The Searchlight. (Savannah, Ga.) 1906-19??, January 05, 1907, Image 4

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WHAT TIEDEMAN The Importance of His Election to the Welfare of Citizens of Savannah. (From Morning News, Jan. 2, 1907.) ; Editor Morning News: It has been a matter of sincere regret to me that I have not been able to actively partic ipate in the campaign of reform which has been waged by the People’s Demo cratic League, to deliver our fair city from the long period of misrule and corruption w'hich has oppressed its in habitants, in the interest of a cabal who have exercised despotic sway for their own personal aggrandizement. To every observent citizen it is clear ly apparent that the Citizens Club is now making its desperate effort to re trieve its defeat at the June election, and have selected Col. William Garrard to lead the forlorn hope. The fact that he is so cordially endorsed by Herman Myers and W. W. Osborne reveals the true character of the forces which are mustering under his leadership, and that the Citizens Club is making a last effort to continue in control of munici pal affairs. While I have not been able to ad dress my fellow-citizens from the ros trum I will endeavor to present to them certain good reasons for giving their active support to the People’s Democratic League and its standard bearer, George W. Tiedeman, its can didate for Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen who will be nominated to administer the affairs of the city for the ensuing two years. Os the many reasons which should control public sentiment in favor of George W. Tiedeman, let me name five cogent ones. First. Because his election will place an experienced business man at the head of the city government. Second. Because his election will ensure a courageous as well as a clean, economical, business-like and progressive administration of munici pal affairs. Third. Because his election will secure the removal from office of the officials who have been rebuked by the voice and votes of the citizens of Savannah, who have connived at the flagrant violation of laws, and en couraged vicious pursuits the most de grading and demoralizing to any com munity. Fourth. Because his election will be a final defeat and dethronement of the rule of the “ring” and the “boss, which for many years have throttled civic virtue, and filled the offices with subservient henchmen, who have used the offices for private gain, and not as a public trust. Fifth. Because his election will re deem the fair name of Savannah. Give to every class of her inhabitants, the protection of beneficent laws and regulations impartially and wisely ad ministered, without oppressing the weak or pandering to the vices of the unscrupulous, and crafty manipulators of political influence. I respectfully submit for the con sideration of the voters at the impend ing municipal election the following review of the career of Mr. George W. Tiedeman, demonstrating his eminent fitness for the office of Mayor. A Man of Experience. George W. Tiedeman was the main stay of the Myers’ administration in its first four years. His services dur ing that time as an alderman thor oughly acquainted him with the de partmental operations, as well as with the conduct of the finances of the municipality. For two years, he w-as vice-chairman of Council; for another two years he was chairman of Coun cil, acting as Mayor during the ab sence of the Mayor from the city. Four years he served on the Finance Committee, two years as its chairman For two years he was a member of the Committee on Accounts and its chairman. For two years he rendered valuable service on the Assessment Committee. On the Streets and Lanes Committee, he also served for four years, and on the Committee on Water, Fire and City Lots and Open ing Streets, for two years, each. This varied experience in itself shows that George W. Tiedeman, as a candidate for Mayor is no novice as to the duties of that office, when elected, he will bring to the office considerable knowledge of the administration of municipal affairs. A Business Man at the Helm. Savannah is a large business cor poration. It collects in taxes and ex pends about a million dollars a year. That million dollars comes out of the pockets of the people. Directly or in directly every citizen of Savannah con tributes his share toward it. Every citizen is accordingly personally and directly interested in a municipal ad ministration that will avoid waste in any form, that will direct its intelli gence and energy to the end that for every dollar paid into the city treasury one hundred cents worth of value shall come back to the people, who pay it in. To run a million-dollar-a-year busi ness requires a business man at the helm. It requires a man who has al ready demonstrated that he is a suc cessful business man. An experiment with an untried man, or a man who is a pronounced failure as a business manager, may prove very costly to the taxpayers, to every citizen. George W. Tiedeman is a successful business man. He has shown in the management of his own extensive busi ness affairs that he can conduct a mil -1 ion-dollar-a-year business successful ly. For twenty years he has been identified with the large business in terests of Savannah, with its whole sale trade, its banking business, and other avenues of commercial activity. He is recognized as the peer of any business man in Savannah as to clear, keen judgment in business matters, or I broad comprehensive understanding of business propositions. He has the ability to grasp new problems and solve them. His training eminently : fits him for the office to which his fel low citizens will elect him. Will Be a Courageous Mayor. George W. Tiedeman is a man of moral as well as of physical courage. He stands for principle and not for spoils. He has never feared to an nounce his position even when politi cal influence was at stake. Instance his conduct of 1899. when Myers’ ad ministration returned to office; George W. Tiedeman lead the aldermanic tick et. It was generally understood that | he was to be made chairman of Coun ! cil, a stepping-stone to the mayoralty. Among the candidates for office before Council was James Mcßride. He desired to be harbor master. I George \V. Tiedeman announced that ;he would not vote for Mcßride. The | vote, as it then stood, was seven against and six for Mcßride. If Tiede j man could be won over Mcßride’s I election was assured. Tiedeman stood i like a rock. Another alderman was persuaded in to supporting Mcßride and he was elected. But George W. Tiedeman voted against him. It was a man ! standing for principle, for what he ! knew to be right, against personal in terests. Men of such a caliber make good Mayors. Will Create a New Atmosphere. Just as George W. Tiedeman would not stand for James Mcßride for har -1 bcr master, although the politicians of the Citizens Club were backing Mc- Bride, just so George W. Tiedeman, today, if elected Mayor, would not ! stand for Mcßride or Mcßrideism in the City Hall. When George W. Tiedeman is in augurated and assumes the duties of Mayor of this city, there will be a marked change in the surroundings of the City Hall, a new atmosphere, more healthful and inspiring. There will be no loiters lounging at the expense of the taxpayers. The men who will work for the city under May or Tiedeman will be such as will give honest, efficient and full service. At tentive to their official duties, cour teous to the public, and selected for their competency and not for their po litical pull. The thorough and careful overhauling of the financial affairs of the city will enhance her credit, and ; secure a renewal of her bonded in debtedness upon the most favorable | terms, from the confidence of capital in the proper administration of her resources. Wat Tiedeman Stands For. To summarize, the issues of this campaign, so far as the candidacy of George W. Tiedeman is concerned, let me repeat: Tiedeman stands for a clean city government. Tiedeman stands for an honest city government. Tiedeman stands for an economical city government. Tiedeman stands for a progressive city government. Tiedeman stands for a city govern ment cf the people, by the people, and for the people. Very respectfully, J. R. Saussy. GARRARD A FAILURE AS A BUSINESS MAN. (Continued from Third Page.) he was Vice-President of the Board of Trade. For several years he was a Vice-President in the Chambo. ot Commerce. He was always a worker in and a contributor to every Fair, Exposition or business entertainment (hat was inaugurated for advertising our city to the commercial world. He has done these things, and many more that will be brought out, without pay or hope of reward, and many times at a distinct personal loss of money and comfort. I quote from the article written un der the Norn de Plume of Herman Myers: “The moment Col. William Garrard enters the city hall as mayor that moment he becomes the mayor of the entire city of Savannah, eager to ad vance the welfare of all his fellow citizens, anxious to deal with fairness to all, regardless of their political affiliations, determined that every act of his shall in some measure promote the interest of the city he so devotedly loves.” In connection with this I desire to call public attention to the fact that William W. Osborne, Herman Myers, and Col. William Garrard were the three persons who put it up to George M. Gadsden, the Director of Public Works to discharge the men in his office who were guilty of affiliating politically with the Peoples Demo i cratic League. This was a strictly partisan action, and does not indicate that Col. Garrard will come to the mayor’s chair free from party ties. The statement in the same article, “Colonel Garrard, I know, does not regard himself as a candidate of any special club or faction, but is a candi date of a large body of fellow citizens who, without regard to past or present affiliations, wish him to be the mayor.” i There is no divine call about Colonel Garrard’s candidacy. If he is elected he will be boosted into office by a nomination tendered to hint by Jacob Collins and his club, supported by William W. Osborne and the fragments of the Citizens Club, with Garrity, Mc- Bride, Creamer and the Garfunkles, and with Herman Myers as the power behind the throne. This will hardly be an administration in the interest of the people. It will be as it has ; been in the past, a purely factional administration. No matter how strong a man Colonel Garrard may be, and i no matter how pure his motives, his environment will be hr- ’ Fo (sat at ilast the fundamental question fo-.the voters to determine on election day is whether George W. Tiedeman and the board of aldermen of the Peoples i Democratic League will more truly represent the interests of the people than Col. William Garrard and the j board of aldermen of the Citizens Club. Within the last ten days in a public speech Mr. W. W. Osborne said that I “The Citizens Club is still a live and compact organization.” Kill it, by your votes on January the Bth. Mr. J. Robert Creamer, whose admin istration of the finances of the police court was so highly commended by Colonel Shelby Myrick, but who, on account of his health, was forced to leave the city’s employ, at the general meeting in the Benedictine Hall arose and invited a citizen of this community to have a seat on the stage. Mr. Crea mer is supporting the Garrard-Osborne- Collins combination heartily. Same old crowd. In awarding contracts for feed for the Street and Lane Department, this business is shared out, first to one Citizens’ Club man and then to an other. No one who is not affiliated with the Citizens Club is considered. Merchants, who are tax-payers, are de prived of the right to get this business, and the city is deprived of the low prices that would be obtained by com petition. This is also true of the con tracts in other departments. Jake talks about “handing them out a package.” Does not this expression aptly describe the way the Garrard ticket was put forth? Osborne, Myers and Collins, with the assistance of Gar funkle, Mcßride, Garrity, Creamer, and Heriot selected a ticket and then filed it with the Clerk of Council. No executive committee or meeting was permitted to ratify it until after it had; been filed. But that is the way Boss, Osborne always does. Thomas Gamble —the conecting link j between Herman Myers and the Eng lish language. The Morning News is now repaying Colonel Garrard for his magnificent work in managing Colonel Estill’s cam paign. Just think of it, he carried four counties out of one hundred and forty-three, for the Governor. The laboring people know that the Citizens Club has been in absolute con trol of the City Government for a num ber of years and has had every oppor-! tunity to benefit the laboring men. They are not going to be fooled by promises made now for the sole pur pose of getting votes. Osborne and Collins have buried the hatchet. On January Bth the Peo-, pies’ Democratic League will bury | them with their hatchet. Before June 12th no language was too strong for Osborne and Collins to use about each other. Were they sin cere then, or now, when they praise each other. I Mr Collins’ previous unsuccessful ventures as a candidate before the people of Savannah would indicate that they do not trust to his sin cerity. His utterances in this cam paign do not tend to strengthen him in this regard. Who believes Mr. Collins when he says: “I never wanted the nomination.” “I am the workingman’s friend.” “I would not walk to that door for every vote in Chatham County.” "This is not a Citizens Club fight.” ! And lots of similar expressions, j while he angled for the confidence and :he votes of the people. No Jake, you just can’t make the people believe you. You almost had 1 ’em when as a reformer you roasted Mcßride and the rest of the gang — but you’re sleeping with ’em now — | and to tell the truth you look more natural there. Do people believe Jake—well hardly. “A distinct loss to the city,” said ! Alderman Stewart when the city em- I ployeee were dismissed the other day. j They were good men with many years of faithful service behind them. Yet men like these were fired on the eve of an election because they would not do the Boss’s bidding w r hile officials like Mcßride and his ilk were left undisturbed. Peck, Nipson and Mendel hre three of the hardest worked men in the city employ. As a bunch they sign the pay roll to the tune of $240.00 per month. And now comes John F. May: Where did he stand? We all know { where he’s going to fall. I Here is his political record since | Dec. 1: First, with Davant; second, on the stage at People’s Democratic ! League meeting at C. L. A. Hall; I Third, on the ? Club aldermanic tick ! et. Finis. AN APOLOGY. 1 (From the Truth, June 11, 1906.) We feel that the various speakers 1 of the Citizens Club and especially the 1 publishers of the Truth are called 1 upon to publicly apoligize to Jake Col ! lins. We feel an injustice has been done him. All the gentlemen who have referred to Jake’s record as a ’ friend of the laboring man have re ;: ferred to him as Seventy-five cents Jake. The speakers are mistaken. The original records of the railroad pay rolls during Jake’s administration 1 have recently been discovered. It is ' 1 now established beyond peradventure ! that Jake paid six cents an hour or ! ; seventy-two cents a day. Hereafter let him be known as seventy-two cents ' Jake —marked down from seventy-five. ■ It’s a wise thing Jake saved the three ! cents —he may have to “skiddo” after ’ the 12th; Jake is the original 23. Nominee John F. May is Chameleon of Politics. As a lightning change artist of po- I litical faiths Mr. John F. May, a candi ; date for alderman on the Citizens | Club-People’s League ticket, carries j off the palm. Mr. May probably holds the record, even in these times of sacrifice of principles for place, in ! his exertions to get on a band wagon j where his ambition for recognition J would be gratified. There is extant a letter written by Mr. May to the followers of Capt. Da \ vant stating his willingness to accept j a place on the board to be selected j by them in case Capt. Davant made ! the race. This it must be remember ed followed Mr. May’s appearance be fore the Steering Committee of the People’s Democratic League to recom mend to those gentlemen that Mr. J. D. Epps be placed on the ticket. Next Mr. May is seen in the acrobatic feat of trying to displace his friend Mr. Epps from the place on the ticket of | the People’s Democratic League. Then it was that Mr. May was seen jin prominent places on the stage at j the meetings of the People’s Demo jcratic League. Finding that Mr. Epps was a fixture on this ticket Mr. May executed a flip flap to the Collins band wagon and was at last safely i ensconced as an aldermanic nominee, within four days after ne was holding forth on the Peoples Democratic League stage. It is very probable, that the voters with this record before them will fail to stamp with their approval Mr. Mays ambitions to wear the toga of an alderman. JUDGE ADAMS SAYS - (Continued from Third Page.) put forth a ticket composed of men i that we can safely trust, and, there ! fore, not only as the representatives |of an organization that deserves the i recognition and gratitude of the com imunity, but in their own right and on i their own merits we can safely i | and properly sustain them. I believe j there is not a man on the ticket who I cannot safely be called an honest and ian honorable man. As to no one of them, so far as my knowledge or in | formation extends, is there any room jto fear that he will not be faithful to his oath of office and will not do ! what he conceives is for the best in terests of this City. It is a strong ticket from any standpoint. A num j her of gentlemen of the best financial ■ ability are on the ticket, representa tive business men who have the pres tige of success in business, and whose i lives and career guarantee that they have capacity to handle, with skill and success, any problem In finances I or municipal advance that may come | up for their consideration, those who j are not called business men, in the j Strict acceptation of the term, are fit : and proper representatives and have I I the capacity to make good Aldermen ; and discharge the duties that may de i j volve upon them. Knowing, as I do, : j the disinclination of busy men to as sume the cares and burdens of an Alderman’s position, I marvel at the ; j success of the Committee, and it r seems clear to me that their labors deserve hearty endorsement. I anticipate for Mr. Tiedeman’s ad ministration great and permanent suc cess. It will be a safe administration., and, at the same time, a progressive administration. It will fully represent | a movement that has accomplished so much for our beautiful City, and : whose good work ought to be con tinued and preserved by the election -of the ticket put forth by the People’s Democratic League.