The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-09-10
DEMOCRATS
HOLD A
CAUCUS

A council OF war almost on the eve OF
a decisive battle was held by the Demo-
| cratic minority In the legislature. yester-
day afternoon in the senate hearing
room on the top floor OF the state house
With the extraordinary session OF the
general assembly but four days away. 1t
was considered the proper time to plan
out tho work for the members Of the
house and senate that there would be no
/ bad breaks when those bodies got down
| to business
Two members OF the house from up the
valley were first TO arrive. Alphonse Gau-
| lin OF Lincoln and +. X. L. Rattey Of
Central Falls and the latter was suffer-
ing from a cold contracted while SPELL
bounding for the Democrats In the recent
Vermont fight when he delivered seven
| speeches In six days
Other prominent Democrats struggled
in slowly among them being Governor
Garvin. Senator'S Thurston. Banigan and
Crosby. house leader. John ]. Fitzgerald.
and Samuel e. Daubney. whose aspira-
tions for the city executives berth are
dressed facetiously as Mister Mayor"
When Martin b. Birmingham the men,
Der from the 10th ward so greeted Mr..
Daubney. the latter retorted in the same
vein Senator" Birmingham.
1t was after 2:S0 when Edward dew.
O'Connor called the caucus TO order and
In the absence OF the regular chairman.
Senator Crosby OF Newport was chosen
with Mr.. O'Connor as clerk
The governor was the first TO outline
the nature OF the work cut out for the
minority as was right and proper as he
called the extraordinary session and he
unfolded to the caucus a plan for the
blocking OF an early adjournment so slick
that IL made the members smile.
The governors plan seemed such a
splendid one that everyone was feeling
fine till DR.. Garvin sprung an announce
ment that in his message he would recon-
mend the appropriation OF $50 600 for the
completion of the State Sanitorium for
Consumptives.
tion the wisdom OF this course and
the governor explained that II the Demo-
Gratis did not. the Republicans would, and
that the idea was a good one from the
humanitarian standpoint.
-Governor- -GaFYin went on -te-explain-
that he thought that there was a good
chance to complain against the majority
committee was selected to see how action
could be best taken TO show the minority's
displeasure at II.
The governor stated also that he had
called attention to bribery and corrup-
tion I'm his message and these matters
will be among the chief things which the
Democrats will endeavor to consider at
the session Tuesday.
Other matters that the minority men,
bers are TO work for are extension OF suf-
frage 10 the registry voters: the gov
ernors veto power. initiative and refer
endum and the constitutional initiative.
In regard to a published report that
the Democratic members were planning
to slide in a lot of labor measures which
were even now being taken down from
dusty pigeonholes, Edward De ". OCon-
nor said that the party had no intention
OF taking them up at this special session.
THE matters referred TO in Governor
Garvin's message are the others referred
to In the call for the special session only
are 10 be taken up" he said.
There was no lack of harmony ex-
pressed during the meeting, either with
the governor or with his message and
criticisms OF his action, such as been
referred to this morning, was entirely
lacking according 10 the secretary OF the
caucus.
Mr. Fitzgerald, when approached re-
gardlng the action in caucus, said that he
wished his questioner would inform him
| what action the Republicans contem-
plated
I'VE could not tell you what we are 60
| ing to do till then" chimed In Senator
| Thurston. as the party was walking down
| Francis street. possibly not even then"