The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-22

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Democratic faith and principle would
choose the latter just as We would choose
the former-other things being equal.
And "other things usually are equal
we presume honesty and good intentions.
With regard to tho sschoico Of candi-
dates by whatever parties or organiza-
tions, under whatever name they may be
called. we doubt II any method car be
devised that is superior to the primary
meeting. The primary meeting is at
the very foundation of our civil govern
meut. We have no doubt that caucuses
are often controlled by non-representative
cliques but the voters have q method TO
overcome that and do 1t in the caucus.
No caucus was ever ruled by a minority
unless for the reason that the majority
was negligent. We often hear the claim
made by individuals that a minority
rules such and such a ward. But IL that
is so it is the fault OF the majority. In
many cares, however, such claimants to
represent a majority actually represent the
minority themselves, as many a test con.
test has demonstrated When the ma
jority OF citizens in a ward permit a mi
nority to run things 1t is their own fault.
1t is simple question Of ballots, and
numbers always win. We recall the or
ganization Of a ward club in Ward 4. 1t
grew in bers and its members came
to feel dissatisfied with the nominations
that the ward committee, exercising the
duty imposed upon them to represent q
majority sentiment of their party, Sc
cured. One night the club, we'll organ
lied, with lots OF noses counted and full
OF enthusiasm, went into caucus to fight
the ward committee and as they had the
numbers, as they and not the committee
could command the most votes, they
swamped the committee. And we have
heard, in recent years, that there is a
growing feeling in that ward against
the dictatorship" OF the Fourth
Ward Club. But SO long as that
organization represents the ma
jority sentiment OF the ward
it will continue to, and viii have the
right to exercise its so-called dictator
ship"
On the other hand IL the opposition
grows in numbers and gets together 1t
will have no difficulty in squelching the
club-just so soon as it is really the major.
ity. II that primary meeting in Ward
lasted only three and a half minutes it
was simply because nobody appeared to
oppose the candidates that some body
some organized body IL you please
named for all the party voters to take sc-
tion on. II q majority in opposition
stayed away and left a minority to run
things, the majority, not the minor
ity, was blamable If they were not fairly
represented in the running OF them. |
There were a number of very respect
able citizens I'm attendance and we feel
sure that they would not nave locked
out any OF their fellow-citizens from parti-
cipation. At any rate il there were
enough OF their fellow-citizens who were
opposed to them they could easily have
that caucus by sheer weight
OF numbers. Let us recall TO you the
case in the Second Ward where the
friends Of MIR. THOMAS W. BIcKNELL
the .'party managers" and
secured his nomination for school COM
mittec-although MIR. BIcKNELL is not q
voter. That was the. Same caucus that
BURBANK and Mr.. GARDNER did not
dare. or choose, to go before, and have
since excused themselves on the ridicu-
lous ground that no "decent Republi-
cans" could attend a Republican tax
caucus in tho solid substantial,
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