The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-10-23
A WHIMpERING CANDIDATE.

During his MONDAY address in the headquar-
ters of the Pioneer Republican club in the Bani-
gan building yesterday Mayor Dyer declared that
the present campaign is directed against one man ;
that in order to accomplish the overthrow OF the
boss the Republican party is to be driven from
power in the state and its standard bearers to
be defeated, though none of them is boss-ridden
or suspected of subservience to the boss.
This is tricky and plausible way of putting
the case, and while it may satisfy the members OF
the Pioneer club, it will excite only amusement
among thinking citizens. This campaign is not
directed solely against Charles R. Brayton, but
against Braytonism, of which Charles r. Brayton
is but the visible and active agent.
No one knows better than Mayor Dyer that
Braytonism is not one-nan oligarchy. No one
knows better than he that it is congeries OF
wealthy men, the heads of big corporations who
seek political prefermcnt for themselves or their
creatures, as we'll as friendly legislation for the
corporations they control, and who furnish the
money by which Braytonsm ,corrupts the cleo
torate and maintains its evil domination in the
commonwealth.
1t isn't the boss alone with whom the decent
citizenship has to deal in this campaign, but with
the corrupt and corrupting olgarchy for which the
boss acts; the malodorous combine of rich and un-
scrupulous men who furnish the money that pur-
chases the of the venal in the rotten borough
towns upon which Braytonism depends tor the
maintenance of its power
The boss, without the money with which his
fellow oligarchs provide him, would be quickly
whipped into obscurity; but it requires an uprising
of the whole people to get at and adequately
punish the arch conspirators against representa-
tive government and civic decency who constitute
the bone and snew of Braytonism.
Mayor Dyer seems to regard it as unjust that
he and his fellow candidates should be defeated
in order that Rhode Island may be rescued from
the curse of Braytonism and its continuing in
famies Why should they not be punished for
he mai he tat Of a
condition for which they in part responsibe'
Why should they escape chastisement and re-
pudiaton at the hands OF people they have
helped to outrage and despoil by taking offices
from Braytonism and by doing Braytonism
bidding while holding those offices'
Whimpering about the destruction of the Re-
publican party will not save Mayor Dyer or his
fellow candidates from defeat The forces of civic
righteousness are not aiming at the destruction o
the Republican party. but at the destruction o
Braytonsm in order that representative govern
ment, which has been suppressed and banished
may be restored TO the commonwealth.
The Republican party must and will be de-
feated in order that the monstrously mischievous
power Of Braytonism may be crushed The cancer
OF Braytonism must be cut out OF the Republican
party before il can again command the respect and
confidence of honest citizens That party must
submit to the pains of the excsion OF the noxious
growth before it can be restored to health and
decency
Like Governor Utter Mayor Dyer processes
freedom from Braytonisns dictaton and control
yet he has repeatedly accepted nominations from
Braytonism and has been the beneficiary OF Bray
tonism's scandalous debauehery Of the electorate.
Were it not for Braytonism would Elisha Dyer
have been either governor senator or mayor II
he were not persona grata to Braytonsm, and q
Braytonism did not regard him subservient &c
its orders, would he have Braytonisms nomination
in his vest pocket todaya Never.
Has Mayor Dyer in the whole course o
his public career betrayed the slightest in
dependence Of judgment or Of action' He has not
As Congressman Granger has in his speeches
pointed out, Mayor Dyer while governor OF th
state, permitted Braytonism to secure from ser