The Savannah morning news., 1901-07-18
THEY WON'T AGREE
CANDIDATES. FOR ORDINARY DON'T
LIKE TO PROMISE.
DISTRUST OF EACH OTHER
PREVENTS ACCEPTANCE OF PLAN
TO GIVE PURE ELECTION.

Thing Settled Mt n white Primary
and Asks the other Candidates TO
Agree They viii Not Use Money to
Influence VOtes-TO Most of the
other Candidates the Plan seems
Too Good to BE True-Mr. HART
ridges Letter and Mr.. Collins
Comment-One Candidate Says the
Plan Is wholly ImpracticnbIe and
won't Do-Mr. KeiIbnch's Candi-
dacy and Platform.
The fight for Ordinary took a new turn
yesterday morning, when Mr.. Walter
C. Hartridge, one of the candidates,
addressed a letter to the four others,
asking that they unite with him in
certain pledges and promises. designed
to secure IAN honest ballot and a fair
count" at the special election.
The letters were addressed by Mr..
Hartridge TO Mr.. j. S. Collins, Mr.. w.
p. Bailey, Mr.. Frank f. Keilbach and
Capt Henry McAlpin, the four candi-
dates for the office, besides himself.
They were delivered by Mr.. John f.
Schwarz to each of the candidates in
person, before o'clock in the after
noon. No reply was sent during the day
by any of those to whom the letters
were addressed. but Mr.. Bailey says he
will reply to-day, and the others may
reply.
Mr.. Hartridge's appeal is for white
primary to settle the election, which
shall be hedged about with such re-
strictions and conditions and protect
ed from debauching influences by such
promises from the candidates and their
friends as will insure an absolutely fair
expression of the will of the people.
Mr.. Hartridge asks the candidates to
promise that they will not use money,
directly or indirectly, to influence the
result of the election and that they will
prosecute any man whom they know
either to have bought or sold vote.
1t is scarcely likely that there
will be any wild rush on the part of
the other candidates to the standard
Mr.. Hartridge has raised. They all
say of course, that their hearts desire
is an election that shall be absolutely
fair and that shall express beyond
doubt the exact will of the people, but
they are a little dubious about the pos
sibility OF securing II in the manner
outlined by Mr. Hartridge. While
they don't and won't say so in so many
words, their evident fear is that some
one of their number will not live alb
solutely up to the agreement, or that
if he does may not be able to carry
his enthusiastic friends with him. If
any money is to be spent, they argue.
they want to have the privilege of
placing a little of it themselves in the
spots where ii will do the most good.
Mr.. Keilback, who announced his can
didacy last night did so in a state
ment pledging himself to a clean cam
paign and election.
Mr.. Hartridge's letter to the candi-
dates is as follows
Savannah, Ga, July IL. 1901-Dear
Sir: / learn from the public prints of
the city that you are a candidate for
ordinary. /, too. am a candidate.
Therefore l address you on a subject
which is of great interest to both of
us. For years IL has been openly stat
ed that elections in Chatham county
have been VIGOROUSLY corrupt, money
and not merit having been the estab-
lished test of a candidates worth. AS
TO the truth of this charge, for the pur-
pose of this communication, 1 have
nothing TO say. That the coming cleo
tion shall be free from the suspicion
that attended past contests / am
and a candidate. You, 1 assume. are
likewise interested. Upon this assump-
ton ! address you the following ques
tons and ask your serious and earnest
consideration of them:
-"First. VIII you unite with me in
asking the Democratic Executive Com
mittee of the county to call. at as early
a day as possible, a primary to be par
ticipated in by the white registered vo-
ters of the county under the rules now
governing primaries. with the addition
of the rule hereafter suggested?
Second. VIII you unite with me in
a request to said committee to pass a
rule which will debar from said pri-
mary any candidate who himself or
through others. directly or indirectly,
spends money for the purpose of Sc
curing votes or procuring a mans in
fuenee or purchasing his time? This
rule to be so framed that the commit
tee shall have full and complete power
10 declare any candidate offending
against it's letter and spirit before or
during said primary to be not entitled
TO an announcement of the votes re-
ceived by him at said primary.
Third. VIII you unite with me In
a solemn agreement, without equivo-
cation. or mental reservation, to re-
frain from the improper use of money
in any way, directly or indirectly. by
ourselves or through OtnerS!
Fourth. And, finally. will you agree
to make public the name OF any man
who uses or receives money in viola
ton of that section OF the criminal code
of Georgia reading as follows: If any
person shall buy or sell or offer to buy
OF sell a vote. or shall be in any way
concerned in buying or selling vote
at any election in this state. or In any
county, he shall be guilty of a misde-
meanor?
Il urge upon you a favorable answer
70 each of these questions. not that
believe you intend in any way to de-
bauch the voters of the county or to
attempt so TO do, but rather because
am convinced that you desire to give
your active support to any effort TO
save the name of our people from the
reproaches that have been heaped upon
them I'm the past. A letter similar TO
this has been sent 10 those who are
the other avowed candidates for ordi-
nary. l have asked them as / ask you
20 give me as early a reply hereto as
possible. l beg to remain yours very
truly, Walter G. Hartridge"
Mr.. Collins, when seen in reference to
the letter. was not prepared 10 say just
what his answer to Mr.. Hartridge
would be. There was nothing IN his
manner. however. TO indicate that he
viewed the immediate acceptanc OF all
the f,gpupalffoun with any qraaf daproo