The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-29

of the committee, as Mr. Mellen says, "a
was signed by somebody, for John IL.
johnson, the secretary, for according
to reliable reports he was in the wilds
of Maine at that time, on a hunting
trip. He might have delegated his
power as attorney to John f. H. Mellen,
the son OF Chairman Meuen, and the
clerk Of the city committee but there
Is a question as to the authority he has
to transfer.
Mr., Mellen says that the call, or no
tice, was signed and Issued by the offl-
GERS of the committee This sounds
very well, but when the question of the
legality OF the primaries is at stake,
there are some people who are going
to inquire by what authority did the
Officers Of the committee issue the no
tice.
The officers Of a political committee
are not empowered or authorized to call
caucuses without the vote of the full
committee. There was q meeting of
the democratic city committee on Sum
gay, NOV. 8, the day previous to the
day when Mr.. Mellen claims that the
notices were signed and issued. But
the committee at this meeting took no
aclIon on the matter, and there was no
vote authorizing the officers of the
committee to sign and issue the order.
me vote might have been passed had
the supJect been preached but It
wasn't. The members of the city com
mittee were busily engaged with state
p0lltlcs, and incidentally with the cam
palgn that the chairman Of the com
mttee was making in ward four ia eet
back to the legislature.
mis- point is well established nv
statements from members Of the COM
iHIttee VINO We're present at that meet
ing. Let 1T be supposed, however. that
taA
the oillcerS of the committee to sign
ana issue the notice for the municipaI
caucuses. The question then arises &c
TO the issue of these notices.
Inc TACT that the notice was signed bv
the oTucers Of the committee does NOT
mean that they were issued unI9ss
some further action was taken Rlaclr,s,
legal dictionary throws some ljeb4 on
TINS puzziins question by its definition
OF the Varb issue, Black says that 10
issue IS TO send forth to emit. TO prc-
lnuISaJe, to put in circulation. - Web
steITs dictionary, which treats of the
verb IN common use. says that to iss11a
ity" '''o
And If the issue Of this notice. which
Mr. Mellen claims was signed and is
sued, Is the point upon which the legal
lty OF the democratic primaries hangs
1t is probable that the legal talent
called In 70 pass upon the ma6terfwiu
consult the authorities just quoted for
help and guidance
The Spy insists that the notice was
not issued, and that the eaucuses are
therefore illegal. There was no notice
posted at city headquarters about the
caucuses within the time required bv
law, and when this question was put
to Chairman Mellen at city hall iasb
night, he refused to answer it either.
way. MIR. Mellen claimed. as he said
in his official organ, the republican
Telegram, yesterday morning, that the
first issue Of the notice, as ordered bv
section 104, was a notice to the pros
pective candidates for nomination ar
the caucuses, but when Were these can.
didates notified, If they were the only
ones interested in the call? Section 104.
by the way, does not discriminate as
does Chairman Mellen, as to the parties
for whom the first and second notices
are intended, but directs the method
of procedure in general terms.
Chairman Mellen, through his organ,
the republican Telegram, calls The
Spy's story a fake and a bluff, but the
members Of the party Of which he Is
a member, have taken their advice
from The Spy in several instances,
rather than from the chairman of their
city committee. This is borne cut, as
already mentioned, by the taking out
candidates on the municipal ticket.
If the position taken by Chairman
Mellen was tenable it is hardly reason
able to suppose that the democratic
Evening Post would scout the legality
of the primaries. If the caucuses were
legal, the Post would undoubtedly
make the claim to their legality for tina
situation now confronting the party is
not a pleasant thing for contemplation.
But the Post last night spoke Of the
matter and of Chairman Mellen as
follows:
The most reprehensibe part of
Chairman NGellen's conduct in Co.'s
nection with the present democratic
middle, in our judgment was his
failure to inform the other meTSa
bers Of the committee or the demo-
cratic candidates for Office. that the
first notice for the municipal eau
Gus had not been ciSied within the
time prescribed by the statute. Had
that been Zone, those interested
could then consult and determine
the best and most feasible method
of getting out of the muddla
Amicable arrangements could have
been made W hich would prove
satisfactory all around The at
tempt TO bluff it out" did not work
this time. Bluffing don't go always.
The democracy will hold ITS city con-
vention tonight at city headquarters
as if nothing had happened. This Is in
line with The Sunday Spy's exclusive
story which first informed the menu
bers of the democracy of the dilemma
in which they We're placed and of the
courses to pursue. Chairman Mellen
and the Mellen faction insist tlat the
convention will nominate candidates $
if there were no question about the le-
of ri rla