The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-08
WILL NOT GIVE WAY.
Chairman Damn VIII stand Pat I'm
Park and Tree Commission.

chairman Damn VIII stand Pat in
Park and Tree Commission.
Chairman p. D. Daffin Of the Park
and Tree Commission was asked yes
terday it,, in view of the desire ex-
pressed by Commissioner ]. H. H. En-
telman, that an election for chairman
of the board be held, it was his pur-
pose to resign his office as chairman.
He answered that 1t was not, as he
saw nothing in such an expression from
Mr.. Entelman to call for his taking
that course
Mayor Myers was asked If he had re-
quested Mr.. Entelman to spring the
question of an election of a chairman
at the meeting of the Park and Tree
Commission. The Mayor replied that
he had not.
I'm a conversation With Mr.. Entel-
man." said the Mayor, The asked me If
L considred that the chairman of the
board should continue at its head year
after year, without election. l an
swered that did not 30 think, but that
1 thought an election should be held
annually. Certainly an election should
be held when a new member of the
commission is appointed, who takes his
place upon it at the beginning of a
year.
There is nothing in the act creating
the commission to justify the chair
man holding the office continuously
without reelection. / do not hold that
the minutes of the meeting at which
he was elected even though they show
that he was elected permanent chair
man, should prevent an election being
held at any time that a majority of
the board should desire one. A reso-
luton, backed by three members Of
the five of the board, declaring for an
election, should certainly secure one.
Il have no personal preference in
this matter. do not care who is chair
man of the Park and Tree Commission,
further than that I think he should be
a. member who is in sympathy and
accord with the city administration.
Mr.. Daffin is not, and / think for that
reason that it would serve the city S
interests better to have some one else
at the head of the commission. Person
ally, Mr.. Daffin is my friend, but do
| not allow personalities to enter into a
case IN which the city's interests are
| concerned. Three members of the COM
mission have said to me that they con-
sidered that there should be an elec-
tion for chairman. | should think that
courtesy to new members would induce
NlIs OdIIiU W IGSlSIl Tic
'If he should be reelected, and I do
not know that he would not be, well
and good, but he should certainly allow
the members of the commission some
voice in the selection of their chair
man. AS it is, Mr.. Daffin and Mr..
Ellis are the only two members of the
commission whose appointments ante
date the formers election as chairman
Mr., Entleman, Mr.. Solomons and Mr..
/. Baldwin had no voice in the election
therefore think there should be ar
election"
Chairman Daffin saw Col George
A. Mercer for an opinion. He said
Col. Mercer's opinion upheld him in
his view that the act creating the COM
mission, and the minutes of the meet
ing at which he was elected chairman,
both warrant him in remaining chair
man of the commission until the expi-
ration of his term.
Mr.. Baldwin was asked about the
contention that there should be an
election for chairman. He said that
he had heard nothing about the mat
ter until MIR. Entelman had mentioned
it at the meeting. He has not dis
cussed it since, he said, and he did
not know whether the point would be
insisted upon. No one had ever ap-
preached him, Mr.. Baldwin said. to
suggest that he become chairman or
the board.
II was merely asked II I would ac-
cept an appointment as a member of
the commission" said Mr.. Baldwin.
LAS feel a great interest in the work
of the commission and as my resigna-
tion some three years ago was made
necessary by business demands upon
my time, I readily agreed. No one has
ever mentioned the chairmanship to
me, and / am perfectly content to
Serve as only member of the COM
mission"
An alderman said to a representa-
tive of the Morning News that the
members of Council generally would
like to see MIR. Baldwin made chair
man of the committee. This would
seem to show that the Mayor is right
In his statement as to the absence of
harmony and sympathy between the
chairman and the administration.