The Savannah morning news., 1901-07-28
WILL INSIST He STAY
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO CON-
SLIDER CHAIRMAN's RESIGNATION.
ON FRIDAY OR SATURDAY.
SECRETARY SAYS HE WILL CALL
MEETING FOR THIS PURPOSE.

Notices to BE Sent out Early, So
Members of the Committee May
Decide what They Want to Do.
Believed They VIII Insist Upon
the Retention of Mr.. Cunningham
. and the Refusal of His Resigna-
tion-SIr. $. L. LazarOn Enters the
Race-Thc Rule Against the Use
of Money in Primaries and How IL
Works in AtIanta-Hns Been in
Use There Several Years.
A meeting of the Democratic Execu-
tive Committee Of the county will be
held at the Court House next Friday
or Saturday afternoon or evening, for
the purpose of considering the resigna-
ton of the chairman, Mr.. T. Mayhem
Cunningham, Jr., and taking such 9TH
er action as may come before it.
The meeting viii be called by the sec
rotary, Mr. A. l.. Alexander. to whom,
in the absence of the chairman, the
rules give this authority. Mr. Alexan-
der said yesterday that he had not de-
cided positively whether the meeting
would be held Friday or Saturday. but
that it would be one of these two days.
He will issue the notice to-day or to-
morrow, so that the members of the
committee may have time to discuss
the matter among themselves and de-
termine what course of action they
wish to follow relative to the resigna-
ton of the chairman.
Mr.. Alexander is OF opinion that the
committee will insist upon the reten-
ton in office of Mr.. Cunningham,
whose fitness for the position is uni
versally recognized. The matter was
discussed in an article in the Morning
News yesterday, in which this view of
the matter was given as the probable
position of a majority of the members
of the committee. They see no reason
or necessity for accepting the resigna-
ton of Mr.. Cunningham, merely be-
cause he will be absent from the city
during the remainder OF the summer.
There was another formal entry into
the race for ordinary yesterday,
when Mr.. S. L. Lazaron announced
that he would be a candidate. A no
tice of Mr.. Lazarons candidacy, stat
his many friends he has decided to
make the race, is published in the
Morning News to-day.
Mr.. Walter G. Hartridge, who has
taken the lead among the candidates
for ordinary in the effort to induce the
Executive Committee of the party to
order a primary election TO decide the
fight, has been making some investi-
cation of the rules regulating such cleo
n nhGaTNad n nf
ties of the state.
He finds that in Atlanta they have
a rule which has done much to limit
corruption at the polls, though, of
course, it has not awaited entirely to
prevent it, The rule which Fulton
county Democrats have found to work
well is as follows:
First. That no candidate participant
ing in the primary should use. directly
or indirectly, money or other valuable
consideration in aid of the election of
such candidate.
Second Candidates who are success
full upon the face of the returns are
required to appear before the chairman
of the Democratic Executive Commit
tee upon the consolidation of the re-
turns and make affidavit to the effect
that no money or other valuable con
sideration has been used by such can
didates, or by any other person for
their benefit, with his knowledge or
consent to secure his election, or aid
in the same.
Third. The Executive Committee,
upon the failure or refusal of any
successful candidate to make such af-
fidavit. is authorized to declare his
election void, and to declare elected
the candidate receiving the next high
est number of votes.
Fourth Any other candidate is per-
mitted to file an affidavit upon the
consolidation of the returns. charging
upon direct knowledge that the sue
cessful candidate has used or counte-
nanced the use of money or other val
liable consideration to secure or aid
in his election, and authorizing the EX-
ecutiVe Committee, upon the filing of
such affidavit. to take evidence upon
both sides and finally to determine the
issue.
A letter received by Mr.. Hartridge
from one prominently identified with
the interests of the party in Fulton
county, and well known throughout the
state--a man of character and stand
ing, says:
"These rules have been in force with
us for several years past. and while
they have not entirely remedied the
evil of corruption at the ballot box,
they have resulted in a material les
sening of such practices"
1t is probable that when the EXecu-
tive Committee of the party in Chat
ham meets to decide upon the primary
that is TO be held to select the candi-
date for ordinary this rule as TO the
use of money, will be suggested, as
an addition to the very excellent rules
that have already been adopted and
that are now of force.
uFNI