The Savannah morning news., 1901-07-25
ASKS FOR MORE LIGHT.
Hartridge Addresses Other Letters
TO Collins and Bailey.

Hartridge Addresses other Letters
TO Collins and Bailey.
The campaign for ordinary so far has
been largely one of correspondence be-
tween the candidates, in which Mr..
! Walter c. Hartridge has been the NOV
ing spirit. The campaign was enliven-
ed yesterday by letters written by Mr..
Hartridge to Mesrss. Collins and Bal
ley.
| Mr.. Hartridge desires to have more
| specific replies to the questions he pro-
pounded these candidates a week ago,
in letters which they answered, but
not in terms that he considers suf-
fciently clear and definite. Mr.. Hart
ridge says he is in earnest in
his efforts TO have a fair, square and
decent primary election to settle the
question of who shall be the Democrat
ic nominee for ordinary, and that he
is very anxious to have other candi-
dates come out on the same platform.
In his letter of yesterday to Mr.. Bal
ley, Mr.. Hartridge alludes in the fol-
lowing terms to his failure to receive
an answer to the letter he addressed
Capt. McAlpin:
Capt. McAlpin has not even deigned
to do me the courtesy of acknowledge
ing the receipt of my communication.
l know, however, that he received II.
His silence leads me to conclude that
he declines to commit himself to any
thing. Therefore, / shall take it that
he will not join with us in a movement
to prevent the use of money in cleo
lions. OF course in this ] may be wrong,
as he may yet reply. Still, from his
failure to EXPIRE SIS himself, l shall for
the present no longer concern myself
with his views, except to say that as he
does not agree with you and me on this
subject it becomes out duty to our
selves to see that our ideas prevail,
and not his, in this election"
The remainder of Mr.. Hartridge's
letter to Mr. Bailey is made of an APP
peal to him to unite with other candi-
dates in a request to the Democratic
Executive Committee of the county to
call a primary. with such regulations
controlling it and with such provisions
for guarding the interests of all the
candidates, as shall ensure an absolute
ly fair contest. one of which provisions
shall be stipulations from each candi-
date that he will not use money, di-
rectly or indirectly, to influence the re-
suit of the election.
Mr. Hartridge's letter to Mr.. Collins
is along the same line. He calls Mr..
Collins attention to the fact that the
questions asked of him in the letter of
last week have not been answered. Mr..
Hartridge says that he does not find
in Mr.. Collins reply to his letter an
answer to his questions. He contin-
ues:
In considering this answer of yours,
it is necessary for us to arrive at a
conclusion as to what an honest pri-
mary is. If we agree on the meaning
of the expression, then, perhaps, we
can arrive at a way of bringing about
such primary. Let me give you my
idea of an honest primary. 1t is a pri-
mary in which every candidate relies
for his election upon the unbought votes
of those of his fellow citizens who are
entitled to cast ballots. These votes
in such a primary he can only receive
because he is regarded as eminently fit
by reason of his intelligence and in
tegrity to discharge the duties of the
office he seeks. In such a primary he
should look upon the use of money with
adherence, and should with all his
power seek to prevent others from buy
ing or selling votes. To put himself in
a position to advocate an honest pri-
mary, the candidate should do every
thing possible to let it be known that
he stands on the side of right. How
better can he advocate an honest pri-
mary than by saying to his fellow cit
liens, I will not buy vote, nor will /
permit others to do it for me; l put
others on notice that they must not
take money improperly, because IL they
do i will give their names to the pub
lie; do not want bought office, nor
will / permit others, If l can help it,
to buy an Officer When you answer
my questions in the affirmative you
say this in effect. To get you to say
this is all / want, for | am satisfied
that when you give your promise no
consideration of office can make you
break it, If my definition of an hon
est primary is wrong, please point
out to me my error.
II have nowhere asked you to advise
the Executive Committee to do any
thing. All l seek to have you do is to
request that body to promulgate rule
designed to bring about an honest pri-
mary. Your conduct and mine in the
past is not in question now, nor will
| engage in a controversy on the sub
ject of Chatham county politics of
even a year ago. My concern is in
knowing what you intend to do now.
You know my position on the coming
election. If it is not sound, show me
where ii Is weak and | will meet you
half way on any fair suggestion look
ing TO the END L am trying TO reach.
Mr.. Hartridge concludes his letter to
both Mr.. Bailey and Mr.. Collins with
an expression of his conviction that
their views on the subject of a fair
primary are really quite in line with
his, and that when they shall have CIV
en- the subject a little more considera-
ton they will be led TO agree with hi a
fully and to express that agreement
before the public.
welded AT CATHEDRAL.