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Past Indifference the Cause of the Present Situation. REGISTER AT ONCE! WAKE UP! Almost any man of intelligence will admit that the moral tone of this community is very low. Here in this beautilul city we have been content for years to do nothing, while we ought to have seen the hand of the corruptionist playing havoc with the morals of our young men and women. The town is. not only full of gamb ling hells, but places even worse. Any one who thinks that the authorities of this town permit only our young men to be corrupted ought to have the ordinary sit on his case. Under these circumstances it seems more than pasing strange that any respect able man can blandly say “No, I’m not registered. 1 take no interest in politics.” One feels like telling him that he must be either a fool or a knave. The majority of men mean well; their intentions are all right; but they don’t seem to appreciate the seriousness of the situation. The rea son this town has been for years afflicted with officials, who in many eases seem to have no moral devel opment, is because these officials were put in office by the low and purchas able class of voters, who were allow ed full swing in politics by the in different citizens who are alluded to. This low and purchaseable element will always be registered in force, not only because it is to the interest of such office-holders, but because it is to the pecuniary interest of the un scrupulous voter, who either gets so much money, or something else of value, for his vo’te. Why is it that the decent class so often fail to reg ister in force? Have the high-toned men of this community no induce ment to register and vote? Can it be that so long as their own sons and daughters are safe, that they care not what temptations are held out to the 30ns and daughters of others? Hardly! For they must appreciate the fact that vice is contagious and aggressive, and no -respecter of either persons or class. The more charitable and per haps more correct view to take, is that these self-respecting citizens are simply going along with the tide, lit tle thinking that it is bearing them and those they love to the sea of moral degeneracy. How strange it is,’ “BOSSISM” HAND OF THE “BOSS” APPEARS. Rossignol Forced to Retire from First District Meet ing—C. P. Rossignol Attempts to Pluck One Feather Too flany to Suit the “Boss.” Since Rossignol’s speech in the meeting of the South Side Citizens Club, at which he likened the Citizens Club to a white dove, with a few black feathers, the people of Savannah have awaited, with interest, the plucking of all the black feathers. While we do not admit that a com parison of the Citizens’ Club with that of anything white is a fair one, yet we hoped that Rossignol would be allow ed to dissect his so-called “white dove” to his heart’s content. But, alas, alas, the mighty hand of the boss stretches forth, and says: “Enough; no more feathers shall be ( plucked from the ‘bird;’ it may cause; its death.” I While nothing has appeared in pub lie print, Saussy (Stewart’s lieuten-j ant) made the statement, in a public speech at the First District meeting of | the Citizens’ Club, that he would meet i Stewart’s opponents anywhere, and under any circumstances; but he also | will be required to walk out of the ; party if the boss decides that Car- j son should be the man. He will dis cover how small he is when the boss; stretches forth his mighty hand. I A meeting of the cabinet was called for Saturday night, at which the • question of Stewart’s and Carson’s candidacy was discussed, but no agreement could be reached. The matter Has been delayed. But it was determined at the caucus that the fol lowing are to be the candidates of * the Citizens’ Club: J that men who show good sense in business matters very often show none in political matters and permit conditions to exist which put vice at a premium. Close-fisted business men allow' themselves to be fleeced by over taxation and over valuation of their property. And some truly religious men w'ho would not knowingly com mit a wrong fail to see that they are guilty of a sin of omission when they fail to help in a movement for the betterment of the moral condition of their city. They often contribute largely to convert the heathen abroad, but complacently allow conditions to exist which tend to destroy the re ligion of those at home. We are glad to say, how'ever, that we have had more of the better class take an interest in this campaign than in any other in the history of the city; and that of itself is a pretty good sign that they are at last beginning to be aroused. We are truly grateful to those who have taken active in terest sb far, and we hope ana tiust the others to a man will join m this movement. It is a movement in the interest of the welfare of Savannah, and one in which every respectable citizen should take part, and be glad to do so. 'Ou- leaders do not belong to the .office-seeking class. They are men of character and manhood whose love for their city and for decency will not permit them to remain pass ive, while a corrupt machine parcels cut offices of remuneration and honor to members of the “gang” w'ho are most perniciously active in enabling the “machine” to prey upon and de bauch our people. The members of this “gang” who compose the make up of this “machine” seem to think that this community has been suffi ciently corrupted for them to bully and buy their way through, but they miscalculate the American spirit. Wake up and register! Teach them a lesson they won’t soon forget! A snow-white dove signifies purity, but if the Citizens’ Club dove has any white feathers the public is excusa ble for failing to discover them, as its tail is composed of black feathers, and it has a habit of constantly keep ing its tail turned towards the com munity. Stovall, for senator. Anderson, Lawrence and Rourke, for the legislature. W‘atch this prediction. Rossignol and Saussy will be no more, and others who desire to clean house for the Citizens’ Club, will be relegated to the rear. Nothing clean can live within the walls of the Citizens’ Club. Those members of the Citizens’ Club who have started out to rid the party of Garfunkel, Mcßride, Garity and Creamer gave encouragement to Ros signol, but the boss said: “No; these people have been tried and found to be true to the cause, have always done my bidding, and I will not swap them off for Rossignol and Saussy; I must have men with me who wild do what I say.” The announcement is made, through the Morning News, that there will be no more meetings, for the present, of the Citizens’ Club forces. And why? They must first patch the leaks in the ship; she is leaking badly, and the pumps cannot keep her afloat and will sink unless the leaks are stopped. We have heard from Rossignol by card, published in the local press. Saussy’s message is en route. Look .out for a “holler” from him. It is bound to come. Saussy, Rossignol and others in the so-called Citizens Club will pass into the unknown; Gar funkel, Mcßride, Garity and Creamer will forge to the front, and the Citi zens’ Club will be itself again. Watch the outcome. Speech of Mr. R. R. Richards At Fourth District Meeting, People’s Democratic League, flay Bth, 1906. “I assure you that it has been quite a surprise to me this evening to be called upon to talk. I came here this evening for the purpose of listening to the speeches of gentle men well known to you, and have been enjoying myself. ’I don’t be lieve I would have come here at all had I known that I was going to be called upon, but inasmuch as I have been honored with a call, and you are a large and representative body of citizens, I feel that I must say some thing, and, as has been suggested, will make it short and sweet. “What we need in this community is a change of administration. The party in power, as you well know, has become completely corrupt, and that is the reason why they should be turned out, that is the reason why all good citizens who have the in terest of the community at heart should work hard to the end that they are turned out of power. They have been ‘weighed in the balance and found wanting,’ and those .of you who listened the other evening to that able and eloquent and straight forward speech that Colonel G. Ar thur Gordon made, know that the time has come for a change to be made. Now I believe in striking from the shoulder, and striking hard. As Colonel Gordon says: ‘Come out plain, and to the point, and shoot for the bull’s eye.’ You well know the influ ence here that has ruled this com munity for so long a time. Why, to day, in talking to one of the citizens here, who is a man of influence, I was surprised to hear him say to me — and we were in absolute solitude — and without, thinking »r a moment that it made the least impression on me, that it was impolitic to make a change, because it was so expen sive to the community to make one, and I asked him why, and he said: ‘Those in power know the ropes, they are grafting as all of us know, but they can do it more economically than a new crowd who doesn’t know the ropes.’ Now What do you think of that? We should keep in the experi enced rascals, because if we put in a new crowd’, they will cost the com munity a lot of money in trying to do the thing up properly. It strikes me as farcical. “Some mention has been made here this evening of subsidized press. No, don’t believe that it has been sub sidized; it has simply been silenced, silenced by hope of office. Why, you well know the methods which have been pursued by the opposition. They go to a man and say: "Wouldn’t you like to be mayor?’ He, of course, replies in the affirmative. ‘Wouldn’t you like to be judge of the city court?’ wouldn't you like to be this, that and the other?’ and those men think that the lightning is going to strike them, and they don’t come and take part in our meetings, because they think they may be called upon History of Peoples’s Cam paign (To Date) Against Corrupt Abuse of Pow er By Citizen’s Club, Otherwise Called Corruption Club. ACT I. Messrs. Jacob S. Collins, Waring Russell and numbers of other citizens organized the People’s League, and issued a challege to the administra tion bosses. To which the bosses re ply, through their organ, “Rally round your bosses, Henchmen ours, tried and true. The insolent foe has attacked us In our stronghold. Let us meet them, and Annihilate them to be Last man so bold.” ACT 2. Vigorous combat in progress for some time between contending par ties. Result in doubt. Enter Mr. T. Mayhew Cunningham with Democratic Club, composed of large number of independent citizens, bent upon im proving political conditions. Inscrib ed upon their banner is a platform of principles —each one of which is a protest against the practices of the Corruption Club. They join forces with the People’s League, and beat the Corruption Club to a hasty re treat. Act 3. Enter leaders of Corruption Club. (Scene, Savannah Theater.) ' Henchmen, cohorts and otheis gath ered near. Leaders to Henchmen and others. . and be nominated to some office, and : in that way their ador as citizens has i been chilled, and promises held out ! to them by the other side. Now, my • fellow citizens, don’t you think that ■ the time has come when we should [change the administration? Give us a new deal. Let men who have prac- ! ! tically been untried go forward ana 1 see what they can do. Nothing can ’ be worse than that which we now ’ have. You can’t lose anything by ■ making a change; that is perfectly clear to everybody, and you may be able to accomplish a good deal; so give the new crowd a chance, and you ■ may be assured, if you do, that you will have an improvement in politi cal conditions. It is preposterous to think that men who head a move ment like this, and who have taken charge of it, will go back on the peo ple, when they have come forward and told you that they want no of. flee—l mean the leaders, and, there fore, it’ seems to me that their ap peals to you from their high plat forms should go home to every good citizen, especially when you know how corrupt things are in this com munity. As good citizens, we ought to try to improve the conditions, and rise up, as one man, and stamp cut the people who rule this com munity and corrupted its morals; that’s the great wrong that has been done. After a while, the young men in the community won’t know the dif ference between right and wrong. It you allow them to drift along with the tide, which is now leading them into improper channels of thought. When we hear great men, who lead the important movements in this com munity', speaking to the people in compassionate tones, asking that they lay aside all selfish motives and self ish feelings and vote for the com mon good, surely their appeal will not go unheeded, when it is for the good of the people in general that they speak. "You have read of how men went forward and voted for their worst enemies—people whom they would not speak to on the streets —voted for them because they represented re spectability and principle, and would not stand back because they did not tike them personally. “When one of these men, who rep resented justice and principle, came forward to a man who was an enemy of his, and said: ‘You have voted for me. Mr. So and So?’ the reply came back: ‘No sir; I don’t know you; 1 voted for the party you represent.’ “So don’t be misled by the adop tion of that platform by the adminis tration, because they are not sincere, and you know from their past life full well that they are not sincere. i “I have no vituperation for Mc- Bride. I think that Mcßride is an > unfortunate man, who has simply been led astray by being in bad company.” “Boys, this thing looks bad for us—looks like we are beat, but let’s try a ruse like the pursued thief who joins in the hue and cry “Stop, Thief!’’ Let us adopt our enemies’ Platform of Principles. Let us pre tend we are going to reform. True, we ain’t going to do it, because we can’t —we know we are past reforma tion —but some good people won’t think so, if we tempt them with an office or two. Let us try this game on anyone for County Treasurer, to beat old Man Russell; and on any willing subject that can be seduced THE PLATFORM OF THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC LEAGUE. We advocate and will work for : 1. The suppression of bossism and is machinery. 2. The suppression of policy shops and gaming houses- 3. The elimination of all grafters from positions of ev ery kind in the-public service. 4. The protection of faithful public officers against dictation and intimation in their offices by political bosses. 5. The election to public offices of worthy and capable men who will give us a clean administration and who shall have full latitude to their duty and be directly re sponsible to the people. 6.. An impartial and fearless administration of the law and a square deal all around. by a promise of a City Court judge ship. And let us manufacture into voters and fighters a lot of newly ar rived Greeks and Turks, who don’t understand the English language; but will obey our orders —when translat ed to them.” Act 4. Fight renewed around Court House Corridors. Many fraudulent natural ization papers taken out. .And new ignoramus citizens made by whole sale. Combat continued in front of City Hall. Killed and wounded or. both sides removed, and much excite ment created. No arrests by admin istration Police of Corruption Club participants. Act 5. Enter United States District Attor ney and Officers. Looking for the fraudulently naturalized persons, and their advisers. Leaders of Corrup tion Club surrender,, and plead guilty. Gang of Conspirators against law broken up. Much rejoicing among all classes of respectable citizens. Act 6. Corruption Club poses as a reform er, and says prayers at meetings, as well as curses (prayers not recorded). Congregation composed of convicted leaders and their adherents, and new candidates for office and their ad herents. Satan in their midst smil ing serenely. Act 7. Rebellion in Corruption Club among office-seeking adherents, some of whom really want to reform, but can’t and are kept under. Act 8. Administration orator attacks Chief of Administration Police. Wants him removed from office for dereliction of duty and general unsuitableness for the place. Compares him to a dirty black feather in a white dove’s tail. Strenuous resistance by attacked Chief. Row in Corruption Club. Ad ministration orator squelched tempo rarily by bosses. No 'such reform wanted by Corruption Club. Act 9. Club orators make new departure. Divide between candidates for County Treasurer. Better element say Club too good for Corruption Bosses. Re formers in Corruption Club try to take charge of the machine. Old bosses grin, hold on tight and sing this refrain —entitled: “Jaw by Jaw, We pledge ourselves through tmciF and thin, To labor still, with zeal devout, To keep the ins, us devils, in, And keep the outs, the wretches, out. We pledge ourselves though much be reft Os ways and means of ruling ill, To make the most of what is left, And stick to all that’s rotten still. Ours yet the days of place and pelf. And tho’ drones who take the honey We pledge ourself to cram ourself With pockets full of public money. To quarter on that social purse, Our henchmen, cohorts, heelers, bummers. Nor, so we prosper, care a curse How much ’tis at th’ expense of others. Such are the pledges we propose, And though we can’t now offer gold There’s many away of buying those Who’ve but the taste for being sold. So here’s with three times three hurrahs, A toast of which you’ll not com plain:— “Long life to jobbing; let these days Os peculation be our gain.” (To Be Continued.)