The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-09
The POLITICAL RUB
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WILL
WRESTLE WITH RULES.
TURN OF THE TIDE.
ANTI-CoRRUPTIoN EFFORT SEEMS
TO BE DOOMED.

Seventeen Solid Votes Required to
Adopt New RuIes-They May BE
Forthcoming i'm the Matter of the
subcommittee Rules, but the
other Motion Promises to BE Lost.
Not n Sure Thing That "A Constitu-
tionaI Majority Will Attend Meet
ing-LazarOn and Collins Clubs
VIII Meet mt Same Time-Candi-
date Hartridge's Protest to Be In
vestigated by the Ordinary This
Morning.
Lively developments are expected in
the political situation to-day and the
political ball will be put in motion
when Judge Cam takes up the pro-
test of Candidate Hartridge at 9 o'clock
this morning. AS was stated in the
Mornings News yesterday Mr.. Hart
ridge objects to persons not connected
with the Court of Ordinary making
copies of the voters book. All of the
candidates have been invited to attend
the hearing, and considerable infor-
nation will probably be given on the
subject of voting ringers.
There is considerable speculation as
to whether there will be a constitu-
tional majority present at the adjourn
ed meeting of the Executive Commit
tee this evening. 1t requires the vote
of seventeen members of the commit
tee to change the rules, and there ap-
pears to be some doubt in certain quar-
tiers as to the PROBABILITY of such a
strong attendance.
Not all of the committee is heartily
in favor of a primary, even though the
call has been issued for one. In the
event that seventeen members should
attend the meeting and one of those
present should be an anti primary
man nothing could be done by the COM
mittee in the way of adopting rules.
One vote would lose the motion. Chair
man Alexander will leave for Chicago
at midnight and no meeting could be
held until his return to the city. That
will be only a few days before the
time allowed, under the rules adopted
by the special committee, for cand1-
dates to announce. Rules adopted at
such a late date might complicate the
situation and cause a deadlock. In that
event the primary, which has already
been settled upon for Oct. 10, would
the State Democratic Executive Com
mittee.
The additional rules to prevent the
improper use of money at the polls
will be read again at to-night's meet
ing. They were drawn up by Candi-
date Hartridge and introduced by
Committeeman Juchter. 1t is gener-
ally believed that the rules proposed
by Mr.. Hartridge will be promptly kill
ed by the committee, but the discussion
before the question is put promises to
be interesting and animated. Commit
teeman Juchter is in hearty sympa-
thy with the move that is being made
for better condition of affairs in To-
cal politics, and will have consid-
cradle to say on the subject tonight.
Col. Juchter can see no reason why the
purchasing of votes, either directly or
indirectly, cannot be stopped. He is
of the opinion that the adoption of the
rules offered by him would do the
trick that officers and laws have failed
to accomplish.
Those who are opposed to primaries
say that If a primary is going to be
held the anti-corruption rules should
be adopted. They figure it that a pri-
mary is a farce, unless better results
can be attained Some of the primary
advocates do not look at it in this light,
and contend that the proposed rules
can do no good. They claim that a man
who will violate the law by purchasing
votes would not hesitate to commit
second violation by committing perjury.
With such a division of opinion there
appears to be no likelihood of seven
teen members of the committee voting
for the rules offered by Mr.. Hartridge.
The discussion of the question will be
lively and the debate will be spirited.
In addition to the meeting of the
Executive Committee two meetings are
scheduled to come off tonight. No no.
tice of the postponement of the meet
ing of the Chatham County CONNER
cial and Labor Union has been given-s
The club has been called to meet in
the interest of Mr.. Lazaron in Labor
Hall, on Abercorn and Bryan streets.
The South Side League will meet in
Kizer's Hall. at $50 o'clock, and the
gathering will probably be an interest
ing one. The league is in thorough
sympathy with and has Endorsed Mr..
]. S. Collins for ordinary. Mr.. Collins
friends say that his being subpoenaed
before the grand jury in a gambling
case of which he knew absolutely moth
ing was a political blow far below the
belt. Something may be said on this
line at the meeting. which will prob
ably be largely attended.