The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-24

The more NE learn OF the Interesting
politics OF our neighboring town of Gran
ston the more we are convinced of the
fact that the Hon. SYLVESTER X. MER-
RILL is man of sand.
The sentiment IN the town among Re-
pubiicans against the methods. of party
and town management by the Rcpuhlican
leaders is not OF recent birth, although it
has evidently had a very rapid develop
ment in recent months. That IL has al
ways been Ineffective in material results
is due to the simple reason that nobody
who had the confidence of the people and
who yet held his political career at higher
value than the ordinary green pickle of
commerce cared to assume the job of lead
ing and representing the opposition
against the well organized party leader
ship.
Senator MTRRILL, however, is not only
a man OF convictions but he is ready TO
stake something on them and to consent
to represent this Republican opposition
sentiment. This is admirable in Its
yway, anG il is especially commendable that
Senator MERRILL is ready to engage in
the wrestle in year when the strongest
sort of an appeal to party fealty can be
IA Wa hav Iot he
ing revolt in the Republican ranks is to-
day more strongly developed and better
organized that il ever was, but against
it's strength the party leaders whose ad-
ministration has aroused a large proper
tion of the party against themselves can
appeal to party loyalty and against the
"bolters" to support the regular ticket
because the forthcoming contest is
State election and this is a presidential
year.
There are grave doubts, however, that
Republicans voters in Cranston will be
much moved by this appeal. On the con-
trary, they are likely to feel that the
party leadership in throwing down sena-
tor MERRILL at this time did it with the
hope and purpose of using the circum-
stance of q State election and presiden-
tial year to assist them in their struggle
against the rising tide OF opposition. As
a matter OF fact, town issues, of course,
are the only issues involved. The con-
test Is struggle for supremacy within
the local party and can have no earthly
effect on the gubernatorial election, the
Republican strength in the Assembly or
the Republican strength OF the State in
the presidential contest. We're Senator
MERRILL a mugwump, Or a half-hearted
Republican, the situation would have
different complexion. But he is straight
Republican, with q Republican record.
He is Republican member of the Town
Council, and has for successive terms been
the nominee of the Republican caucus
for the Legislature. In his caucus defeat
no pretence was made that he had In any
way divorced himself from the Republi-
can party. lie was thrown out for the
sole reason that in the concerns OF the
town politics and representing large
constituency he had bumped up against
the party leaders and given them dissatis-
faction. How far he has satisfied or dis
satisfied his townspeople and his fellow
Republicans outside the regular organiza-
tion win be demonstrated on election
day. He has tremendous Republican
support, and the indications are that it is
growing. And as we have before taken
occasion to remark, the State will lose
valuable legislator II he is defeated and
the town of Cranston will gain nothing
in distinction II his fellow-citizens fail
to again return him.