The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-22
DEMO CRATIC" REFO
How it Operates in a Little
Country POStOffice.
Political Spleen Raises the Deuce in
Town of Richmond.

The postofiiee Of Carolina, town of
Richmond, Washington county, this
State, serves about 1000 persons in and
about the village and adjoining farms,
Carolina Mills Company, the ''Metcalf
Mills, employing or representing about
one-half OF this population.
The posiofiice department at Washing
ton has sent word 10 Csrolinq discontin-
uing the village postofiice and notifying
the people whom IL has seved that in
future they must go TO Wood River juno
ton for their mails.
This is a product of as small a piece of
politics as even the Democratic party was
ever guilty of.
1t appears that the Carolina postofiice
is one OF the few in the State thai was
still left in charge OF a Republican post
master. John Hoxsie, OF Cnarlestown,
Inember OF the Democratic State Central
C0mmittee, IL tns Chap who-tsiH I'm
mediate charge OF the ~postofice appoint
ments in that section and for some time
he has left no stone unturned TO Gust
the Republican POSTMASTER, MIR. Whiting
Metcslf, and substitute some Democratic
politician in his place. 1t appears,
though, that the administration of the
postoilice was thoroughly satisfactory to
everybody interested it pays the Govern
ment better than the average OF Offices OF
this class, and no Democrat could be
found to accept the Job.
hoxsie has been growing madden and
msdder over the situation for some time
and not long ago he openly boosted that
ne would have a Democrat in Office Mt
Carolina or he would have the office abol-
ished. He failed In the first alternative,
but his threat to abolish the Office has
been carried out, thanks 10 a ''c.vil SER
vice reform" administration at Washing
ton, and undoubtedly, also, to the efforts
of men like X. Il. Comstock of Provi-
dence, who is one of the leaders of the
"'reform' movement in the current muni-
cipal campaign and knows a thing or two
about exercising salutary discipline in
the interests OF the Democratic party of
this State.
tsHow mean and unwarranted is this
Democratic trick. and how far political
righteousness can go is further indicated
by the fact of the Wood River Junction
office being selected. That p~ostoffice is
situated 2A miles from Carolina while the
post office at Shamrock IL only Ia miles
off and that at Kenyon "a miles distant.
The object evidently was to make as much
Inconvenience as possible for the ~recalci-
trants against the autocratic rule OF the
Democratic State central committe.
To the people OF Carolina
mills the change IL OF comparatively
small consequences as their teams can cart
the mail to Wood River Junction. But
TO the balance of the population the in
convenience put upon them is formidable.
y The incident Is an example of the kind
of business the people have learned to
expect from Democrats who pose as re-
formers rs well as from ordinary Demo-
Gratis. In connection with Ii is recalled
that Congressman Page, another reform
er. secured the establishment OF a post
Office at Elmhurst in the South County
that accommod ates only one family,
that OF the postmistress, and furnishes a
soit snap TO one membe of the family
at DIR living a mail team to Usquebaugh-
regardless OF law, by the way, is this
nepotismf
The Department at Washington IL like
ly 10 to get further information from Sen
stor Aldrich before this Democratic
scheme is allowed to stand.