The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-12
Possibly the
Blunder
THAT BEAT WALKER
Another Phase OF the Fight
in the Lost Third.

The republicans of Worcester and
the third congressional district are
still wondering, "Who killed cock
robin?"
The political sparrow of the present
day is more backward in stepping for
ward than the immortal sparrow of
ehildhood's ditty, but there is little
doubt but what he existed
Ever since the defeat of Congress-
man Walker for reelection, the sages
of the political realm have been active
in the advancement of excuses, but
none of them have set well.
Many of the friends of the congress-
man have been charging his defeat to
his own neglect, and from the narrow
margin by which the democratic can
didate won out, there would seem to
be more or less logic in these charges.
But in spite of the reckless indiffer-
ence laid at the door of Mr.. Walker
throughout the campaign, there is
good reason to believe that Mr.. Walk
er's reelection might have been ac-
complished after all but for an eyre
gious blunder on somebody's part
And the blunder was nothing less
than the failure to invite a prominent
republican to a. seat on the platform at
the Mechanics hall rally, where SEN
ator Hoar, Congressman Moody and
Speaker Bates We're the entertaining
speakers at the republican rally under
the auspices of the republican city
committee
The prominent republican is the Hon.
Theodore c. Bates, formerly state SEN
ator, formerly chairman of the county
and congressional committees in Wor-
cester and for many years a member
of the state central committee.
According to all custom, former
members of the state committee, and
especially ex-senators, are included in
the lists of prominent republicans in
Yited to occupy seats on the Mechanics
hall platform on such occasions
When the list of invited guests at the
rally recently held was made out, sew
eral Of the members of the city COM
mittee suggested that Mr.. Bates be in
vited to occupy seat with other re-
publicans. The matter was Wot brought
up in open meeting, and If it had been
1t is possible that Mr.. Bates would have
been invited. But he wasn't.
Instead he went to the hall and took
a seat with those on the floor and APP
peared to enjoy the speeches of the
evening AS he entered the hall, one
of the ushers approached him and
asked him to take a seat with the
other gentlemen on the platform, but
it is said that he refused, giving as the
reason that if the city committee de-
sired his presence on the platform they
would have sent him an invitation.
Mr.. Bates presence on the floor of
the house was noted by many of the
republicans around him. and the fact
was commented upon. His meeting in
the same hall only a few weeks pre-
vious undoubtedly brought his attend
ance at the rally into greater prom
inence, but nothing more than light
comment was made of the matter at
the time.
Now that Mr., Walker is defeated,
there are many republicans in the city
who say, and the number does not in
clude the so-called friends Of Mr..
Bates. that had the gentleman been
invited to a seat on the platform, his
very presence there would have given
color to his endorsement, as 4 repub-
lican, of the nomination and candida
cy of MI. Walker, and that many
voters would have been intiueNced in
the right direction.
Charles T. Tatman, the chairman of
the republican city committee, was
seen by The Spy man yesterday and
questioned about the matter. He sta
ted that Mr.. Bates was not invited on
account of his speech at the Mechan-
les Hall meeting in which he urged
the republicans of Worcester to send
another man to congress, Frank T,
Goulding. Mr. Walker was at that
time. Mr. !Tatman added, the nominee
Of the republican party, and the re-
marks of Mr. Bates against his cleo
ton, were to his mind calculated to
ALLEVIATE a large number of republican
voters from the straight party candi-
date.
Mr.. Tatman denied that any intima-
ton had been received from the man
ayers of the Walker campaign rela-
tive to the matter, and also stated that
the question of inviting Mr.. Bates had
not come formally before the commit
tee He was unable to recollect wheth-
err the matter had even been inform
ally discussed.
Another member of the committee
told a Spy man that the question Lad
been informally discussed, and That
several members of the committee
were in favor of including Mr.. Bates
name in the list of those invited to
occupy seats on the platform. 1t was
stated by these members that the
presence of Mr.. Walkers old rival, W no
had so recently filled Mechanics Hall
for his own meeting, on the platform
at a meeting arranged for the special
purpose of assisting the congressional
candidate, would have great effect and
influence in the candidates favor.
Another prominent republican, in
conversation with The Spy man yes
terday, declared with some emphasis
that the drive against Mr.. Bates and
other republicans in the district had
got to stop before the party could unite
for common purpose and a common
good. This gentleman cited the fact
that ever since the days of the Rice
Bates fight, the republicans in Wor-
cester county and especially in the
worcester congressional district, had
been without a leader,
1t was not so many years aSo, the
same gentleman stated. that the repub-
leans of Worcester exerted some in