The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-01-17
GORDON WON'T RUN
SPOKEN OF FOR MAYOR, THE GEN
ERAL SAYS NO.
ONLY SOME PUBLIC NEED.
COULD INDUCE HIM TO ACCEPT
THE MAYoRALTY.


THE MAY0RALT1.
The General Was Mentioned by
citizens Club Leader rs Pros
pective Candidate of the Liberal
Faction for MayOr-Gen. Gordon
Most EmpbatfcaIIy Announced
That lie Would Accept No ONCE.
Wanted One but once, and That
Was That He Might work for the
welfare of the City and the City's
Tributary TcrritOry-Citizens' club
Is Getting n Line on the situation.
A political caucus was to have been
held by adherents of the Citizens Club
last night. but it was agreed among
the leaders that it would be wise to
postpone the gathering until next Tues
day night 1t is expected then that
line on the local political situation
will be secured, and it is not improba-
ole that some action may be taken
in the way of grooming candidate
for Mayor The election is about
year distant. but candidates have 90
get busy early in the game if they
want to run much chance OF LANDING.
As among She fowls of the air, so is
it among politicians, and the worm
or the plum falls to him who is out
early.
The Citizens Club caucus will also
start the ball rolling in the enterprise
that has been launched for its enter
tainment of the Democrats of the Cook
county Marching Club, which is eX-
pected here Feb. 13 and ID. corklng
good time is promised the Chicago WIS
itors, and the Citizens Club leaders
seem anxious that the club shall do its
part toward the entertainment of the
famous organization.
Not only are the leaders of the Cltl-
zens' Club discussing the problem as
to which of their members shall be
supported for Mayor, but they are seek
ing to lift the veil to discover what
their political enemy, the Liberal CUB
may have up it's sleeve in the way OF
candidate. One distinguished MEM
Der of the Citizens Club said yester-
day that he had heard that the Lib
erals expected to make Gen. w. w.
Gordon their candidate against who
eyer the Citizens might put up.
Some such idea may have been en-
tertained by the Liberals. but nothing
is likely to come of it. Gen. Gordon
was asked if he expected to enter the
race for the ngayoralty. His answer
was most positive and decided mega
ton.
"Onlv in the event of some more than
ordinary need for my services as Mayor
of Savannah would / accept the
honor" said Gen. Gordon. Il have
reached an age where my preference is
for such rest as l may secure through
a business connection that does not de-
mand my undivided time and atten-
ton. / choose to be foot-loose. In my
business that choice is allowed me,
and it is so ordered that l may leave
it temporarily whenever / may see fit.
1t does not suffer through my alb
serces, my nephew and my son being
qualified TO conduct it, | have devoted
so many years to laborious work that
! feel that / am now entitled to such
rest and enjoyment as / secure
through this arrangement of my bust
ness affairs
II want no public office. l certainly
should accept no position for the per-
functory discharge of its duties, and
/ am not prepared to give to any the
time and work l might be expected
TO devote to it. On three occasions in
the past | believe that l might haze
had the honor of the mayoralty, but
the honor would not have compen-
stated for the injury that would have
been done my private interests. 1t was
in no hour of especial public need that
the tender was made me, so that /
did not feel that the service that l
might have performed was of such inn
portance as TO call me from my own
affairs. Only once have / ever taken
such a view, and that was some years
ago when ] wanted to go to Congress
from this district for one purpose-se-
curing deeper water for the harbor
Of Savannah. The candidate in whose
favor | withdrew from the contest ac-
complished that for which l expected
TO work, had l been successful.
mo, would not accept the mayor
atty unless the people as a whole
wanted me to serve them in that ca
pacity, nor even then unless | thought
there were some great measure for
the public welfare that / might COM
pass. Certainly / would never be a
candidate for the position. serving as
representative of the desire of some
faction to secure political power"
There has also been talk of Gen.
Gordon in connection with the Gus
toms collectorship. When asked about
this. he replied that only once before
had the matter ever been mentioned to
him, and that then ii was only in a
manner of jest, rather than earnest.
1t is a question, that of the collector
ship. that the General has given no
thought
The Citizens Club leader said that
he thought ii not unlikely that the
caucus would begin figuring up the
clubs chances for success through the
candidacy of several who might be
available as moyoralty timber. The
club he said, would decide to sup
port the man whom it might be agreed
offered the greatest likelihood of land
ing with a ma jority.
Invitation will probably be issued to-
morrow for the caucus. About 100 per-
y ms will he invited to attend the meet
;hg. II is very likely that Col. Warning
Russell will preside and men prominent
in fractional politics will address the
meeting on the plans for properly or
ganizing. 1t is likely that the Citizens
Club faction will have permanent head
quarters and that the campaign for
representatives for the Legislature will
open up early.
DIR. J. w. Seaver, director of the
Yale gymnasium, says the present