The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-11
MIR. BATES
VINDICATI0N
The Indignation of Twelve
Years Finds Relief.
A Large and Enthusiastic Audience and an
Animated and Entertaining Address.

the opinion that Mr.. Rice never conas
m1tted himself to the candidacy Of Mr.
Bates as his successor. therefore am
going to read TO you one letter bearing
upon that point, and this is one Of per-
haps twenty of like nature from rep
resentative men and the manufacturers
in this district
Worcester, Mass, May H. 1885,
Mr.. Cleo. P. Ladd:
Dear Friend-I am told that state
tent has been made to you that on
a occasion in the past, the Hon. w.
v. Rice made an assertion in my hear
ing relative to his Withdrawing as a
candidate for congress at the end of
the present term, and you would like
to verify it, and would regard it as a
personal favor it l would write YOU the
facts in regard to it.
Some time in the spring, Mr.. Rice
was nominated for congress the last
Time in the directors room of the City
National Bank Mr.. Rice said during
the cony ersation upon this and other
SUP GERS, In answer to a question of
mine relative to his candidacy that he
Thought ne would like to go back for
one more term if the voters in this dis
trict desired 1t" and at the end Of that
term. he should hope to see his friend
ana my friend Bates succeed him
soon after this conversation [ met
Mr.. Bates and told him what Mr.. Rice
sald, and asked him If he did not think
1t might be better, all things consider
60 not TO contest the nomination Of
Elf Rice at that time, but wait and
thereby secure Mr.. Rice's influence In
MS penalf l also said to him that I'M
| Gel Mr.. Itice's statement, many friends
OF his, who were also friends of Mr.
Rice, would be relieved from very much
embarrassment that otherwise could
not be avoided If he should conclude
10 wait, others as well as myself who
! We're friends Of Mr.. Rice would be- en-
tlrely rree to exert whatever influence
we we might have here in his (BGr Bates)
interest.
ENTITLED TO IT.
am sorry now to find that thero
is likely to be a contest for the noroi
nation between Mr.. Rice and Mr.. Bates.
put rully believing that Mr.. Rice meant
Just what he said, / told Mr. Bates I
would aid his friends in any way to
secure the nomination, believing, under
all the circumstances, that he was fair
ly entitled to it.
havo very high regard for Mr..
hlce, and as l consider him a personal
friend. 1t pains me very much to think
ehat 1 am IN any way compelled, or
rather under obligation, to use anv
sman influence may have against
nm. and | would not do it under any
circumstance had I not long ago in
good faith prompted by his statement
and believing l should only be acting
in full harmony with him, which now
regret is not the case, pledged myself
to support Mr.. Bates.
There Is much more that I might say
in conversation that cannot now well
write, and when opportunity offers.
shall be pleased to express to you I
trust you will regard this as a personal
and confidential letter. and wrote that
you may personally know some of tha
facts.
With regards, am in haste,
Yours very truly,
A w. Stone.
Subsequently Mr.. Ladd wrote to Mn
Stone and asked for permission to usa
this letter in such manner as he saw
to Mr.. Ladd, as Mr.. Ladd writes me.
l came to Worcester IN 1876 Prior
to that time l had taken considerable
interest in politics in my native town
of North Brookfleld and In the tmmed-
late vicinity. We had formed an Amer
lean club in western Worcester county,
of which l had for a number Of years
been president. and in 1878, two years
after my having started in business in
this city, 1 was elected chairman OF tina
9th congressional district committee.
We had an excellent campaign and
were remarkably successful, and at the
close of the campaign we had a little
banquet and gathering. at which were
present nearly all of DISAPPOINTMENT men
on the committee, including the state
officers and those of a local nature. To
show you the friendly feeling existing
at that time and the appreciation OF
my friend, Mr.. Rice, of what had been
done, desire to read you letter.
RICE WAS GRATEFUL.
Worcester, Mass, Nov. 12, 1878.
Dear Mr.. Bates
cannot express the regret I feel
that l am unable to be with you at
your reunion Thursday evening.
would like to see the noble and faithful
men, whose services have done 50 much
to hold old Worcester county firm to
honor and principle, but an imperative
engagement connected with my con-
gressional duties which they would not
wish me to avoid, prevents me from
sharing in the pleasure of the occasion.
Please accept for yourself my very high
appreciation and thanks for your en-
inent services in organizing and exc
cutting the campaign in the 9Th district
and express to all our friends my graf
itude for personal favor and my deep
regret that l am obliged to be absent
on this occasion.
Faithfully yours,
w. w. Rice.
Theodore C. Bates. Esq,
Chairman Of District Committee Of
Ninth Congressional District.
I continued on Mr. Rice's committee
and with him stumped this district, so
to speak, for several years. often hav-
ing with us men well known to YOU
in the city such men as Col Hop
kins, District Attorney Staples, at that
time, Frank P. Goulding and many
others that / might enumerate. and
everything went very pleasantly until
the break came to which I have re-
ferred.
In the spring Of 1882, M. Rice thought
he would run for governor. You all
remember the circumstances. He came
home to Worcester, looked the held
over, visited friends in Boston aud