The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-27
AT LONG RANGE.
Good Words for Mr.. 7. c. Bates All the
Way from SwitzeraId.

Way from SWltzarald.
Villa RuheIeben Davos-Platz,
Switzerland, Nov. 9.
To the Editor: Sir-Today l received
from my brother-in-law in Boston a
copy Of paper of Oct. II, which con
tains an account of Theodore c. Bates
calling the citizens of Worcester to-
gether and taking an extraordinarily
honorable and open method of defend
ing himself against the attacks. of wv
grade politicians, who are not satisfied
with disgusting and driving from a
useful place in party councils one Of
| the brightest men Of Massachusetts,
and man of great talents and execu-
tive ability as business man and
party leader, but who follow him in
his private life-one of the purest and
most honorable lives | nave ever
known, and have known him and his
family intimately and had business
transactions with him for thirty years.
1t is no wonder our political methods
are criticised al home and abroad,
when such men are driven from public
life by methods of attack such as dig
nified men cannot openly counteract by
the purest and noblest lives and strict
adherence to honorable methods.
On that memorable occasion when
Mr.. Bates advanced before 1000 of his
fellow citizens and raising his hand to
heaven, declared on his oath, Il have
never drank drop of rum in my life"
| wish l could have been present I
could have told my fellow citizens of
! Worcester many things in this connec-
/ ton. The correspondent who sent me
the paper wrote in blue pencil opposite
the impressive sentence quoted above,
He didn't say anything about beer OF
! Whskey!"
| Now, l have Travelled with Mr.. Bates
| IN America and in Europe; have dined
with him at European table d'hote din
ners where he would be the only per
son at the table, male or female who
! did not consider a glass or a bottle of
! the generous wine, or a refreshing bot
tie of beer, as necessary to a dinner as
! soup or dessert. | have been with him
FOR days and nights in America, in no.
! tells and on journeys; l have worked
with him in hotels in New York until
/ the small hours of the morning, and
have taken him with me to the hotel
/ barroom to talk over the last items of
/ d business transaction and get for nv
! self a needed stimulant to revive sink
/ ing nature, and to mbibe a refreshing
and cooling, sleep-inducing "nightcap. .
But l never saw Mr.. Bates drink dron
| OF run" the New England term for
all alcoholic drnks-nor beer nor
/ Whiskey which he did not mention in
4 his speech.
Once or twice I remember twittina
/ MN on his extreme temperance proc
4 Invites, but he would Simply saw 81
| don't object to your taking a glass Of
/ the stuff, but as / do not know how il
! tastes l don't think l will sample il
! now at my age. l am a good Judge Of
I ginger ale and know that that won't
4 hurt me-"
And to think that the night before
/ election his enemies could distribute
anonymous circulars broadcast amono
I the farmers and villagers of his district
stating that the firm with which Mr.
Bates was connected would not trust
him to do business in Boston. owing tc
his Incorporate habits and that his
. cellars We're stocked with liquors.
4 have been in these cellars myself
and only wished 1 could have found
/ anything fit to drink. Many a dry day
] have spent at his house when 1 would
1 have given anything for cooling glass
/ of beer.
And such is American political life
No wonder many reputable and gifted
men will not enter the field of public
! life to serve their country, from the
dread Of such cowardly and dastardIy
attacks on their honor. No wonder
they shrink from it and leave politics
to the tricky and unprincipled
l say it with shame for my beloved
country, that in no other country or
the face of the earth, that have seer
or known of. could such things be, and
it is a wonder to many that we have
made such moral and material prog.
ress as we have. / know though that
this progress has been made possible
only by a public educational system
which makes every voter an intelligent
judge of the needs of his district and
his country. In this way the infamous
methods Of the gutter politician are
counteracted, and in the majority of
cases right prevails. In the long run
justice is done and appreciation shown
to honorable men who are maligned for
party purposes, while doing their duty
to their fellow citizens and their coun-
try Yours respectfully,
LYMAN CURTIS BRYAN.