The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-15
LOBBYIST and
HIS CONSPIRACY
Even the City of Newton Is
Ashamed of the Sectional Is
sue Raised by Flanders and
Billiard to Oppose Col. Mutt !
GATHERING OF STORM
THAT MAY DISRUPT DISTRICT

Newton Who Seek 10 Dictate
the Nominations Every Year in
the interests of Themselves
Special to The Spy.
| Natick, Oct. 1.-THE first Middlesex
senatorial district is made up of the
city of Newton and the following
towns: Hopkinton, Holliston, Sher-
born, birmingham, Ashland, Natick,
| Weston and WATERFOWL. At the recent
! Republican convention there were 81
accredited delegates. Twenty-Five of
these came from the city of Newton.
In pursuance of the custom of the
district, it was generally understood
that the present senator, who was
elected by an unprecedented majority
last year, would be renominated. But
it seems that last winter a profession
al lobbyist, who favors the city of
Newton with his residence, and a
Representative, Billiard, who was his
mouthpiece on the floor of the House,
had sworn to defeat the present SEN
ator for denomination because he voted
against bills prepared by this lobby
list and presented by this representa-
tive. No candidate was put in the
field, but the active politicians of the
city of Newton were called together
on Saturday night before the caucuses
were held and at somebody's expense,
were treated to the good things that
can be furnished at places of this kind.
They were told that the senator from
the district had voted against the in
terests of the city of NEWTON Four
| particular bills were instanced. One
was the mill tax bill, upon which there
was an honest difference of opinion in
the Senate as we'll as the House. The
senator did not vote as Representa-
tive Billiard voted; therefore he was
| condemned at this dinner party
The senator did not vote for this
lobbyists measure requiring railroads
to furnish twelve trip tickets at the
same proportionate price as now
charged for twenty-five trip tickets.
While at first impressed with the APP
parent business of this law, the sena-
tor finally voted against the bill be-
cause the present legislation was ade-
quate if there seemed to be any popu-
lar demand for change Of this kind
The other two bills were the ones
upon which the conspirators raised
their hopes of making a combination
to defeat the senator's denomination.
They were the bills giving compensa-
ton to the town of Hopkinton on ac-
count of damages due to the extension
of the water system of Boston; and
the bill requiring the meadows in
Natick adjoining Lake Cochituate to
| be cleaned. Both of them were just.
Any one who rides by Lake Cochitu-
ate and sees the condition of the
meadow visible from the railroad
would need no further proof that the
bill was needed quite as much by the
people of Boston, who have to drink
i this water, as by Natick people, who
fear malaria on account of the condi-
ton of this reservoir.
When Lake Cochituate was taken
by the city of Boston, the Importance
of a healthful water supply was con-
| sidered of less Importance than the
saving of a few dollars in expense and
these basins were not stripped of the
| soil and vegetation as they should
| have been. Every year they have
grown worse. Vegetation, dead fish
and sewage have poured into these
basins until the water of the lake itself
is not deemed healthful and suitable
for use except in emergencies or dur
ing the winter season.
The Legislature should have done
| one of two things, 1t should have for
hidden the Metropolitan Water Board
from using this water for public sup
ply or it should have authorized the
cleaning of the meadows, as it did
through the bill which the senator
worked and voted for.
Hopkinton was compensated Just as
Ashland had been because both towns
We're wrecked by the taking of the
Sudbury River water supply.
No honorable man, knowing the con-
ditions, should have voted otherwise
on these bills The record of the SEN
ator stands absolutely clean. If Rep
resentative Billiard had been a senator
and represented the whole district, he
should have voted as Senator Mutt
did
But the conspiracy was successful.
The men who make up the states re-
celved their instructions and delegates
were elected pledged to carry out the
wishes of State committeeman Elan
ders, Representative Billiard and the
professional lobbyist who stands back
of them. The vote of Newton was car
ried to WATERFOWL with the assurance
that any candidate from Watertown
would be accepted. AS Newton needed
four more votes to defeat Senator Mutt
it would have to go outside the city,
so Henry r. Skinner of WATERFOWL
accepted the gift and the nomination
was made through the votes of the
city of Newton and the town of Water
town.
The understanding is that if Mr.
Skinner is elected he shall have two
terms and then the city of Newton
shall have the two following terms. II
is the belief throughout the district
that Representative Billiard has made
this play for the purpose of making
himself senator later Before the pres
emit senator from Natick was elected,
Newton had Senator Harwood for
three years and the western end of the
district had not been properly repre-
scented for a long time. In simple JUS
tice the nomination should have gone
to Natick again this year and then
perhaps to Weston or to some other
town that has had no senator in the
present generation.
There were satisfactory candidates
last year from Weston, Sherborn and
birmingham, all of whom had juster
claims than Watertown or Newton to
this nomination.
The Newton Graphic says that the
candidacy of Mr.. Skinner is a mistake
He is not of Senatorial caIibre." That
judgment is perhaps unfair but he
certainly lacks the experience and in
fluence that the present senator would
have If returned this year.
AS this nomination has placed the
city of Newton in direct antaRonism
to the rest of the district. as it was
done not for personal reasons. now
every town in the district is asking
Senator Mutt to become an indepen.
dent candidate. This action is not
I lraIrr = ~ AaT-