The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-05-06
Atlanta, Ga.
The Mayor Has Been Asked to Elk
plain.

pam.
Editor Morning News: Is it
not about time for Mayor Myers
and his Parsons supporters to explain
their official actions in reference to the
way the street franchises of Savannah
are being so generously disposed of?
Eleven months ago l petitiened City
Council for the use Of certain streets for
another street car line and no man ever
worked more, earnestly TO get this enter
prise in SaVannah.-thsn have. and yet,
in the face of aus that has been done by
myself and the citizens at large to get
another street railroad franchise from
Council, that honorable body is. handing
the city over to the Parsons system as
fast as Mr.. Parsons can rake up courage
to ask for more. rf'.
This is a matter of too much import
ance to the city of Savannah to treat
with indifference. If the present street
car owners had dealt even fairly with
Savannah in the past. there would be
some excuse for the way Council is try
ing to crush all efforts to get a comost-
ing line here. The people of Savannah
are anxious to have better street car
service than we have and no sane man
who loves this city and is familiar with
Aht the PUBLIC mas received at
the hands of the present street car sys-
tenn would dare say that we are not en-
titled to a competing line.
have called for the Mayor to explain
his opposition to granting a franchise for
a new road, because he has been quite
active in defeating the measure when he
knew that the people of this city wanted
the franchise granted and another rail-
road built. On April wrote the folio NJ
ing letter to the Mayor:
Hon. Herman Myers, Mayor OF Savan-
nah-Dear Sir: Some five months ago
accused you OF holding up the petition of
the Vernon Shell Road Company for five
months. and you told me that you were
opposed to said petition and that you
would hold il up five months more IL you
wanted to.
II has been over ten months since our
petition went into Council; you have car
ried out your threat, and ! think that
in a civilized community where a spirit
of fairness should prevail your conduct
in this matter is simply outrageous and
needs the condemnation OF the entire pub
lie. / may be mistaken as to my rights
as a citizen and taxpayer; 1 may also be
wrong as to what consider your duty
as Mayor to the citizens and taxpayers,
but I am willing to state my position and
let the community In which we both live
say whether ! am right or not. As one
who contributes largely TO the support
of the city government, l feel that have
the right to criticise any Official who fails
40 do his duty to the public. and in ex-
ercising this right I also feel that ! am
uphoding the rights of thousands of my
fellow-citizens.
The point In question is one in which I
believe that the people OF Savannah are
mutually interested and that they are
thoroughly in sympathy with me, other
wise / would have dropped the matter
long ago. AS the executive head Of this
city I believe that you are convinced in
your own mind that the people OF Savan-
nah want this road built to White BLUM
and are In favor OF Council granting the
franchise mentioned above. In max
ing this statement / know that
am doing you a great Injustice
should / be incorrect as to my belief.
Your are Mayor OF the city, and the serv-
ant Of the people and also know that
IL / am correct In my views as to your
conduct in this matter, you have simply
used your high office to defeat the will
Of the people, to satisfy your own selfish
motives.
blame you for all this long delay and
am not willing, neither do / propose
to have the community In which / live
and am so much interested suffer when I
can raise my voice to prevent Il. and II
you think or know that I am laboring I'M
der a Misrepresentation, you have all the
means at your disposal to convice me
that am wrong and that you have acted
in good faith with people. whose interest
you have sworn to protect. II you do
this. Il is nothing but right and honor
able upon my part TO apologize for the
stand ] have taken. In other words, II
have injured you in anyway by attribu-
ting wrong motives to your official acts.
should make proper amends for f.: on
the other hand, II I or the public have
suffered by any Of your oficisi OF pri-
vate acts, as an honest and fair-minded
man and public official, you should rectify
the wrongs suffered at your hands.
II Is one thing for a public official 10
oppose a public measure on personal
grounds. but Il 10 another thing to oppose
the same thing because Il Ia against the
interest Of the public. / believe the cit
liens Of Savannah agree with me when