The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-31

in mind, it can be understood why Mr..
Newton of Everett has beer recently
| mentioned as a compromise candidate.
Mr. Newton is in the Myers ranks, and
| has recently claimed for Mr.. Myers
more votes than Myers himself has
dared hope for; but recent happenings
may have shaken his confidence in
understood that he is not averse to en-
tering the field.
WITH SAUNDERS WITHDRAWN
the fight is narrowed to Bennett and
! Myers, if no third man is entered. 1t is
TODAY claimed that even though a large
proportion of the Saunders men. go to
Myers, enough will go to Bennett to
give him the majority he seeks on the
first ballot. Notwithstanding this con-
dition of affairs, there is an element of
unpledged men who still insist that the
first ballot will not settle the matter,
and that there is no knowing where it
will end. To those of us who have been
in the habit in former years of viewing
these contests, it appears as if the con-
test would be sharp and short; as
though there would be one ballot, and
all would be over; but this is different
affair than any which has preceded it
in recent years as very cursory exam :
ination of the conditions will show.
A year ago it would have been said
by almost anybody, that the least like
ly person to be chosen speaker would
be Mr.. Bennett of Saugus. He had
closed the session with a series of saw
age addresses, and his dearest foe
| in strict parliamentary sense-had
been the genial and always courteous
! though rather sarcastic Washburn of
I M. 70 h h16
DAYS before the close of the session,
INDUCED in a sarcastic remark which
brought Bennett to his feet in burst
( of passion which soon melted into a
burst of tears, and to relieve the, ten
sion, Washburn was compelled to move
an adjournment Washburn appeared
10 be the coming man. 1t was gener-
/ ally said that If he remained in the
House. he could have the speakership
without a contest Nobody said this
TO Washburn, however. Other people
+ sometimes know much more about our
4 affairs, politically, than ourselves.
Washburn ran for the Senate, was
elected. and has been compelled to suf-
fer the reproaches of most of Massa-
chusetts ever since. But Bennett re-
turned to the House, and the first day
! OF the session James W, Switzer OF
i LYNN appeared in the corridors, and
wesley Paul of Saugus in the gallery.
! These two men have never relaxed their
I efforts for second since. Twenty
| five votes was all the experienced gave
Bennett. He has lost nearly that
through the defeat of men who were
committed TO him, and yet today APP
pears to have the lead over Myers, so
! far as pledges go Mr.. Bennett used
good Judgment last year. He antag-
onized fewer men and measures, and,
with the exception of the break toward
the close on one Of the governors We
toes. for which his chairman, Mr..
Luce, of erville--defeated for re-
election-was perhaps responsible. made
a good record. 1t is
NOT THE BENNETT OF 1899
who is feared by many interests, but
the Bennett of 1898, and the former
Bennett of Everett, who served nearly
ten years ago. Mr.. Bennett is kindly,
genial in private life, but born fight
err. He probably much preferred the
! opposition he met at the caucuses. at
the polls and since in the speakership
contest, to a walkover. He has made
splendid fight, and his canvass has