The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-13
GOSSIP OF A DAY.
Why He Signed That No
License Petition.
What the Fireworks License
Provide This Year.
The Fire Cracker of Every Descrip-
ti0n Barred From Sale Here.

What curious reasons some persons give
for certain of their actions. Last evening,
for instance, the Gossiper met a gentle
man who was among the signers Of the
petition for the submission OF the ques-
tion Of license or no license to the vote
OF the people in April next, and in the
course OF his talk on that subject he
gave decidedly unique reason for the
course he had pursued. At the very
outset he made the startling announce
ment that he was neither Prohibitionist
nor believer in no license. "Well,o he
was asked, "if you are not a Prohibition
ist and do not believe in no license why
In the name of consistency dIl you sign
the petition?" "That's easily explained,
he replied com placently. GAS i said be-
fore, do not believe in no license.
don't think 1t would do any good, but at
the same time am going TO vote for no
license. That seems inconsistent and iu-
congfuous, doesn't IL? But just wait un-
til have finished and it won't seem so
much so. You remember that when we
had prohibitory law here it was notori-
town. 1t was said ty the police author
tiles that they were doing all they could
TO enforce Ii, but could not rive out the
illicit traffic Now believe they were
telling the truth. l don't think Ii Is
possible to enforce any such law. We
have now, you know, new chief OF po-
lice, man who on the strength of a cac-
Gus nomination and bef, re he had been
actually elected made some very brave
talk about what he was going TO do when
he took the helm. tie was going to drive
out the gamblers, disorderly houses were
TO be wiped out; Illicit liquor selling was
to be wiped out in fact, we were to have
under his administration of the police de-
partment law and order rule such as had
never before been known in the history
OF this town. / never have liked bragg
ging man either in or cut of Office. 1
don't put great deal OF faith in the
man CT prolific premises, but / believe
in giving him chance to redeem them.
Ex-Chief Child was criticized because he
didn't wipe out the liquor business dur
ing the prohibitory era. Chief Baker says
he will do all this and think he ought
20 have chance do SO and for that
reason I'm going To vote for no license.
and hope II will be carried. Just to test
the sincerity and capacity of this new
oincial who promises so much. Let's lind
out whether be Is the great law enforcer
be announced himself to tie, or only an
expert horn blower in his own behalf"
In looking over the names attached To
Gossiper was struck by the fact that the
great majority of them were the names
OF dyed-in-tbe-wool Democrats, OF men
who never have and never will vote any
fsfket save that nominated by the Demo-
cIacy. In this respect these Peoples par
~ papers are very similar TO those nled
last fall in the interest OF Henry &. Clark
as an independent candidate Tor Mayor
and their purpose is pretty much the
same. As showing how interested the
hide bound Democrats are in launching
third ticket, Tor which they have no in
tention OF voting at the polls, il is only
necessary to state that among the sjgn,
ers Is warden OF one OF the districts i'm
a Democratic ward who would he the
nrst TO resent any charge that be is not
thorough paced, out-and-out, pever-to-
be-converteo supporter of Democracy and
Democratic principles
Alderman fuller's friends down I'm the
Sixth Ward are trying 10 figure ont
how he will get on the ticket next fail.
under the provision OF the law which
will not allow the use OF the word Re
publican or Democrat except by canoi-
dates nominated by straight party eau
custs. or course Mr.. Fuller can start a
party OF his own such as the Reform
fulierites or something OF that sort. but
the great investigators friends haven't
much faith In the pulling power OF such
designation unless IL Is coupled with
the name OF one of the two big
parties. The Democrats down I'm the
sixth or rather that section OF them In
which Billy Mcdonald, Billy's sons.
buiy's brotner-in-law and the loquacious