The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-01
Big MEETING
OF DEMOCRATS
Mayor 0'ConneII and Alderman
Mcmahon Address An EnthuSi-
aStiC Gathering at the First
Open Rally of the Year
THE COMMITTEE OF rs
TO BE REORGANIZED

A Meeting of the Organization
That Played So Prominent q
Part in the Campaign Of LaSl
Year to Be Held at the Bay
State House
Mayor Philip ]. O'Connell addressed
the first open rally of his campaign in
Foresters Hall, 100 Front Street, last
night. There were 1862 men present
The meeting was scheduled for
o'clock, but the mayor was detained
and came in half an hour later. John
Hanigan, president of the Foresters'
Building Association, was chairman of
the meeting. He introduced Alderman
Edward ]. Mcmahon, who discussed
the mayors record. The audience was
inclined to be enthusiastic, and fire.
quently broke into applause.
Mr.. Mcmahon said that in a homely
way he should try and deduce from
some propositions that he had reasons
why Mayor O'Connell should be re-
elected.
If Mr.. O'Connell has no good reasons
to offer, there is no reason why we
should ask you to vote for him. After
all, in the city Of Worcester we are
concerned more in a municipal cleo
ton as one big family. We have many
reasons why the common interest of
our family would be best conserved by
the reelection of Mr. O'Connell to the
chief magistracy.
This pftU &c r11arn1Hr q hfor htfcf-
ness corporation. 1t should be in the
hands Of business men.
There are three things that chiefl-
concern a city like Worcester They
are the financial affairs, the public
| service corporations and the matter
! particularly in this city, relating to
the abolition of grade crossings. The
business interests Of Worcester were
enormous. No man can jump from
the position of a merchant and in a
minute, or in a week, master the
finance Of a great city.
Mr. Mcmahon then pointed out that
the mayor had reduced the debt and
brought to the mayors chair a knowl-
edge of finance of an excellent order.
The mayor had proven beyond a sha-
dow of doubt his ability to be mayor
Mr. Mcmahon referred to the mayor $
attitude toward public service corpora
lions. The Electric Light Company
had been robbing the people of Wor-
cester, and was doing it yet. But it
is due to Mayor O'Connell that it
wouldn't get so much money this year.
He vetoed the application of the tele-
phone company for locations on so
streets. Continuing, Mr.. Mcmahon
said:
Mr.. O'Connell is not going to be
defeated. He's going to be elected"
The speaker read from The Spy:
Were he mayor O'ConnelD without
his party nomination, or were he a
citizens candidate, the Republicans
might openly consent to give him an
other term"
Mr. Mcmahon commended that the
editor of The Spy was in close touch
with the Republican party and knew
that Mayor O'Connell was a good
mayor and that many Republicans
would vote for him.
Mayor Philip J. OConnell entered
the room during the progress of Alder
man McMahon's speech. He was re-
ceived with cheers. A similar greet
ing was given him when he was in
troduced and began to speak.
He said that the audience before him
gave him courage, because there were
more people present than, as far as
he could learn, were present at all the
meetings held by his opponent. He
had a certain modesty about talking
Of his own achievements. Alderman
Mcmahon had stated his position on
certain questions better than he could
do it himself. He had tried to be
mayor of all the people and not Of one
party more than another.
It is an important thing to a com
munity to have a low tax rate, es-
-eNa -Is.r-o a1.vfrr
Is supposed to be assessed at its full
value. He made up his mind at the be-
ginning of the year that if there was
ginning Of the year that IL there were
would do IT.
The heads Of the departments CO.
operated with him in a large part. He
insisted that no eXtravagances should
be committed, although no particular
interest should be sacrificed. He in
structed the assessors to find prop
erty that was undervalued and assess
it right; to find land held for specula-
tive purposes and assess II fairly.
He found it necessary to take the IL
cense money and took as much as the
law permitted to be used. For the first
time since 1894 there is a decrease In
the net Indebtedness. 1t had been said
there is an increase in the gross In
debtedness. 1t is of no consequence II
there is. II the gross deDt Is Si,O0V,VOO
and there is 5000, 900 in the treasury,
the net debt is only 100000.
For the first time in the history Of
this city the license money has been
applied to keep the debt down. Mayor
Dodge met that problem by disposing
block of railroad stock.
As mayor he did not expect to please
everybody. He knew he wouldn't He
had tried to be mayor in the interest
of everybody. There are men In the
city who believe that the element Of
craftsmanship should not enter into the
election Of mayor.
There is more independence Of
thought in Worcester than in most
cities. It is not true, as the press has
insisted, that men have been welded
solidly together in one party or in the
other.
Mayor O'Connell further said that he
felt himself In a position to give the
city better service than ever before.
The grade crossing question was still
to be solved, although It was much
nearer a satisfactory solution than