Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-03-24
WOMEN IN POLITICS.
She Is a Very Prominent
Factor IN This State
IN THE SENATORIAL MATTER
How Correspondent Looks at ex-
Gov. Wetmore's Candidacy.

To The Editor OF the Tribune:
There was great rejoicing in certain CIR
cles some years ago over What II was then
the fashion To call "the scholar in poll
tics" based upon the fact that Cabot
Lodge, Theodore Roosevelt and Russell
Lowell had showna willingness, even
d, sire, TO come out of their literary seclu-
sion, or "inactivIty" as II was sneeringly
designated, take part IN the work OF ac-
tive legislation, ana assume the cares and
Worriments of official station. This
worked very we'll for short time, tut
when MIR. Lodge, in his election contests,
did not disdain TO avail himself OF the
benefits of shrewd wire-pulling In order
to win, when Theodore Roosevelt, that he
might carry through certain measures
good in themselves but encountering
strong opposition, showed that he knew
how To log roll with the most expert OF
them, and beat them too, and finally
when DR.. VIM. Everett took hand at
the game, Knocked his Republican oppo-
nent into cooked hat, and "deposlted
him i'm a cavity, then the effulgent bril-
liancy OF the "scholsr in politics., which
had flashed forth over the DARKNESS OF
party corruption like the long tail of
sparks from rocket when II goes up,
suddenly died away very much like the
colored fires OF this same rocket when II
has busted, and the aforesaid "scholar"
came down, in the estimation OF the
"workers" at least, good deal QUICKER
than the stick to which the rocket atore-
said is attached.
Now that the "scholar" has taken a
back seat, the "woman In politics" seems
TO be coming o the fore. Mrs. Lease, pop
ulist orator, alleged Free Mason, Chair
man OF a Board, and possessor of an un-
limited "gift OF the gab'', has beaten Gov.
Llewellyn in the contest he made with
her 80 completely that In racing parlance
he "isn't even placed; Louise Michel
outrsnks I'm violence Of opinion and yigor
OF expression the most blatant Anarchist
that hasn't bathed for a six mouth; Mrs.
Annie Austin, the newly elected mayor
ess OF Pleasanton, Kansas, has taken
contract to check rum drinking, stop Gig
arette- smoking, keep the boys ana girls
all in the house after 8 O'Clock, and ban
ish tights from the vaudeville stage; (the
joke of II Is the men are awfully afraid
she'll succeed too;) ana now right here
in Rhode Island, the home OF Roger Will
lams and Shepherd Tom, the state that
includes Starve-goat island, Rumstick
point, Chippewanoxett, Quinsnickett and
Nine Mems Misery within its borders,
the grave aud weigbty question OF who
shall wear the mantle of Senator, thrill
with his eloquence and sway with his
logic the halls of national legislation,
bids fair TO be settled IN accordance with
the wish of one woman that another
shall not be allowed to outshine her in
"soeioty," or TO occupy more elevated
station in the ranks OF New York's re-
fined and cultured 400. The gray mare is
often called the better horse and some
times is so ,and perhaps this case will prove
no exception. All the force of logic, all
the power OF persuasion, all the eloqueDce,
the ''infiuence," the pull" OF man who
was able to carry McKinleyism through
the upper house OF Congress, who came
within an ace of being put In charge Of
the United States Treasury, who "almost
persuaded" (or wanted TO 90 so,) Paw
tucket to relay its streets to a uniform
width of 80 feet and make them run in
straight lines and al right angles, who
five years ago opposed the senatorial aspir-
ations OF an Ex-Governor successfully,
and secured for himself colleague OF
about as much influence compared with
his own as tin whistle would exert in
trying to drown the blare of orass band
in Coney Island dance hall-all OF these
have come to naught, the boss, the state
central committee, tue b'hOSs" have
been won over, opposition has been crush
ed out and dissatisfaction smootbed
away, the senior Senator Aforesaid has
been forced TO eat humble pie, the ex-
Governor has come again to the front and
II he gets enough votes will secure the
prize he lost before, simply because one
woman has made up her mind That she Is
as good as another one and perhaps
leetle better. The wife OF the second
highest official In this great and glorious
republic occupied a place in the Nations
capital that made her almost the first lady
in the land, the very center OF the most
select and exclusive "cicle of society,
for which, fortunately, her culture, her
ability, her wealth, abundant good sense
aud ever ready tact admirably adapted
her-why shouldn't aDot her, equally as
highly gifted Ina all the qualities of mead
and heart, with perhaps an equally Pile
thoric bank account, and suieiy with as
blue blood anu ot as distinguished lin
eage-Why shouldn't sucn anot her show
that she 100 Is ia the social swim and way
up on the top roller, on the very crest of
the supremest beacD- com BERT Bless her
dear heart! There is no earthly reason
that the new Senator never has sustained
and meyer will sustain any more intimate
personal relations 10 tue state be may
nominally represent than Mr.Brice does TO
Ohio, or than Mr.. Stewart did TO Nevada,
has no more TO do with II than the wish
of the Pawtucket School Board TO get a
big appropriation for a new High School
building had 10 do with the sudden dis
covery that the present bes dtiful structure
is unsafe when the winds do blow, ana is
more dangerous now than 1t has been ever
since II blew Of its foundations more than
twenty years ago.
An eastern potentate, when told that
his most trusted servant, his hitherto
faithful Vizler, had betrayed his conf
dence and cleaned out his treasure Golfers.
simply asked "wbo is she2" lie was
true philosopher, and bis inquiry as to
the identity of the woman In the case was
only more polite way OF finding out
what PascOag pJlitiCian, or Chepachet
committeeman would call "the cat ina the
meal". IL consolation ofa negative sort