The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-03
EIGHT BALLOTS.
Then Mr.. BlOdgett Was
Declared Elected.
Exciting Contest for Vacancy
on Registration Board.
The Democrats and Independents
Split on Six Candidates.


Split on Six Candidates.
The Republicans of the City Council in
| joint convention reelected commission
er John It. Blodgett OF the board of
registration last night on the eighth bal
| lot.
The Democratic members and the So
called Independents, laid great stress on
the idea that fairness and the interests OF
| good and non-partizan government de-
manded that a Democrat should be
elected. But the chief difficulty in the
way of their principles being vindicated
was that while they all agreed on the
deep underlying principles there was
wonderful lot of differences of opinion
| rs to the individuals. For instance, MIR.
Vests idea of strict -partizsnship
| called for a man named Johnson, who
livss In Mr.. Vests ward; the Democrats
OF Ward Three thought that MIR. McOsker
| of the Third Ward ought to represent
the minority on the board Mr.. Whipple,
the Democratic member of the Eighth,
expressed the opinion that the wishes OF
|
affairs could only be complied with by
the election OF Mr.. A. &. Winsor and
| there were two other candidates.
The Republicans were combined and
unanimous in their support of one man
! who had had experience In the Office and
| had shown remarka ole integrity and pro-
ticiency IN conducting 1t. The Democrats
and few of the Independents were plit
up In as many as six different Indifferent
candi dates with nothing in particular to
recommend them except that they were
Democrats. Hence the result of the final
| ballot.
President Kendrick called the Com
mon Council TO order at 8 o'clock, and
upon motion OF Mr.. Angel the invita-
tion to meet in joint convention was i'm
mediately sent to the Board of Aldermen
and accepted.
IN JOINT CONVENTION.
The Mayor announced that the business
| OF the convention was to elect a member
| of the board of canvassers and registra-
| tion for three years.
Councilman Gardner of Ward Two, the
acknowledged leader of the Independ-
ents, nominated John Blodgett. He said:
~ make this nomination because Mr..
| Blodgett Is the one man in the city bet
ter qualified than any other to perform
the duties of this office.
large part Of the work of this board of
registration which has given to the city
| of Providence an honest voting list, some
thing which it had not possessed before
for good many years"
MIR. Joseph u. Kendrick seconded the
nomination and in doing SO endorsed the
work of toe board of registration.
Mr.. West saio that he hoped the ma
jority of the Council would give the mi
nority representation on the board which
stands so close to the voters. He made a
long speech about partlzanship and nom
partizanship and then nominated George
| Is. johnson.
Mr.. Metcalf OF the Third Ward said
that he could not vote for man who
asked for money to ray clerks who have
done the work that he was elected to do.
He also said that Mr.. Biodgett did not
| spend enough time in the office and he
| then nominated Mr.. Daniel j. McOsker
as a man who would always be on duty.
| Alderman Mccarthy accused Mr.. Blod-
| gett of being parti,an in the administra-
| tion OF his office and then seconded the
nomination made by Mr.. Metcalf.
Councilman Whipple, the Democratic
member from the Eighth Ward, nomi-
mated Albeit {. Winsor.
Alderman Nichols said that il was a
matter of principle rather than OF indi-
viduals and told the story of the Boston
Tea Party and OF the destruction OF the
| Gaspse to illustrate the idea that there
should be 70 taxation without representa-
tion, and begged for the election of a
| Democrat.
Councilman Bullock paid compliment
tary tribute to Mr.. Blodgett but demand
ed the election of a representative of the
minority party to the board Of registra-
| tion.
Councilman Kendrick said that he
| voted for MIR. Blodgett year ago, think
| ing that he was a Prohibitionist, and he
said that he would vote for him again to-
| night III he was an out-and-out Democrat.
| The first qualifications to be looked for
in candidate, said Mr.. Kendrick, are
ability and integii ity, and these quaiifca-
| tions are possessed by Mr.. Blodgett to
| a marked degree.
| Alderman Nichols asked Mr.. Kendrick
| IL he, thought that Mr.. Blodgett igave
enough time to the business of the office
and the gentleman from the Fourth
Ward replied that Commissioner Blodgett
gave enough time to well perform the
| duties for which he was appointed.
Mr.. Trueman expressed the opinion that
q Democrat should be elected.
Councilman Gardner of the Second
Ward pointed out the absurdity of the
efforts of The m mbers who, under the
banner of -partizanship, were trying
TO defeat man whose every effort has
been the Interests OF political fsirness.
Mr.. Gardner also stated that Mr.. Blodgett
had given to the city a very full return
for the salary received. TIE real nonpar-
,izanship would be to vote for the honest
and efficient man regardless of his poll
tics
Mr.. West reiterated his statement that
Mr.. Blougett has not given satisfaction
to the minority and said that the kind
words which had been spoken about Mr..
Blodgett were ike the eulogies on the
tombstones and should not receive any
more consideration.
The Tenth Ward member I'm the course
OF his remarks mentioned increase of sal
ary and Alderman Nichols arose as IL a
string was tied to him and stood in n
dazed manner until the all-around laugh
restored him and he talked about the
things he knew in his "ofllcial cap city"
as a member of the finance committee.
Upon motion of Mr.. West IL was voted
to take an informal ballot and Alderman
Fuller and Councilman Angel were ap.
pointed iellers.
There were iS members present, the two
absent being Republican members OF the
Common Council, Mr.. Remlinger OF the
It'll Mad NJ nIaL.l.., Al.