The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-04
CAPITAL POLITICAL CHAT.
A PREPOsTEROUs CLAIM BY MIR.
TERRELL's MANAGER.

Officials ut the Capitol Laugh when
MIR. IIiII Counts 100 Counties for
His Candidafe-Mr. Terrell, Ac-
cording to Rumor, will Make a
bee Line for south Georgia About
the MiadIe OF February-SOmc
other Interesting Gossip.
Atlanta. Feb. 3.-The claim of 100
counties for Hon. j. NJ. Terrell for
Governor, made by Warner Hill of
Meriwether, his campaign manager, rs
laughed at by certain officials al the
Capitol, some of whom are favorable
to Mr.. Terrelrs candidacy. Even some
of those who will support MIR. Terrell
think he has made entirely too large
an estimate. while others who have
not committed themselves to anyone,
say the claim is absurd.
''Mr. Hill is a sincere man and is
no doubt hopeful of what he says" re-
marked one of the Capitol officials in
speaking of the matter. but from
political standpoint his claim is evil
IDENTIFY absurd. ] think he has over
shot the mark, and very widely at
that. I am satisfied that Estin and
Query are going to carry more coun-
ties than the Terrell people have any
idea of, and l feel sure there are some
surprises in store for those who ex-
press too great confidence"
The speaker was man who has
given the political situation no little
study and thought and he has never
committed himself for any candidate,
preferring to take an impartial stand,
as he expresses it,
So far Mr.. Terrell has received no
formal challenge from Mr.. Query to
enter. into joint debates, though his
friends say he has been anticipating
a communication in writing The out
look now is that there will be no joint
debates, at least not in the early stages
of the campaign.
There is considerable anxiety here
TO know when the State Democrat tic
Executive Committee is going to be
called together. Heretofore, for the
last three compaigns the meeting has
been held in March, but it is said
this year it will not be held
until April
Reports from South Georgia are to
the effect that Col. Estill is making a
most vigorous campaign. While he is
not making any speeches, 1t is said here
he is getting around among the people.
meeting them, shaking hands and max
ing many friends and acquaintances.
A letter received in Atlanta to-day
says the people in many of the coun-
ties he has visited have been greatly
impressed with him. and that he is
gaining much Roadway.
"Col. Esitll was in Dublin the other
day" says the writer of the letter, and
heard a prominent citizen of Lau-
rens county remark that the people
there were very much pleased with
him. He said they were impressed with
his earnestness. honesty and integrity.
and he felt sure that he would carry
Laurens county beyond the shadow of
a doubt. believe the people there are
for him, and / hear the same thing said
of other counties in this section, which
he has visited
The probability is that Col Estill and
Mr.. Terrell will meet somewhere in
South Georgia within the next few
weeks. Mr., Terrell Will start out on
the road about the middle of February,
and 1t Is understood he will head d.
rectly for South Georgia and spend
some time there. He has not decided
where he will go first, but it will prob
ably be somewhere in the southwestern
section of the state.
Hon. Pope Brown of Pulaski was eX-
pected by almost every one at the Cap
itol. il is known here that his friends,
or many of them. have been urging
him to keep out of the race and to re-
tain his position as railroad commits
sioner. There is no doubt that this has
been the tenor of the advice he has
received on every hand, and he has
finally accepted it, TIL general opinion
is that his strength will be divided
among the three candidates now in the
race, and that as GOV. Gambler puts il,
his disappearance from the field will
not materially affect the situation.
The developments in the governorship
race during the last few days have
completely overshadowed everything
else politically, and there has been lit
tie talk on other lines. So far there is
no certainty of opposition to any of
the present State House officials, except
State School Commissioner Glenn, and
against him there will be two candi-
dates-W. r. Merritt of Valdosta and
Rev. A. j. Beck of DeKalb. Both have
made formal announcement and 1t is
predicted that this race will be a merry