The Reason. (Savannah, GA.) 1908-19??, May 07, 1908, Page 7, Image 7

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bold and valiant enough to pom- out deluges of hero blood to erus*h an insurrection, which armed officers of the law, police and militia, shrink from confront ing. Nevertheless, indications are not wanting that lead to the conviction that the Leaguers have some people guessing. Their long inaction is the puzzling thing. Nobody thought in the beginning that tlie L. and 0. L.'s dogs of war could be held in leash more than a couple of hours after being given the scent. All sorts of rumors are rife and countless conjectures put forth to account for the delay. Adherents are (piite numerous to the theory that the host is await ing equipment before the inauguration of an ad vance, such equipment to consist of drums and big horns and like noisy adjuncts to militarism, and a supply of honor medals to be awarded the survivors of the first engagement with the implacable enemy, that is, if there should be any survivors. The suggestion has even been advanced by irre verent persons that just as the onslaught was about to begin, the League battalion discovered, to its im mense chagrin, that in the confusion attending the ceremonies of organization, the trivial matter of mustering in some privates was overlooked and that, consequently, the command is made up exclusively of commissioned officers. If this state of affairs exist, then the situation is complicated indeed. His tory gives no precedent to guide the bewildered commander —or commanders. Even the battalion of mighty warriors created by the playwright, the late, lamented Charles 11. Hoyt under the folds of ‘‘The Milk White Flag.” boasted one private. But, be it remembered, Hoyt enlisted his lone private for an altogether unwarlike purpose; the private’s duties were restricted to furnishing amusement for the officers. The Leaguers don't want any amusement, where fore the necessity for a private in the ranks’ Is it not known of all men that he who returns from the field of sanguinary conflict and takes up the onerous duties of public office (purely from motives of pat riotism always), is a shoulder-strapper every time? What good is a private anyhow, except to furnish the dull background for the shining and resplendent portrait of the commissioned officer ? Away with the private! (lo further onward, and you will meet a contin gent ready with still another explanation. The forces do not move because there is dissension in camp as to where the bloody work shall begin. One faction wants to start at the bottom and go upward. This coterie avers that all substantial structures are built that way. But, say the dissenters, water-wells and post-holes and such like are pretty useful things, and whoever heard of a post-hole having been be gun at the bottom ? Besides, we desire that our course of procedure shall syrflbolize to the wretches the direction in which their souls shall travel should they persist in their defiance of this command. But there is an element —a large and distinguish ed element, too —of Savannah’s citizenship who find it impossible to speak of the Law and Order Leaugue in a jocular vein. These are solid business men and women of affairs who regard very seriously the formation of an organization, the birth of which, they say, heralds to the whole country that Savannah is a hopelessly and helplessly lawless community THE REASON at this time, and that the exigencies of tin* situation necessitate a resort to extreme measures for pro tection by the calling into service of a body of citi zens, banded together after the manner of the Vigi lantes of Falifornia in 1549 and a part of the ”>os, when orderly government had hardly been attempt ed, and later in Galveston, Tex., covering the period of tin* reign of terror which followed upon the heels of the destruction of that city by the elements. No one sent their families nor their capital to those sec tion* during the troublous times. It it reasonable to assume that prosperity will be hastened back to Savannah by the publication broadcast that the local and State authorities are inadequate to the task of upholding the law? One criticism which is frequently heard is that the League is composed very largely of men who are not in a position to suffer material loss by any dis aster of n financial or commercial nature which might visit the city, and that, therefore, it is peculi arly exasperating that those persons should take action inviting such disaster. A DRAWN BATTLE. The battle ends soon the Fourth of June Will bring us rest from a blooming pest; Hooray Hooray! Heaven speed the day, When the scroll rolls down on Smith and Brown When the bell is rung on pen and tongue; When straw-vote fake, and vile muck-rake, Shall scurry along, at the sound of a gong, To lie in sleep, in a dungeon deep; And no more lie in telling us why ‘‘They can’t beat Brown " or, “Smith gains ground;” Or, “Joe is dejected because Hoke is elected.” Or, “Smith is done so he run for?” Or “Joe has retreated, admittedly defeated.” So, it can't be denied, “Somebody has lied.” Brown seems to think lie's a winner with ink; Smith’s got a tip, he can't lose with lip. Joe writes: “Hoke is a pig in a poke,” Hoke replies: “Joe would bring us great woe.” “The bearer of woe,” pens little Joe, “Is a pompous stiff, by the name of Smith.” “Tis false,” cries Hoke, “you little-big bloke! “You can only write, you dare not fight.” “Fight, do you say? Sure, in my way,” And Brown right then yanks up his pen: Ho lands on Smith, with a corking biff, And Hoke doth sink, 'neatb a flood of ink. “Don't run, you chump,” yells Hoke from the stump; Joe skips back and, Zounds! what a whack! ’Tis a windpipe jolt that Smith has dolt Brown's got a hunch, ’twas a rhetorical punch. “Hold!” writes Joe, “for you darn well know, “1 can't WRITE-hook a pneumatic crook.” “Then 'tis a draw." says lie of the jaw. “I can't soak a-blink a tank full of ink.” —AI. Revd. V 7