The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-13
SURPRISE IN STORE
SENSATION AWAITS COUNCIL COM
MITTEE IN ATLANTA.
REPRESENTS A MINORITY.
SEVEN ALDERMEN WANT COMING
COUNCIL TO ELECT OFFICERS.

SEVEN ALDERMEN WANT COMING
COUNCIL TO ELECT OFFICERS.
Aldermen Fripp and Canty Changed
Their Minds About Representative
Hnrden'a Mcasure-Signed n Tele-
gram to Senator Cnnn With Five
other Aldermen, Saying, "Stand by
the Crowd and Pass the Bill"
The telegram Held Until AL
dermen Thomas, Schroeder and
Frank Had Gone to Appear Before
senate Against the Bill To-day.
When Aldermen D. r. Thomas, E
NJ. Frank and E. A. NJ. Schroeder, a
committee from City Council to OPP
pose the passage of the bill providing
that the incoming board of aldermen
shall elect city officers, reach Atlanta
this morning they will be disagree
sbly surprised. The aldermen will
discover that in place of represent
ing a majority of the board they are
in reality only voicing the sentiment
of a minority.
The committee left over the Gem
trail last night for the purpose of 60
ing before the Senate Committee to-
day. A delegation advocating the
passage of the measure was at
the depot laughing up their
sleeves az the trio of aldermen Those
interested in the passage of the bill
had no intention of going to Atlanta,
and did not fear the departure of the
committee from Council. Their only
purpose was to see the committee get
away before sending a telegram to
Senator Cam, signed by seven MEM
bers of the board.
When the train pulled out, the mem
bers of the delegation had the laugh
as they pictured the look of bewilder-
ment on the faces of the three alder
men when they reach Atlanta. The
delegation went Immediately to the
Western Union office and sent a mes
sage that reached Atlanta before the
committee had gotten further than
Guyton 1t was addressed to Senator
Cam and read as follows:
stand by the crowd and pass the
bill. Signed: ]. F. Canty, Robert l..
Robert L. Holland, James M. Dixon,
w. J. Watson"
The signatures of seven members of
the board. a majority, had been Sc
cured to the telegram by the advocates
of the measure, and the committee
left without suspecting what had hap
pened. There was a good deal of spec
ulation among the advocates of the
bill as to What the members of the
cop1raitfaa will do when fhaV learn the
situation.
Aldermen CAVITY and Fripp were the
members of the board who changed
their minds about the bill When the
matter first came before Council they
with, Aldermen Bacon, Thomas, Frank
and Schroeder, voted against the propo-
sition to have the incoming board elect,
and five members of Council voted for
it. With this report from Council he
fore it the House passed the bill, which
was introduced by Representative Har-
den, and supported by Representatives
Wells and Hitch. When it was an
nounced that the bill would be read
for the third time and put on its pas
sage in the Senate to-day the Council
took another shot at entering pro-
test.
All of the aldermen were not at the
meeting, but those who oppose the
measure were in the majority, and the
committee was named to go to Atlanta
and fight the measure. In the face of
the action of Council, and the fact thai
the bill would have to be pushed to
the front on the day of adjournment,
the advocates smiled serenely, and an
nounced that the present Legislature
will change the law so that the incom-
ing Board of Aldermen will elect city
officers. Their prediction of the pass
age of the bill, with the statement that
Senator Cam favors 1t, was published
in the Morning News yesterday, but
il was not given out what card the
supporters of the measure were hold
ing up their sleeves.
During the morning several tele-
grams from prominent administration
supporters were sent to Senator Cam
urging him to do his utmost to get the
bill through. At the same time pre-
parations were made to get to work
on the aldermen who were to be con-
WINGED that the bill is a good thing for
the city. The three aldermen named
by Mayor Myers were at the same time
making arrangements to go to Atlanta
and fight the measure, as they believ-
ed, for the benefit of a majority of the
board. At one time il looked however
as if the committee would not 20 to
Atlanta Alderman Thomas wife is i'll
ard he was fearful he would not be
able to go. Alderman Schroeder had no
particular desire to go. and Alderman
Frank announced that he would not
go alone. Later in the day Alderman
Thomas found he could leave for the
day, and the other members of the
committee followed.
The advocates of the bill were in
high spirits last night, and were tick
leo with the work they had done. AL
German watson, who has voted for the
Dill since the question was first raised
could not be found early in the even
ing, and 1t looked as If the signatures
of only six aldermen would be secured
The supporters of the measure recall
ed that Mayor Myers had addressed
letter TO party caucus agreeing to
stand by any action 1t might take. At
that time those who attended the meet
ing, with but two exception, favored
the BILL Its advocates had decided
that in the event Alderman Watson
could not be located the Mayors agree
ment TO stand by the caucus would be
used, making a majority for the bill
without Alderman Watson.
Alderman Thomas is chairman of
the committee, although the plan last
night was to have each alderman sub
init statement TO the Senate Commit
tee. The aldermen were seen at the
depot by a representative of the Morn
Ing Nws, but stated that they had not
decided upon just what line they will
talk. They did not appear confident
or carrying their point. and stated that