The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-08
WHAT AILS The PARTY?
A Leading Democrat" Diagnoses
His Party's Disease.
AFFLICTED WITH M'NALLYISM.
A Letter to q Newport Paper That II OF
Interest to All the Voters. as IL Tells
why Some Things Are Not Attainable
by the Democracy.

interview Win one OF the Deinocrati
leaders," which purports to give the atti
tude of the portion Of that party that Ia
| not gone over to the McNally wing. IL il
| interesting reading and is doubtless We r,
near 10 the bottom truth regarding tn,
situation of the Democrats in this city
and in the state. This "leading Demo
cratp says:
1--WE had party which the Republi.
cans at first respected aud then feared.
We defeated them at last in the guber-
Material election and then in the legisla
ture and finally in the election for mem
bers of congress.
"How did we accomplish this by
hard work and depending upon our own
resources. If we wanted money we got
together In our wards aud assessed our
selves. say $40 each. The same thing was
done in other cities aud towns aud this
gave us all the money we needed for
legitimate expenses.
''Wnen we got everything runpin z
smoothly then crept in the light-overcoat
and tall-collared Democrats the individ-
uais who are figuring In this city. aud
suppose they are To be found In the other
cities and la the towns, under the name
of the Young Democracy. They are a
band of political wreckers, aud they are
in the thing for the spoils.
by packing caucuses, ana by acting
as runners, they have defeated the best
sets Of candidates offered as delegates,
aud have placed their own kind where
they could vote for nominations which
have been distasteful to the older MEM
bers OF the party and disastrous in the
extreme. They have driven the respect
able members or the party out OF the
control or the organizaJion, and dis
gusted those who were so willing at all
times to do hard work and To settle the
biils Tor the expenses OF a campaign.
Money has ueen another cause OF the
ruinatiou or the Democratic party. We
were once accustomed to raise what little
money ne needed tor our legitimate ex-
penSes by small personal Contributions
But III time we began TO have brought 70
THIS state large sums or money which
were raised in New York and elsewhe re.
aud too often 1t was in the control of an
individual who has been a hindrauce to
party success. There WAS 10 need for
this money. 1t only served TO make our
own party corrupt. Where the rank and
file voted out OF patriotic motives they
soon began TO demand pay, and we were
often compelled TO buy our own voters.
The alleged young Democrats generally
began operations by voting themselves a
certain sum Tor their services, aud then
by putting the boys oIto the soft suap.
"Ihe money thus raised out OF tie
state has been sometimes usel Tor de-
feating people within the parJy. Let me
cite you All instance. One year ago Mr..
Brennan was TO run for delegate To the
state convention. There was sent up TO
this city sum OF mohey approxlma, ing
sl,5Oo. This was put out IN Gen. Bren-
mans ward TO defeat him, because he was
supposed TO be "a Hui man. The doughty
general got there just the same, but only
by expending $500 in cold cash and from
his own pocket, that he obi ali ell a seat in
the convention In which Cleveland dele
gates were elected to the national con-
vention. That money to defeat him
came from Newport.
Nov you know what is the trouble I'm
the Democratic party. You mark my
words, he old-tlme men. like Brown.
Miller, Brennan and host more will be
found glued 10 the chairs this spring
They are going to watch the pr cession
pass. You will lind that there is a de-
termination to let the McNally men run
the machine to tue end this time, and to
let them score one more defeat, and when
they have done this, there will lea new
deal and new siale central COMMITTEE,
viii. be chosen for the next year which
Will be more OF a business organization
what with the so-called young Demo
Gratis, McNallyism and the assistance of
renegades from the Republican party,
Rhode Island Democracy has been hay.
INK pre1oy h"iu iuch VI late. 1he party
is in sucn deploraDle condition TODAY
that it would Dc suicidal for anybody
VINO has political hopes and aspirations
to run ior Office this time. Such persons
will do well TO wait until the wreck
strikes shore and Is got out of the pai h of
sound navigation. They had better save
their money and their time.
WHO VIII be nominated Well l
hear some talk of bringing out Gov.
Davis again. i hardly think this viii be
done. Gov. Davis has served the party
for all that he is worth rs a drawing card.
L lind disposition not to take up with
him again for the reason that it is not
good politics to bring out an old hack, aud
often defeated one. too many times.
4 hen. again, l hear Ex Lieut.. Gov Ward
well spoken OF. / know that Mr.. Ward
we'll has been advised not to accept the
nomination. He cannot take IL without
he pays the greater portion OF the &c
ton expenses, which will be quito heavy
this year.
"Mr. Wardwell is not in q position
where he can stand such drain 10 his
finances as would be made upon them,
de would be committing a terrible folly.
for believe there would be nothing ior
him to achieve out OF the election. ex-
cepting certain defeat and by the peo-
pie.
Tine gentleman from Bristol knows
this as well AS any otter man in the
state and yet know tnat he would like
the nomination. Well. II he Is tool
enough To take II at the price, why let
him do so. lie cannoG be elected this
year There are not enough Democratic
votes to carry him through this year.
" As To the remainder of the ticket. no.
body appears To have any definite IDEAS
OF Its makeup. Some say that Charles
Gorman cauuot he uuloaded upon the
party another tr.p; the burden was TOO
great last year. .dr. iieffernan of W oon-
socket Is willing 10 run for secretary of
state again, anu the her candidates of
1872 would probably not object to another
20 at tue Offices. But .Mr. Spencer of
w arwick will not be the choice of the
convention for general treasurer again,
Tor the reason that he represents a sec.
tion of the state which. although strongly
permeated with De nocracy, is still In the
control OF the Republicans