Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1907-02-07
THE ABUSE OF A PRIVILEGE.

their own doom, paved a way for their own
downfall
Time and again have we mentioned the fact
in condemning the Sunday opening, that was for
time so common. We warned the saloou-men
when they persisted in selling to minors and to
drunkards. We cautioned them against self
destruction when they insisted in having the
dives for toughs in connection with their place
of business. Thus a public sentiment was
created that meant the doom of the saloon IN
Fitzgerald. 1t was bound to come one way or
the other, as it is sure to come throughout the
state.
But we started out to say something about
the abuse of privilege.
The sidewalk Instructions have been re-
moved so completely that every pedestrian is
impressed with the great change, and nearly all
OF them appreciate it.
Probably the dealers who occupied the
sidewalks in front of their stores, with their
wares have suffered no great harm in the change
probably they have; certainly there is something
in the advertisement a neat sidewalk display
permits
But the merchants themselves invited the
change by the abuse of privilege. The City
ordinance granted the privilege of two feet OF
sidewalk in front of each store, for the display
of wares, and merchandise.
At one time the police marked off the space
in large black lines but the restriction was
ignored, the privilege of two feet was abused,
and alas the result is exactly what it always is
in cases of the kind.
There is another privilege that stands a
fair chance of suffering the same fate for the
same reasons.
The city council has a privlege-a great
and important privilege, that of collecting and
disbursing more than $4,000 of the peoples
money This year it may be more than $780,
900 if the people vote bonds, unless by the abuse
of the privilege the council may demonstrate its
unitness, and the people refuse to~vote bonds,
TO be handled by men incompetent, or untrust
worthy men who have regard for the rules
of economy in the handling of other peoples
money and little respect for the law ia their
official capacity.
Several prominent citizens have this week
called our attention, to these abuses, and a
prominent citizen and tax payer, urges US to
enter protest against the prodigal spirit of the
city council, calling particular attention to the
employment of three men with salaries agrega-
ting more than two and half times the lawful
salary of the city clerk and treasurer.
We shall take this latter abuse of privi-
lege up in detail at more convenient time.
n
Moral conditions in Savannah are evident
ly improving. 1t has long been wide open city
and until very recently the toughs have literally
controlled the municipal government.
AS an evidence of the reform spirit; T.
Mayhem Cunningham has rendered his
resignation as president of the Oglethorpe club,
the leading mems social organization of Savan-
nah. This action on the part of Mr.. Cunning
ham is due to the fact that he is opposed TO the
club buffet remaining open Sundays. This
is position ia which it seems, the majority Of
the club members does not support him. Feel
ing that he should not hold the Office when he is
in the minority upon such question, Mr.. Cur
ningham rendered his resignation.
Hon. Hoke Smith in his great speech be-
for the Cotton Association said that
The farmer should be informed as to
the true value of his cotton. He should
reach a decision as to the price it is worth,
and he should not sell uutil he receives that
price. We must get away from the prac-
tce of letting the man who has the cotton to
SELL leave to the who proposes to buy,
the exclusive right of determining what be
will give for the produce. The who
raises the cotton should fix the price at
which he will sell
All of which will sound strange to the peo-
of allowing the buyer not only TO say what he