen and upon
such a committee, they would have
resigned forthwith, Alderman Thomas
was asked if any member of the COM
mittee had felt so aggrieved as to in
duce him to contemplate such action.
He replied that he could speak only
for himself, but that he had never
thought of taking such a course.
I'VE told the Senate Committee"
said Alderman Thomas that our COM
mittee was from a board that was
elected without opposition, and that
we thought, therefore. that we could
voice the wishes of a majority of the
people in this matter of the election of
city officers. l let the committee I'M
derstand the situation in Savannah as
! knew it, reviewing it from 1883, when
l became a member of the board. By
a state law, the city officers were elect
ed then every three years. AS the
terms of office of the Mayor and al
dermen were but two years, some OF
the boards would never have chance
to elect The result was that the terms
of office of city officers was changed
to two years, the action being unanl-
nous. The next thing was to decide
as to whether the incoming or the out
going board should elect the officers.
On the board were Col. r. e. Lester
then Mayor, ana strong ana represent
tatiVe citizens. Only one was hold
over. This was Alderman Hamilton.
All the rest were fresh from the people.
After no little consideration OF the
question, this board decided that. after
board has had two years of service,
and association in a business way with
city officers it is better qualified TO
elect than is a perfectly new board
ignorant of the duties and responsible
tiles of the offices and the ability and
fitness of the incumbents.
when the board was indicted into
office we found a sad condition of az
fairs The former treasurer was
largely in default, and neither taxes
nor water rents had been collected
as they should have been. Due bills,
too, were in the office. This was made
clear to the Senate Committee, ana
the contrast Of the city treasurer's Of
flee as 1t has been conducted by the
present treasurer was drawn. MAJ.
Hardee has greatly increased the city's
revenus and has raised its credit Not
only has the expense of the conduct
of the city administration been met
but funds have been found for the ma
terial improvement of the city in the
way of pavements, the new water
works and the house drainage system.
The city treasurer, therefore, offers
an example of an officer who should
not be removed simply through polit-
ical reasons.
chairman ]. II. H. Osborne OF the
Board of Tax Assessors has
rendered the city most valu-