The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-03-23
WANTED--A HEAD
The Democratic Body Needs Cere-
bral Guidance.
The TRICK IN LINCOLN.
Sharp Practise Which Defeated Its
Own Purpose.
PAPERS RECEIVED TOU LATE,
Mr.. Gobeille's Candidacy Is Not Only
Illegal, Hut the Whole Ticket is Shut
Out-MiddIetown's Democratic Ticket
Also Too Late-Other Political News.

The Democrats of the town of Lincoln
have been hoisted by their own petard.
Scheming and cunning at fraud they find
themselves to-day on the outer side of
the door and with the cold winds of win
ter blowing upon them.
AT the regular caucus of the Demo
cratic party of that town the electors
placed in nomination with other candi-
dates for the House of Representatives,
Charles l.. Spencer.
Now the Democrats of Lincoln had be-
come alarmed because of the large num-
ber of French-Canadian voters in that
town and they wished TO conciliate them.
IL was decided TO ship Spencer and place
John l.. Gobielle in his place, but IL was
TO be done SO quietly that the Republicans
should not hear OF it until too late to
checkmate.
Under the provisions of the present bal
lot law. better known as the Australian
system, aud a statute loudly called for in
past years by the Democratic party, no
change can be made from the caucus
nominations until after the time expires,
when all such nominations are reported to
the Secretary of State, and three days
are allowed for the designations Of candi-
dates and the substitution of other names
by the city or town committees.
The Lincoln Democratic committee
took the law into their own hands, and
having filled out paper, and in violation
of an law, with Gobeilles name upon it.
held II in allegiance until last night.
Mr.. Bennett the assistant secretary of
State, sat in his Office until midnight,
waiting for the Democratic nominations
from Lincoln. The Republican papers
were all in by IL o'clock in the morning,
but there were six Democratic towns
fromIwhich no returns had been received.
Special messengers We're sent To Exeter
and North Providence and the nomina-
ton papers FROM those towns came strag-
Cling in very late in the night. Middle
town, Portsmouth and Little Compton
were decidedly out of it.
Lincoln still tarrying. telephone mes
sage was sent out by perturbed Demo
crat, and after 11:30 o'clock the clerk of
the caucus was found enjoying himself
at dance in this city.
He swore TO the nominations, and re-
turned to his dancing, while the search
ing committee hurried TO the State House,
proudly throwing the all-important docu-
ment on Mr.. Benefits desk at exactly l2
o'clock.
Alas The labor had been in vain. The
clerk had not signed the nomination pa
pers, and the trick to run in Gobielle as a
candidate not only failed, but the entire
business was null and void.
Jut VI U00 JOWn
of Lincoln came in with some of his col
leagues and sought TO elicit sympathy
and to encourage a sentiment in behalf Of
a special to patch up the Democratic blum
ders.
The Republicans said that law was law
Thirteen months ago they had occasion TO
test the honor of Democrats in the vote TO
go into grand committee for the election
of chief justice of the supreme court
only, and found that there was no stabil-
ity in that word. The Democrats had in
sisted on the Australian system; let them
abide by IT,
Town Solicitor Hurley looked very sad!
The Democratic nomination papers from
Middletown, arrived at the State House at
1880 o'clock, this morning. They are
valueless.
Wanted guardian for the Democracy
of Rhode Island.