The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-07
COMMUNICATIONS

To the Editor of The Spy
Dear sir:-A gentleman signing him
self John E. Sullivan, and claiming to
be a Ward one Democrat, seems to
have worked himself into tremendous
excitement over my brief cOmmunica-
ton of Wednesday. l trust the gentle
mans fever has subsidized somewhat by
this time and if so l would like to call
his attention to some plain facts.
In the first place his insinuatiOn that
feared to establish my identity is en-
tirely false. I signed the article with
my name, street and ward. I made no
request to withhold my name.
l have lived in Worcester over %
years and l am acquainted as well as
Mr. Sullivan with the history OF
our city. Worcester has had some
grand good mayors; I think few cities
of the country can SurpaSs ours in that
respect Mr.. Sullivan is hardly careful,
however, in the list he gives. Among
the ten names he mentions must Citi-
zens who can go back a few years in
their memory will have no difficulty in
picking out one of whom the least said
the better If the gentleman wishes the
name and the scandals to which re-
fer. I can give him the information pri-
vately. It is enough to say that his
list needs revising.
1t is manifestly unfair for Mr. Sui
Ivan to sneeringly insinuate that May
or O'Connen is not of the calibre of
the most illustriOus men he named Ger
tainly none of them were George
Washingtons or Abraham LincOlns,
and I am confident that in the light of
history the name of Philip J. OCOnneil
will be associated with the brightest
names of the Heart of the Common
wealth"
challenge Mr.. Sullivan, or any other
gentleman, to show where Mayor
O'Connell has made anything but a
dignified canvass. At the time I wrote
my article he had not made more than
one or two addresses and they were
models of good taste and modesty.
The gentleman also knows that I cast
no reflections upon any Republican
newspaper. I could ask no paper to be
fairer than The Spy has been in this
campaign. What I referred to as con-
temptible was the attitude of a paper,
supported largely by Democratic vOt-
ers. that refuses active support to the
party nominee. I said and 1 repeat it,,
that because Mayor O'Connell has no
active newspaper support it becomes
the duty of the voters, regardless Of
party, who appreciate an excellent ad-
ministration, to do everything in their
power to re-elect our present mayor.
politics appears to be passing away,
and it will be a set back to the cause
Of good government to replace good
mayor simply for partisan reasons.
Providence has shown -partisanship
in electing its mayor for seven years,
and by the rousing plurality of 5000
given Mayor Granger last month the
second city in New England is not tired
of the experiment. Worcester tried the
vr-l,o a1npfaS Mr. 0fCnn-
nell, and it is up to the citizens at the
coming election to say whether they
prefer to join the non-partisan list for
good or to go back to the Pennsylvania
method Of voting by the label on the
ticket regardless of the character of
the candidate.
In return for the gentleman's more or
less gentlemanly suggestions, I would
like to make one to him. He claims 70
be a. Democrat A Democrat Is one
who supports the Democratic ticket,
and il Mr. Sullivan comes under that
category he should be working for the
success Of the Democratic nominee
rather than going into Mysteries over a
few sincere words of praise IN behalf
of our worthy mayor by citizen who
desires tc see a clean, honest admins
tration endorsed.
The exciting nature of the last cleo
ton brought Worcester very prOmi-
nently before the minds of all persons
interested III municipal affairs, and the
comments on the good administration
of Mayor O'Connell so frequently made
in Boston, Springfield and Providence
papers have interested the friends OF
good government far and near.
! Worcester has never been slow to dc
its duty when its citizens have been
aroused. Its duty now is to endorse a
eood adrninistra ton and the friends of
good government everywhere hope to
see the city perform that duty.
L. s. RECORD.
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