The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-03-28
UTTER MIGHT
WRITE =" SEN."
BEFORE NAME

There's a quiet little canvass going
on" remarked a Republican I'm the as
sembly this afternoon who doesn't wear
the collar. Ito see how the members stand
on prospective candidates for Senator
Wetmore's shoes. They haven't been to
me, Tor I'm not one of those who are sent
for TO come TO the sheriff's office up here:
but the feeling-out process Is under way,
just the same.
The interrogation point hasn't got
much OF a twist I'm II yet. but it's no
chicken at that: and Il comes both from
the state committee and from the Power
Behind the Throne. There's no whip
cracking yet-the time hasn't come yet;
but with a bunch OF millionaires, and
more yet TO be heard from, playing hide
and-seek and puss-in-t -the-corner. the fell
lows who run things realize that they
have 10 be up and doing.
''Of course the more there are VINO
want II, the better. the same as at any
other kind OF an auction you know; but
the men who pull the strings have got 10
be able pretty soon to discover where
they're at. themselves
Some people profess 10 think that Mr..
Wetmore is sleeping; but you can bet all
you please that's mighty far from the
truth. It's pretty general talk that The
Power is with him; but have IL on good
authority that II hasn't yet decided the
matter How could It, when there's been
no showdown and only the first few
chips have been dumped into the pot as
an ante?
Colonel Colt hasn't yet aroused any
doubt OF his wakefulness: but there are
reasons why he must get in some big
licks a s long I'm advance as possible. Then
there are Rocker and Edwards and Met
calf and lot OF others you can hear men,
toned; but In their cases equally good
reasons indicate the wisdom OF lying low
for while.
when you come right down to busi-
ness. though, what's the matter with
Governor Utter? Everybody-except per-
haps the inner cogs OF the machine-says
he's all right and IL he isn't made or
senatorial timber. I'd like TO know who
Is.
ANY talk about the governors having
eyes on Congressman Capron's job Is all
poppycock: and it's not i who VIII say
that he has cast any coy glances toward
Mr. Wetmores crown. You don't imag-
Inc he'd refuse, though, II II were handed
out on a gold platter. do you!
when you come down 10 real un-
washed popular sentiment everybody
knows that the ubiquitous. silver-tonsuea
little man from Westerly. who can talk
equally we'll to the liquor dealers ana on
the same day to Sunday school scnolars.
stands in public estimation far ahead OF
any other man who has been named TO
W
that but himself
"In personal character. undoubted
ability. honesty, political sagacity. sym
pathy with the common people ana popu-
larity, who can touch him?
''Oh, no, I'm not starting any pooin' pu''
honest Injun, suppose United states seha-
tors were elected by popular vote, as they
ought TO be,-ard Governor Utter was
candidate against the whole bunch or MIL
lionaires, and the votes were honestly
counted, everybody knows his election
would be a cinch. Come. now!
what a game IL would be II the Demo-
Gratis could help to get enough honest ana
independent Republicans into the next
assembly TO elect him! And that's no pipe
dream, either.
Great guns, though you don't suppose
that In any other way the GOV stands
the ghost OF show He's too honest 10
have any money TO buy chips and stand
in the game. He's too fearless ana
straight forward for the machine that
only let him become governor because
they had 10 have a man who could win,
and-the dear people really admire and
respect him.
"Of course, he owns a newspaper. the
same as some OF the rest OF them; but
it's too small to count for more than 81
cents In some things, too, he has been
kindly quiescent when the machine mad
something doing but they can't trust
him, and for just the revtrse OF the rea-
son why the people do trust and believe
in him-he has a mind OF his own. and
he's a man first and politician after
ward
80. unless the better class OF Repub-
licans. the honest. independent men,
should make an almost inconceivable deal
with the Democrats. it's likely TO be
long. weary wait before the governor will
be privileged to write senator before his
name.
Who tirrat Joscphtrfe, you donit
think n fellow outside the breastworks like
me knows anything about 1t, do you? But
I can tell you one thing, the atmosphere
Just now certainly has much stronger
Wetmore hue than certain would-be sue
cessors 10 him ever dreamed OF n few
uaaLe a2o