The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-06-09
WERE AFTER A PRECEDENT.
Reasons Why the Democrats Followed
Illegal Course at Newport
THEY WERE LOOKING AHEAD
To Time when n Successor to Senator
Dixon is Chosen When They Intend
to Follow the same Course and Unseat
Republicans to Elect Their Candidate.

The Democratic leaders are In state
OF mind not to be envied. They have
asked the supreme court to tell them
where they are at. and they are in serious
doubt whether the answer will ever
come.
Here is the case in brief: The Demo
Gratis in the house OF representatives ask
the court whether or not the governor
had the power To adjourn the general as
sembly. In the event OF the court find
ing that tAe governors action was legal,
where are the Democrats? The assam
bly, was adjourned at $50 o'clock in the
afternoon the resolution asking the
opinion was. not passed un IL after 4
o'clock. 1t follows, then. that legal
house did not ask the opinion, and the
court is not likely 10 recognize revolu-
tionary body by answering its interroga
tories.
What foliowsf Weary, wearing wait
ing for offices that will never come. That
Is the unpleasing prospect he Democra $
s &c spread before them now. Or course
they don't admiS that their spirits are
not kiting and frisking "a high AS mer-
curry la dog day weather. but when two
or more have congregateI to discuss the
situation, the atmosphere surrouL ding
them takes on distinct c,rulean hue.
In More Ways Than One.
The Democrats are disappointed in
more ways than one. 1t was not merel y
for the election of their candidates for
stat, officers they were fighting when
without warrant or wisdom they unseat-
ed Messrs. Lauders and Hoxsey. They
were looking ahead some Twelve months
or more. They wers trying TO establish
precedent which woulI not only give
4 Inn, .aH Hiaf fr Al Af 4 ar
ernment but would make it easy for
them to elect Colo Iel Honey. Congress
man Page or some other member of the
party to the United States sena.e To sue
ceed Senator Dixon, whose term Will ex'
pire next year.
There is not the slightest doubt thai
it Was quite as much & r the precedent
as Tor the offices the Democrats def d
constitution, law aud Gus ON at New
port. and a little consideration will show
that the scheme WAS a shrewd one, aud
had it been successfully carried out
would have helped the Democrats amaz.
ingly.
Ii The Republicans had gone into grand
co nmittee after the revolutionary pro
ceedings in the house taey could not af
terxard have raised the question OF the
legality Of the action OF the Democratic
majority. Moreover, they would have
sanctioned it, which was just what the
democrats wanted them To do.
If They Were Needless.
Assume that the Republicans were
needless enough To tlus sanction the rev.
olutionary course of the Democrats, and
one can readily see what cluo he latter
would make OF the fact next spring when
United States senator is TO De chosen.
Ii ey had majority in tue house but
minority il grand committee
there Is no question that they would pro-
iced to unseat Republicans enough tc
give them control and elecJ their candi.
uate. Aud iJ is also beyond question
that they ould contend tnat the ac ion
was perfectly legal because in accord
auce witu the precedent established this
Jear.
In view of the fact that Colonel Honey
Is, according to his friends, a candidate
for the senatorshIp. 1T is not at all sur
prising that he relused TO consent to q
return TO legal methods. The colonel
lsn't selfish, but theL no believe, in see-
lug that Mr.. Honey's chances do not
sulfer from iuat;en ion.