The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-09

last anC the more we reShru tuht uuusuhi
document the more strongly are we con-
vinced that the Mayor has lost a big op-
portunity that may never be his again.
In the present conoilion of political and
| public sentiment in this town it would
seem that since the day of the honored
DOYLE the way has never been so clear
| for an ambitious and able man to make
himself. not alone Mayor Of Prov
idenee pnt the Mayor OF Providence, as
was the fortune Of THOMAS A. DOYLE, and
despite the luck OF annual elections
end good judgment, associated with evil
dencc made plain OF uudoubted fitness for
the Office, hold the position OF chief
executive OF ths municipal corporation
for an unlimited mum Der OF terms, for
life perhaps OH good behavior. With a
friendly interest In the career OF any one
OF our fellow citizen who should jump
into prominence we have felt that Mayor
Mc6UINNEs, was possessed Of many OF
the qualities that mako for fine pros
pect In public life. o. an attractive per-
sonsllty, blessed by nature and aided by
education and training, possessed Of many
traits and talents that commanded the
N xt ot,I all ~ 10
he was brought in contact, man OF
parts as the saying goas, who easily fitted
into any duties or service associated with
bis offices, natural maker of friends
end evid sntly enough a vote winner OF ex-
traordipary capacity, already possessed
Of the confidence OF his fellow citizens as
expresTe in msnner almost upprecedent-
e1 in local annals by the recent election,
there appeared to be grounds for the be-
lief that the young Mayor would wear
and last under the not too many or too Sc
we're burdens of his office so as to commend
him to the suffrage OF his fellow citizents
for many terms to come. IL would not
be expected that be would make no mis-
takes or no enemies, however faithful and
earnest In the performance of his duties
he should be, nor however experience
might dew lop actual fitness for the duties
of the Mayors Office. but il is the evil
dence Of political history that once Q
public official secures the confidence OF an
electorate, nothing but the most serious
lapses or the most egregious biunders can
prevail to materially shake sucn conf
dence. And the path of public duty 70
not nearly so di6icult as some examples
of its roughness may have led US to be-
lieve. providing publ official OF honesty
and fair capacity keeps clear head ION
his shoulders aud rows his boat without
catching too many crabs.
We have no doubt that the Mayors
message of last Monday was and is q
serious disspoi ,tment to his most disin-
'erested friends. Even his stalwart news
paper champion could not refrain from
Offering the broad hint that be had made
a foolish mistake. We have already been
at pains to comment somewhat literally
upon certain features Of that remarkable
document and our own opinion Is that
about the best opportunity ever offered
to any rising public man in this towo
has been lost unless there shall later be
shown an unconsoionable public toler-
anoe.
The Mayors great fault, of course, lies
at the very foundation and the very be-
ginning OF his career. lie secured his
office under false pretenses, whether in
teniionally false or not, Is hardly a ques-
tion Of Importance at this time since the
fact is he has bad opportunity to correct
bis errors anJ revise bis judgment and
has not done so. His message OF year
ago was an ineisive document based on
misstatements and incorrect Impressions
but marked by the courage of what
appeared 10 te the Mayors convictions.
His message of last Monday avoided sll
reference to matters that the past year
must have made clear to his mind as
absurdities; 1t seemingly sought to side
track important questions upon which
he had been in error and in n seri-
Gus way II begged the questions tina. the
Msyor himself had mistakenly called to
putlic attention. Undoubtedly the wise
aud hi course would have reen for the
Mayor 10 navs cleared his mind OF all the
truck that had possession OF II one year
ago and started on clean line Of policy
taking up tha issues OF public concern
with fresh hold and committing him