Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-11-04
THE SMITH EPISODE.
Mr.. Carroll Writes Another Letter and X
lates Some History.

Mr.. Carroll Writes Another Letter and Re-
lates Some History.
have accused Edward Smith of selling
out the Democratic party i'm this city.
Mr.. Smith admits It. | say that he voted
against Governor Davis ana President
Cleveland and have his own word for IL.
He did 1t because Davis could not get
Cleveland to appoint him Postmaster.
President Cleveland told Smith In my
presence at Washington tnat he would
not appoint him Postmaster 30 long as he
continued In the liquor business. Mr..
Smith knows the promise he made to get
out and put his son, John, in his place.
He did not keep his word. He knows fur
ther that he agreed In my Office 20 get out
OF the way for William p. Moroney and
that he broke his word the veiy next
morning.
The matter OF the Postrnast ership I'm
this city is piece OF unwritten history,
and suppose II would be a general mat
ter OF comment for the public. so | will
write II and be more general than usual
In explaining matters.
HWsll, Smith wanted to be Postmaster
He was an uneducated man who had ac-
cumulated money In the liquor business,
and he wanted to he "elevated" above his
business. So the thought struck him that
II he was made Post IL would give
him standing. One night, | think IL
was Sunday, when he was suffering with
rheumatism, Mr.. Moroney got me to go
to visit Smith. Smith then told Moroney
that II he (Smith) couldn't get the Post.
office he would go for Moropey. Smith
and went to Washington ana the Presi-
dent decidedly said that he would not ap-
point Smith on account of his business.
l asked he President II he would appoint
Smtth IL Smith got out OF the business.
The President said that at that time there
was prohibitory law in Rhode Island
and that he had many letters against the
appointment Of MIR. Smith. Mr.. Smith
then agreed to go out OF the business, bot
he did not do so. He could not, he said;
yet he kept In the race.
At the time was the counsel for Con-
gresham Page In his contest against
Congressman Pierce. / got word to go to
Washington to argue the case before the
Committee on Elections. | went there,
and Henry McDun, Bernard McCabe yc.ti
Alexander Morrison went with me. After
disposing of Mr.. Pages case we all went to
see Attorney General Villas in Smiths
interest. We got the papers in the case
and found letters there signed by p. T..
Hayes, II. II. Stearns and others, against
Smith. Mr.. Villas said that he would
not appoint Smith. He said that he
thought that we were representing the
Democracy OF Pawtucket and he then
and there said that IL we would unite on
any man outside Of Smith that we could
carry the appointment home with Us.
call now on the others to bear me out
that emphatically refused to do any such
thing until Smith gave the word. They
will remember that we went to the st.
James Hotel and that they waEted to set
tie II tten and that i positively refused.
We came home. / sent for Mr.. Smith and
In his presence, and I'm presence of
clergyman and William p. Moroney, told
Smith the ultimatuM, l then asked him
to write letter OF withdrawal and letter
In support OF Moroney. l reminded him
that he had promised his support to
Moroney II he couldn't get the place him
self. He then and there withdrew for
Moroney and promised to meet me in the
morning and sign the letter. waited for
him till after the next morning, but when
he didn't appear l went after him. When
! asked him to come ana sign the letters
he gave one OF his horse laughs and said:
"What dye take me for? DO you and
Moroney think you can pull my leg? II
Moroney wants the Office let him get it.
am in the fight to the end"
l went Immediately and told Moroney,
end he is deserving OF credit for what he
then said. He said: "Well, let Smith
go to Puck. l can get along without the
office. II he is going to BE- hog, all
right"
One Sunday shortly after Smiths son,
John, met mo In the street and gave me
letter received from Gov. Davis in Wash
ington. The Governor was there trying
to get Smith the place and Gen. Olney
Arnold was there In the interes' OF Mr..
Wilkinson, and tho letter plainly said
that Wilkinson was the man unless some
thing was done soon. | Immediately
wired Gov. Davis t-2 he shoulc advocate
Moroney IL Smith e.. aid not get the office.
My wiring was ton late, for Mr.. Wiikin-
con was appointed on the DAY before.
That is the history. and from that day
to this Smith has not been good Demo
crst.
The date OF the trouble with Moroney
Is the night when he said In ia" Guy dall
that he was ashamed OF the Democratic
party. He did not soe me ut the Cime, but
when told him that he owed seversl lu-
crative Offices to the Democrats he told me
in the prese nee OF several tnat he "did not
thank the Democrats, but h!s Republican
friends" then told him fairly that he
must look to them in the future.
He and Smith are now lighting Robin
son and making faces at me. II they are
Republicans let them ssy SO at once.
What are they afraid of?
HUGH j. CARROLL.