The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-04-12
WHAT 1T MEANS.

| The result of the State election is OF a
local nature In many respects, but it has
a general bearing as we'll. Locally it shows
that the people Of Rhode Islond are wax
ing up to their condition under Republi-
can ring rule. The people of the State are
beginning to get restive under "Brayton's Is
management and the taxpayers money"
| When it was "Brayton's management and
| Aldrich's or Wetmore's money" they did
not feel 1t 80 mnch. But when it comes
| to their own pockets the larger taxpayers
and the small ones are beginning to see
| what this rule of bossism and extrava-
| gance comes to.
| Never before in the history of the State
has corruption so openly attacked the
| public treasury as today. The enormity
! of the State House deal, the building OF
| an extravagant and useless "drill shed" at
a cost of ESQ, 900 to $4,000 and the voting
away of our streets to the New Jersey
| Traction Company, which owns and con-
I trols the Union Railway Company, and
| the State Legislature has at last aroused
dormant Rhode Island animosity, which it
will take fully ten years to again molify.
Once aroused the people of this peculiar
state are slow to forget.
Once before the people awolle and placed
the State almost within the hands OF the
Democracy, but the ambitions OF small
men, who envied those who had built up
the party and who thought that anybody
could 90 that which had been done, ruined
for several years the party's chances, and
the people, sickening more and more year
after year at the utter helplessness and
selfish ambitions of the new converts to
Democracy, kept on voting them down
till Democracy in this State came to be
by-word.
The present is the time for plain talk
and for the exercise of good judgment of
those who have held the party down.
There is nothing personal la reminding
any man or set of men that the evident
fact appears that change will be but for
the party, and it is to be hoped that this
suggestion will be considered by those
who have the interests of the party at
heart.
The majority in the State for Governor
elect Dyer is not at all surprising. He had
plenty of money TO get out good vote for
an off year. But had the Democrats been
well organized and reasonably supplied
with funds TO enthuse the people in a gen.
eral campaign of opposition to the Repub-
lican ring, the result would have been
what il was when Governor Davis was
| elected. But the aspect OF the
| election from a general view OF a
nature that should attract attention. 1t
| cannot be doubted but that something has
happened since last fall to change many
votes in all sections of the country. The
municipal elections on the West show this
to be fact. What is it that happened?
In the first place thousands voted for
Mckinley for fear of Altgeldism and Til
Democratic platform. OF course they felt
that there was liability of some tariff
tinkering, but they were willing to take
the risk. Still they did not imagine that
the Republicans were such fools as they
have proven themselves to be by the Ding
ley tariff bill which fairly puts the Nc
| Kinley bill into the shade. And so some
have voted against the Republicans on that
account. In fact it may be taken for
granted that all Democrats supported their
party in these municipal elections
But there is another and a more import
ant phase of the question. II is an echo of
the last presidential election. 1t is matter
of so much importance and of such graf
| flying nature that it is worth remember
ing for the future. And ii is that the
lesson taught to the fair minded and pa
triotic Republican by the fair minded and
patriotic Democrat who voted for McKin-
ley last fall has borne good and lasting re-
suits.
IL has shown Republicans that on such a
grave matter as the choice OF the chieI
| magistrate OF the Hatlon Defnocrats III
great numbers could forget life long party
ties and traditions and, for the good Of the
country, as they viewed IL, vote for the
party which they had always bitterly op.
posed.
Such q lesson taught the Republican,
that there Is often a lurking danger In
party cries and that there are often stint
committed In the name OF party which
without party Endorsement, would neve
he committed. II showed them that thei
quondam opponents could sever party ties
; and they have appreciated the lesson ane
improved upon IL.
J Therefore II IL pleasant to believe tina
: rhe recent Democratic successes are evi