The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-03-19
.SWEETENED BY HONEY.
Newport Republicans Fall Into a
Trap.
THE MAYORS CAMPAIGN RUSE,
5000 Copies OF the Experts Water Re
port to be Circulated as n Campaign
Document at the City's Expense-lt
Looked Like a Breakdown.

NEWPORT, March 19.-When IL became
generally known yesterday that special
meeting OF the City Council had been
summoned by Mayor Honey for last even
ing. the public curiosity became very
great and the more conservative Of the
citizens wondered with some anxiety,
whether anything startling would take
place to endanger their interests. On the
face of it, this would not seem to be so,
but by the time the NEWS reaches New
port a good many people will have taken
tumble and come to the conclusion that
the calling OF the meeting and the action
taken thereat, is one of the finest pieces
of sharp trickery at the public expense for
the coming State election that has ever
been consumnated.
In the first place every member OF the
council. right up to the time of meeting,
professed ignorance as to the object of the
call. so that when the Hon. Samuel arose
and read genuine campaign document
recommending the discontinuance of the
water works bill now before the General
Assembly. everybody, both Republican
and Democrat, appeared surprised, and
cheerfully said "Aye" in acquiesence.
Mr.. Honey's reasons for such course
were entirely partisan, and the most as
tonishing thing is that the minority did
not realize or recognize the trap that was
laid for them and into which they walked
SO unsuspectingly.
After lot of twaddle and buncombe,
with partisan opinions of Attorney Green
and Heffernan, the daughty would-be-
Senator gave his legal opinion that the
hearings before committees Of the General
Assembly were not juaicial and so far as
he could see the present Democratic city
government stood no show whatever OF
getting any justice from the present
black, dyed-in-the-wool Republican AS
sembly.
All this sounded very pretty, and to the
Republican members of the council
seemed for the moment to be complete
backdown from his previous action, while
of course the Democrats in the secret said
nothing but smiled and sawed wood.
1t is In order to say here, that Mayor
Honey's prolific address was made before
the two boards in joint convention and
Immediately after they separated resolu-
tions were passed in each body, and au-
thorizing the discontinuance of the bills
and the printing of 5000 copies of the ex-
perts report as TO the condition of New
ports city waiter supply. In other
words, the whole council, so far as the OPP
position goes, were gulled completely and
what seemed n backdown at first sight on
the part of Mayor Honey is q brilliant
piece of stratagem to have the above re-
ports distributed as campaign docu-
ment, for the election next month, at the
expense of the city.
The whole coup was well arranged and
was the creation of master; the secret
was well kept and the result was what
might have been expected. OF course il
is we'll known fact that in the the two
boards there are only half dozen Repub-
licans, yet IL does seem somewhat strange,
that after their experience since the in
auguration in January, they will vote for
any measure or resolution proposed by
the present regime until the whole subject
matter had been thrashed out in the light
of discussions; but so it is and the boys
are kicking themselves to think how sim
ply they fell into the trap sweetened with
Honey.