The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-07-26
MIR. COLLINS MAKES STRONG DE-
NAL OF CHARGES OF EVASION
BROUGHT BY Mr.. PARTRIDGE.
SAYS HE HAS NO WISH TO EVADE
ANY ISSUE IN THE FIGHT.


Right to Criticise His Opponents
Past Records-LikeIy to Make Use
OF the Privilege.
Mr.. Jacob S. Collins has addressed a
spicy letter to Mr.. Walter c. Hart
ridge. which is a reply to Mr.. Hart
ridges last letter to him. In this COM
munication Mr.. Collins sets forth his
position in the matter of primaries
and pure politics at some length. He
also reserves to himself the right to
criticize Mr.. Hartridges past political
record and intiraates quite strongly
that he will avail himself of the priv
ilege.
Mr. Hartridge was not satisfied with
the answers given by Mr.. Collins to
the questions asked him in the letter
that inaugurated this campaign of cor
respondence and on Wednesday ad-
dressed a second letter to Mr. Collins,
in which that candidate was asked for
more specific replies to the questions
that had been propounded him in the
first instance. Extracts from this let
ter were printed in the Morning News
yesterday 1t is to this letter that Mr..
Collins replied in the following terms:
Savannah, Ga, July %, 19O1.-Hon.
Walter C. Hartridge, Savannah, Ca
Dear Sir: 1 acknowledge receipts of
your favor of the gath inst.
II am very much surprised to learn
that my letter was not considered by
you a complete answer to yours of the
18th. After carefully reading your
letter l came to the conclusion that
the main purpose you had in writing
this communication was to see If l
would not enter and abide by an hon
estly conducted Democratic primary.
To this proposition l assented and
pledged myself. 1t appeared to me
that having done this l had complied
with the spirit and letter of your re-
quest, and had measured up to all the
demands of good citizenship in this
connection.
1T is true that there are some parts
of your letter which were unanswered,
but my failure to reply to them was
not because of any desire to evade the
queries. ! felt that some of your ques
lions were matters purely of policy.
and others / might almost say, imper-
tinent, and for that reason | ignored
them.
Your question No. l has reference
to the call of an early primary. That is
a matter of policy, pure and simple.
Whether l desire an early primary or
a late primary is a matter about
which you have no right to inquire,
and l decline in this connection to adj
wise the Executive Committee in any
way.
your query No. is. in my opinion.
utterly impracticable. 1t seeks to Gre
ate a returning board of partisans,
with power to set aside the peoples
choice. if they see fit to do so. You
will perceive at once that this would
not be tolerated in the community. In
making this statement l express my
self freely as having the ut
most confidence in the present EX-
ecutive Committee of the party. but
do not believe that any returning board
should have the power, which you seek
TO give 1t.
Your third inquiry implies the con-
temptation of the improper use of
money on my part; in this connection
desire to say that l hope for an hon
est primary in all that the word hon
est" implies. l expect to help make II
so. i certainly would not stultify my
self in advance in the manner indi-
Gated by you
I'm your fourth inquiry, you ask me
If 1 will become prosecutor in making
cases against violators of election laws.
This is a burden that should not be
imposed upon candidates, which 1
would not assume under any circum-
stances.
IF. after reading this letter, you do
not think / have frankly answered
your communication of the nth. please
point out in what particular l have
omitted to answer you specifically
and l will take pleasure in addressing
you another communication.
81 note with surprise the use of your
language in your letter of the oath;
you say, Your conduct and mine in the
past is not in question now, nor Will
] engage in controversy on the subject
of Chatham county politics. even of a
year ago. My concern is in knowing
what you intend to do now
This language from a man posing
as a reformer is positively startling.
You are assuming to lead a crusade
against corrupt politics. You have been
in politics for the past eight years.
You made a race yourself, scarcely a
year ago. When you set yourself up
as champion of purity in politics. how
is il possible for the public, or the cam
didates. to Judge of your good faith in
this connection, unless your past record
is to some extent considered? Ignoring
IL may suggest to some minds that you
may be prompted by other reasons than
that of a sincere desire for reforma-
ton.
Il thoroughly agree with you that
the Office of ordinary is a high and inn
portant one in this community, and
that no man ought to be permitted to
buy II. / do not want TO buy it my
self and l do not want anybody else
10 buy Il. l want to see "A clean and
honorable election. and a clean and
honorable man elected. but up to the
present time / see no reason why
should follow your lead in TINS fight.
! cannot understand why you assume
the right to lead. The public will un-
derstand that my failure to indorse
your utterly impracticable plan is in
no wise to be considered as a desire
TO have any save an honest primary.
Respectfully Jacob S. Collins"
other than this letter from Mr.. Col.
Inns 10 Mr.. Hartridge there was moth.
ing new In the political situation yes
terday. Mr. T. Mayhem Cunningham
Jr.. chairman of the Democratic Elk
ecutlve Committee OF the party Is still
confined TO his room. having not vel
recovered from the rather severe at
tack Of Illness through which he has
recently passed. and none of the can
didates has had an opportunity 20 con
fer with him as To when and under
what rules the primary that now Il
medltated shall be- held.
loo A. - IA q