The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-13
The Bepubli-
cans See 1t.
WILL MELLEN WIN?
Is the One Question That
Remains Unsettled.

1t is a Dodge day that dawns upon
the voters of Worcester this morn
ing.
Regardless of the weather, Mayor
Dodge is to be returned as the chief
executive Of Worcester for the coming
year, by a majority that can be con-
strued as nothing short Of an indorse-
ment of his administration.
Chairman Tatman of the republican
city committee claims the success Of
the entire republican ticket by SUBJ
stantial majorities, and fixes the lead
of Mayor Dodge over Capt. Churchill
at from 1000 to 2500 votes
The weather may make a slight diff
ference with the size of the republican
majority, but it is possible that the
republicans are sufficiently awake by
this time over the aldermanie and other
contests, that there is little likelihood
OF their remaining at home.
There has been a danger for some
time, especially during the earlier part
OF the campaign, that the party would
lose something through the lack of in
terest Of its members in the mayoraIty
contest. 1t has been a difficult task
to awaken enthusiasm over the mayor
atty, for there is nothing to enthuse
over.
Good republicans take pride in the
record made by Mayor Dodge, but it
is nothing more than was expected Of
him when he was elected, and nearly
everybody is satisfied.
The democracy has failed entirely of
creating interest in the mayoraIty
fight, for the cause they espouse is a
hopeless one, and in addition to this
there are other battles of greater inter
est to the democracy than the mayor
atty.
1t is not then. so much question
toaay-Is Dodge to be successful ?-as it
is, ''Will Mellen VIM" The Dodge
query is easily disposed of, but the lat
| ter is a question of more serious i'm
port
Good judges declare that the alder
man from ward 4 has seen the last
course of his star triumphant. and that
! before the sun descends on the Deem
/ Der election today he will be among
the fallen.
Whether this may be true or not
there is vast difference in the senti-
ment of the voters regarding Mellen
from what there was last year. Then
he was a defeated candidate for the
general court, as well as a defeated
candidate in the municipal convention.
This year, as has been brought to the
attention Of the voters before, Mellen
is a representatives. ELECT to the general
court he has been nominated for the
board of aldermen and there are many
voters who are beginning to ask them
selves, when is he going to be sat-
isfied?"
Outside of the fate of Mellen. there
is considerable interest IN the COM
plexion of the next board of aldermen.
If the claims of the friends of Mr..
Rheutan are well founded, there are
to be seven republican aldermen in the
board and only two democratic mem
bers, But the democrats are not willing
to admit the claims of the Rheutan
men, and but few of the members of
the republican city committee agree
to them. 1t is evident, nevertheless.
that the Rheutan movement has been
aggressively conducted, and that it is
not the fault of the men interested
therein if their candidate fails of an
election.
OF the democratic candidates for the
board of aldermen, there is but one
VINO is regarded as practically sure of
an election This is Alderman Thomas
J. Barrett. If there are but two seats
for democratic aldermen, ny virtue of
Mr. Rheutan's possible election. the
Identification of Alderman Barretts
companion is still more of a puzzle than
ever There are three men on whom
this mantle may fall They are James
F. Carberry, William G. Lchtenfels
and Philip ]. O'Connen.
There are ward contests in but two
instances that are worthy of the name
In ward 4 Mr. Mellen's own bailiwick
the straight democratic atmosphere is
clouded by the Independent candidacy
of jeremiah Murphy and by the demo-
cratic independent candidacy of Thorn
as R. Dean, both for the common coun-
ell. for which nomination they We're
defeated in the regular party eau
cuses
In ward ;, the doubtful ground
Councilman John Rivard is a candidate
for reelection, and pitted against him
is Michael ORourke. For the school
board in this ward the republicans
have nominated Committeeman Smith
while the democrats have placed in
nomination John F. Riley. There are
chances in both of these contests, and
nothing but a count of the votes will
decide the results. The republicans
claim the election Of their candidates
for the council and the school board,
but this hasn't discouraged the friends
Of the democratic candidates from a
t.,,l and +horot1pb canvass