The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-17
GOV. PINGREE.
Defended by Former Resi-
dent Of Worcester.

To the Editor of The Spy: AS an old
resident of Worcester county though
not of recent years, and a, reader of
The Spy, would like to make a few
comments upon your editorial of the
9Th, which is very evidently based upon
information derived from sources that
nave always been antagonistic to Gov.
Pingree
lie mas no personal hatred for SEN
ator Burrows, but Mr. Burrows has
worked against the reforms the gov
ernor is trying to bring about. He al
lowed federal appointees to resign and
resume seats in the Legislature, in ex-
press violation of the state constitution.
and after they had defeated the rail-
ROAD taxation bill allowed them to he
reappolnted to their federal places.
What result the big manifesto ..
Grand Rapids-the hot bed of Rurs,o,,.,
supporters-had is manifested by the
lact tnat the governor led his ticket nv
0 US zOUO votes in that city and county.
" 80 - Tue men VINO oppose him are
OF that class who will usually sIInnort
any man WHO has the regular nomina-
tioh, regardless of character on, fitness
FlIlSfee methods are peculiar onIv
IN so Tar that they are a radical dsnar-
lure for any politician to jnsist tba+
corporations shall share their pronor-
ZION OF the taxes, and that they shall
So sis4 ne Dest ana cheapest service con
slstent with reasonable return On
Cnelr capital actually invested Had
not the United States courts ;rtar@
Vened in purely state matter Detroi+
would now have three-cent fares in All
us street railways, and the coronaDv
would still earn a reasonable nroaf
Our own supreme court decided he
v,@S hisht' Ii ne IS peculiar there, then
our court must be peculiar also. ''i1l
For years Detroit was the soana 30
orlpery or other scandalous charges
every time the electric lighting con
tract was let. Now we have our own
system and it costs us less ANA tba,
ilghts are more numerous and far bet
yer maintained. Under the old system
. ~ OF them would be out, and yet
the city would have to paw inst tbe
same. Even if the present system were
more expensive, 1t would be a paying
investment because of the removal Of
the corruption Of the old plan. No man
put Plngree could have brought about
the change. Today not one in a thou
system. ~ ~
Mr.. Pingree was elected bv an nm
usual majority considering that It was
an OH year and the big fight nut no
against him. Not alone was he suc-
cessful, but there can be no nossihIa
doubt but that it was his prestige and
presence on the ticket that gave us A
SOHO republican delegation in the next
congress and that carried in county
oIiscefs without number, He was on
posed by a conservative and. without
uouDt, the very Stronges man the demo
Gratis mad to make the run against. hin,
IN this city the federal crowd downed
ms candidate for the state senate and
put IN Burrows man. When the votes
were counted, this man was beaten by
over 1900, while two years AFRO The pin
gree man had majority Of 2400 Here
was reversal of nearly 1000 in a, total
vote OF less than IL 1000 That shows
what Mr.. Pingree's personal wishes
WIN 40 III his own city, the place where
prophets are usually supposed to be
short on honor.
we have a system of electric railway
tina <Hlrries for three cents-or. rather
eight tickets for Is cents-fron 6 q. m,
10 p. M, and six for a. quarter at all
hours; 1t has to take circuitous streets
ana is 1nconvenient, but liz patronized
oy many thousands daily and did nav
quite Well 1t has been practically ali
soipeu py the OLD company, which has
taken every possible means to make
Il unpopular and Involvement. SO that
by curtailing it's revenue, it can be
used as terrible example for places
mat desire cheap street car service.
MI Plngree got after our gas com
pally ana now we get gas for 81 per
1000, While we used to pay 81 IL: and
when the consumption reaches a GER
tain figure, the price must drop to 80
cents. The gas company is not starv-
ing, either.
These are but a few of the reforms
ne mas brought about by his peculiar
methods and imagine that the neonl~
Of the country could stand it il those
methods were introduced in other
states and cities as well as here.
A. " Phister.
Detroit, Mich, Nov. 10, 1888.