Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-11-03
REASONS.
Continued from First Page.)


ing before the Board of Commission.
ers an application Of William Christy
and Joseph R. Mutt for a telephone
franchise. 1 was we'll satisfied that
both the Republican Commissioners
and their lord and master, Judge
Anderson, were opposed to the grant
ing of this franchise, but they were
afraid to announce that fact boldly
to the public. They were turning
heaven and earth TO prevent any &C.
ton upon this franchise before the
spring election.
Il had a consultation with Messrs.
Paige and McGarry, and told them
1 thought as matter of good iudg-
ment and party policy We ought to
compel Messrs. McMillen an Crisp
to show their hand. And | therefore
advised that Mr.. McGarry move that
this franchise be approved by the
Board and that Mr.. Paige second
the motion, and in that way put
Messrs. Crisp and McMillen on rec
ord. This idea was cOncurred in by
both Paige and McGarry.
"Within fifteen minutes after our
conversation, both gentlemen went
up stairs to the City Commissioners
office; the Board convened and Mr..
McGarry got up and made the mo-
ton. Before either Crisp or McMil-
len had an opportunity to express
themselves, Mr.. Paige arose, ad-
dressed the chair and asked that this
matter be laid over, as he was not
yet ready to vote upon it.
"Mr. Paige has, from that day to
this, never vouchsafed single word
of explanation as to why he had
changed his mind so suddenly. He
did say to me after election, when l
told him some of the reasons why I
found it difficult for me tore-appoint
him, that he probably made
mistake.
Every voter in the city of Akron
knows that two months prior to the
spring election, the Beacon Journal,
night after night, was filled with
long articles relative to the appoint
ment of commissioners after the
spring election, and it was said time
and again that Mr.. Paige would not
be re-appointed. This alarmed Mr..
Paige and his friends and number
of them interviewed me as to what I
proposed to do. I said to all of them,
it seems to me that the sensible
thing for Mr.. Paige to do was to
stand by those who had placed him
in his present position: that his
chances for reappointment would be
far better with his own party than it
would with his opponent, but I alb
solutely refused to make any prom
ises.
"Rumors came floating thick and
fast that Mr.. Paige and his friends
did not propose to support the Demo-
cratic party unless they had an abso-
lutte assurance that Mr.. Paige would
be re-appointed. The climax was
reached when on the Wednesday
night preceding the election. one of
the most prominent supporters of the
Central Union Telephone company,
one who, although a Democrat, was
virtually conducting and managing
Mr.. Rowley's campaign, told a
friend that they had Young defeated
and went on to name a number of
Democrats who would not only re-
fuse to vote for Young but would use
their endeavOrs to bring about his
defeat.
This man further said that on the
Friday or Saturday preceding the
election Mr.. Paige himself would
come out openly and bolt the ticket.
When this was reported to me !
called a counsel of my friends and il
was then decided that we send for
Mr.. Paige.
"On Friday afternoon about two
o'clock Mr.. Paige met City Clerk
Isbeil, Stephen MCGOWAN and my
self in Mr.. Isbell's private office in
the city building. We told him what
we had learned. He, of course,
positively denied the truth of these
statements.
1--WE then said to him that the op-
position was reporting all over the
city that he was with them; that
even the chairman of the Republi-
can City Committee had in confidence
told prominent Democrat that they
had the Mayor defeated and as an
evidence Of this fact, he said that
even Paige himself WAS with them
and was quietly doing everything he
could to bring about Youug's defelt.
1--WE suggested to Mr.. Paige that q
brief statement be drawn up TO the
effect that these various stories were