The Savannah morning news., 1901-07-24
PRIMARY THE WAY
COLLINS IN FAVOR OF ONE SET
THING ORDINARY FIGHT.
DECLINES TO SUGGEST.
RULES TO GOVERN PRIMARY THE
COMMITTEE ORDERS.

ridge Declares MIR. Collins and Mr.
Bailey Have Evaded the Questions
He Put to Them-He VIII Address
Them Another Letter-OutIines His
own Position ms 10 the Kind OF
Primary He Wants HeId-Capt.
McAIpin Declines TO Discuss the
sftuatfon-He liz Making No Prom
Uses.
Things seem TO be moving rather
rapidly in the direction of primary
election to settle the question of who
shall be the Democratic nominee for
the Office of ordinary of Chatham
county. So far of the six announced
candidates for the Office, four have sig
nified their desire TO submit their
claims to such arbitrament
Mr.. ]. S. Collins replied yesterday to
the letter addressed last week by Mr..
Walter c. Hartridge to all the candi-
dates then in the field. Mr.. Hartridge
has now received replies from all of
those to whom the letters were adj
dressed save Capt. Henry McAlpin,and
all of the candidates who have an
swered say they want primary cleo
ton, though not all of them give full
answers to Mr.. Hartridges other
questions.
Mr.. Collins reply reached Mr.. Hart
ridge last night and is as follows:
Savannah, Ca, July %, 1901.-Dear
Sir: Replying to your favor of the
18th inst. submit:
First. The choice of the people of
this county for ordinary should be
made in an honest primary. 1 have
advocated this for many years.
Second. l hesitate, however, to foist
any suggestions upon the executive
committee of the party unsolicited by
them. In this connection | am mind
full of the fact that not much more
than year ago when an earnest re-
quest was made upon you to unite with
others, in an effort to suggest a pri-
mary plan acceptable to conflicting po-
litical interests, you declined upon the
high ground that ii would be pre-
Sumptious in you to attempt to advise
the very capable committeeman, whom
the people had put at the head of the
party To be frank don't understand
your change of froPt in this connection.
Third. l shall enter and abide by
any primary which the executive COM
Jacob S. Collins"
MIR. HRrtridge's Position.
Mr.. Hartridge was seen by a Morn
ing News reporter after he had re-
ceived the letter from Mr.. Collins, and
in reply to questions. made the follow
ing statement as to his position and
intentions in the race:
so far 1 have received an answer
from Mr.. Keilbach and what purport
l.
Collins. Capt. McAlpin has not an
swered me at all. Unless 1 hear from
him tomorrow. l shall conclude that
he has recently contracted writer's pa
ralysis, and, therefore, will wait upon
him no longer.
Neither Mr.. Bailey nor Mr.. Collins
has given me direct answers to my
questions. Mr.. Collins, indeed, ans
wers none Of the questions. He seems
rather TO desire to ignore me in a con-
troversy as to the party. If once we
began this, il would be an intermnable
discussion. I am not concerned now
with the party politics of Chatham, nor
will l permit Mr.. Collins to evade an
answer to my inquiries. l want TO
know what he and the other candidates
propose to do towards lettering things.
/ shall address Mr.. Bailey and Mr..
Collins another letter, with a view of
obtaining answers to my questions one
way or the other. II they are again
evasive in their replies, l shall take it
that they decline my proposition, and
shall proceed in my plans.
Will Use No Money.
IT shall not use a cent improperly, by
myself or through others, directly or
indirectly, to influence a voters cleo
tion, and l will appeal to the people of
the county to assist me in my attempt
IN nj Nuh oil 10
prevent the use of money by any one,
be he candidate or heeler. The pur-
chase of a vote and the sale of vote
are offenses against the law of Georgia
This law can be upheld If the conservd-
tive people unite. That they will unite
/ have no doubt, and when they make
up their minds that the offices of the
county are not legitimate objects of
barter and sale, the day of the money
power in politics is over. shall attempt
feeble as my efforts may be, to make
vote-selling odious, both because of
the great moral wrong involved there
in. and because of the violation of the
law of the state.
ION the subject of a primary, I
earnestly hope one will be held under
the present rules, with the addition of
the provision suggested by me, to-wit:
TO debar a candidate using moAey AS
soon as the chairman of the party re-
covers from his present indisposition
I shall ask him to call a meeting of
the Executive Committe TO consider
the primary question"
How about Mr.. Harmon" Mr..
Hartrldge was asked.
81 propose tomorrow to send Mr..
Harmon a letter similar TO the ones
sent the other candidates. I do hope
that he will answer me as plainly as
Mr.. Keilbach. | have no reason to
suppose he will not"
McAIpin sim Mum.
Captain Henry McAlpin has not yet
answered Mr.. Hartridge's recent let
tiers. and. apparently, there is no like
llhood Of his doing So He does not
seem disposed to agree TO a white pri-
mary. although he would not discuss
the subject yesterday. when seen by a
representative of the Morning News.
Captain McAlpin was asked the direct
question. when he declined TO state
whether he would reply to Mr.. Hart
ridge. but would not express himself
on any of the points brought out by
the other candidates.
Some OF the heelers have a smooth
way Of getting bids" for their SER
vices, as no doubt some OF the candi-
dates have already realized. They
manage to have their game boosted
good and hard" 20 the victim. but do
81 u