The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-11-28
EARNEST.
Conference of the Best Citizens In
Providence To-day.
GOVERNOR LADD PRESIDED.
Enthusiasm for Mayor Smiths Election
Displayed by all and the Determina-
tion Expressed that He Shall be Return
ed to The City Hall.


dence are fully aroused, and do not mean
to fail OF an election next Wednesday.
The following circular was sent out this
morning, and in response large and en-
thusiastic gathering of prominent Repub-
licans met at the Narragansett at noon:
Saturday, November 2s. 1891.
The failure 10 elect mayor and state sem
ator at the election on Tuesday last and the
Importance to our taxpayers, and to the Re
publicans of the city and State. and possibly
even TO the nation, that may result IL some
thing Is not done TO make the next trial n vic
tory, prompts the calling of a meeting OF rep
resentative citizens To consider the situation
and take such action as will settle the matter
next Wednesday as the best interests of our
citizens demand.
You are requested TO attend meeting at
Room Is, Narragansett Hotel, this day, Satur-
day, at IL O'Clock. noon.
As the urgency of this notice makes ID i'm
practicable To reach all who would like to be
at the meeting, IL Is hoped that you will per-
sonally request the presence of any such.
Nelson w. Aldrich. VIM. III. Luther,
Herbert w. Ladd, George f.. Barstow
Royal &. Taft, John McAuslan,
William $. Hayward, y. Edward Studley,
Gorham Il. Pomroy, Eugene w Mason,
Henry X. Barker, John w. Danielson,
William Ames, Joseph Davol
ID. Russell Brown, VIM. :. Granger,
Francis w. Carpenter, Benz. w. Persons,
Henry Il. Lippitt, William Gammell,
Jeffrey Hazard, Herbert n. Fenner.
His Excelency Gov Ladd called the
meeting to order and read the circular,
after which he spoke of the emergency at
hand and the necessity for prompt, united
and vigorous action. The citizens
present represented the most promi-
nent and most trusted of Provi-
dence business and public men and they
were there determined that Charles sgd
ney Smith should be elected mayor of
Providence. The earnestness and enthu-
siasm displayed seem to leave no room for
any doubt of success.
Gov. Ladd was chosen chairman and
Walter Il. Frost Secretary. IL was stated
that whila the meeting was private in its
nature there was nothing secret about the
business transacted. Gov. Ladd stated
that the object of the meeting was TO
devise means for getting out the Republi-
can vote, and that il was not in any way
for the purpose of raising money to carry
on the campaign.
Representatives from the various wards
were called on for suggestions as to the
best way OF getting out the vote at the
election next Wednesday. Alderman-elect
Frank Il. Olney, John Carter Brown
Woods, Herbert l.. Gates, Charles Edward
Paine, Col. f. II. Rockwell, Frank F..
Carpenter, Alderman +. G.. Burrows,
Alfred Stone and others spoke on the
general question of the work done in the
different wards, the reasons for the failure
TO get out larger vote at the last cleo
tion, and offered suggestions for bringing
out the voters next Wednesday.
License Commissioner Burnham offered
a resolution, which was adopted, that a
committee of five voters be appointed in
each voting district to assist the ward
committee in stirring up the Republican
voters and getting them to the polls.
Mayor Smith was called upon to speak.
He said that il had been stated that he
had no desire for the Office and this state
ment had been used against him to some
extent. While personally he had no de
sire for the office, yet he was holding il in
the interest of good government and the
Republican party and was in the fight to
the end.
Ii had also been stated, he said, that the
Republicans had voted against him, but
an inspection of the ballots showed that
the voting had been very nearly straight
on both sides the reason for SO small n
vote being that the Republicans did not
come out.
Personally, he said, he had no political
ambitions he was simply there as the
agent of his fellow citizens. He then
stated his position on the franchise ques-
ton. He said that intelligent people
would generally agree that competing
companies shonld not have the use Of our
streets. The city shonld derive revenue
from the companies that use the streets.
While il had been stated broadly that
he was in favor of franchise which
would tie the city up for fifty years, the
statute expressly limits it to twenty-five
years, or as much less as the Common
Council may desire. The statute also
provides that corporations may be taxed
not more than 3per cent. af the gross re-
ceipts.
This would bring an income to the city
of $1,000 week or thereabouts. Thus
the city would be preferred stakeholder
20 the amount of one-fifth of the capital
OF these four corporations.
He declared IL as bis desire that the
city's treasury should get this income,
which belongs TO ii, for the use of its
streets. He asserted that he did not own
n mills worth Of stock la any of these cor
porations. lie believes i'm being fair with
the corporations, but leaving no stone nm
turned to have the city receive all the rev
enue from this source that belongs to il.
lie further stated that previous to the
election a committee from the Advance
Club had called upon him and interrogat-
ed him on his position as to the franchise
question. The committee included Presi-
dent f. Benjamin Andrews of Brown
University, John McAuslan, David NJ.
Thompson, ID. Russell Brown, William
Corliss and others. He had explained his
position to them fully and they had gone
away satisfied that the interests of the
city would be safe i'm his hands.
Then followed more general talk on the
work TO be done in the present campaign
between now and next Wednesday, after
which the meeting adjourned.
The committee consisting OF five promi
nent business men from each district of
each ward was selected for appointment
by Gov Ladd 10 look out for the interests
OF the party on the days from now until
after the election. These are representa-
heartily in the interest of the Republican
party The men present and those on the
committees are the people who pay the