The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-12
Many Aspiring Candi-
dates Appear.
STATE HOUSE TALK.
Worcester County May Get
Place on State Ticket

Boston, Feb. 1.-THE legislature is
now fairly embarked upon its working
career, and from now until the middle
Of March it will be a busy time for the
various committees to whom matters
of legislation have been referred.
Up to date it is a race between the
committee on cities and that on the
judiciary, the former having had 1oe
matters referred to it and the latter
107.
1t has not been an exciting week in
either the Senate or the House. Brief
ripples of excitement were furnished
first by Mr.. Mellen of Worcester in his
speech against Imperialism. whatever
he understands by that much-abused
word, and again by Mr.. Tolman of
Pittsield in his fight for his bill to al
low the formation of safe deposit
and trust companies in cities of under
$4,000 population, with a capital Of
500, 600
The bill has been passed to be en-
crossed in the House, after a good up
hill fight on Mr. Tolmans part, and
he won partly on account of the ex-
tremely weak arguments against it
made by members of the committee on
banks and banking. Somehow mem
bers of the House got the q preston
that the banking interests of Boston,
now on the verge of consolidation, were
opposed to the bill, and that settled
it, AS it locks now, there is a fair
chance of the bill passing the Senate,
and if this proves to be the case, Mr..
Tolman will have won one of the great
est legislative victories of recent
years, for not only is the committee on
banks and banking solidly arrayed
against him, but the bank commission
ers are also strongly opposing the bill
and the adverse influences are leaving
no stone unturned to defeat it.
There has been plenty of talk at the
state house this week over the contest
for the republican nomination of lieut.
enanC governor, and although it is early
in the year, the indications are for a
pretty three-sided contest, which will
have to be settled one way of the other
in the near future.
1t seems possible that Lieut.. Gov.
w Murray Crane will receive unan-
imous or practically unanimous nom
ination for governor, and interest now
centres in the nomination for the other
places on the stae ticket. bFirst comes
tne lieutenant gONefnOrSnlp, the cduul-
didates being Speaker John L.. Bates of
the House, Attorney General Hosea Nj.
Knowlton and Col. curtis Guild. Jr
Three-sded contests are not UNI
known in this, state, but usually they
have been settled by one of the three
drawing out before the fight is really
on, and such is the judgment of close
observers will be the action in this
case
! AS to Mr. Bates ability, there is no
doubt. He has not vet any campaign
committee. nor does he apparently
need one but good work is being done
for him by ex-members of the legis-
! lature who served during his previous
/ terms as speaker as well as by the
present members who are pleased with
! his tact. unfailng courtesy and amia-
4 hilty as well as with his ability as
speaker.
In this wise, Mr. Bates has mission
aries all over the state doing excellent
work for him. and the only question of
! his nomination seems to lie in the
1 doubt as to whether he can obtain a
majority of the Boston delegates or
not. His friends do not seem to be
I losing much rest over this point and
say that when the time comes, the re-
suits Of the work in his interest will
! show.
There is no question Of Speaker
Bates popularity with the past and
present members Of the House, and the