The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-09-15
oAwTUCKET OFFICE.
The NEWS-DEM EMOCRAT
No. 4 Kinyon Block.
Tel. 279-L
4 STRONG CANDIDATE
FOR The MAYORALITY

! Editor OF News Democrat:
l have noticed with satisfaction the in
terest which the News Democrat is taking
in the local political concerns of our un-
fortunate municipality
Authoritative statistics recently pub
| llshed show that. barring four others,
! Pawtucket has the largest per capita in
debtedness OF any city in the United
! States. IL the facts were available they
| would undoubtedly show that this unenVi-
able distinction is due to the fact that
/ we occupy at least a correspondingy dis
creditable position In point of municipal
| misgovernment.
| | venture 10 say that no community in
4 this country. big or little. is cursed with
more Incapable, unscrupulous and cor
| rupt administration
Other tax-laden communities have as
! sets that explain and possibly Justify their
| liabilities; we have comparatively none.
While of course the majority of our cti-
zens are primarily responsible for these
conditions, there are some amongst us
who have long deplored. and would like
TO amend them.
When by reason OF public supineness
however. boss rule has been allowed 10
gradually intrench itself it is a very diff
ficult matter TO eradicate IT, especially
when Is In our case, its usurpations are
endorsed and sustained by supreme judi
cial authority.
For exampie-Pawtucket is governed to-
day by its board of tax assessors, which
is by judicial decision, the final arbiter
as 10 who shall. and who shall not ex-
ercise the elective franchise with respect
to members of the city council
Only the names of those who are un-
derstood to be supporters of the municipal
machine are placed on the list of personal
property voters And as this class OF
voters determine the makeup of the coun-
ell the partisan complexion of that body
| Is controlled by the assessors. In turn,
the council elects the assessors. recip-
rocal arrangement which always secures
the csuncil life tenure for the assess
ors.
For this condition of affairs there is no
redress, the supreme court OF the state
having set the seal of it's august author
ity on the validity OF the law that rem
| ders possible such an Infamous compact.
Until the people OF the state elect an
| honest legislature and sustain II long
enough TO secure the boon of municipal
| home rule, there would seem to be no
hope that the political conditions now
! prevailing in this city can be improved.
| Only one source, not of amendment. but
| OF partial protection is available TO us.
| The mayor of the city, though restricted
/ in authority almost TO the point of abso-
lutte impotence by legislative enactment,
Is still elected by the people and not by
! the assessors
! Notwithstanding his limitations In this
respect. however, the right sort OF
! mayor can effect much in the interests OF
| municipal decency, by constant and Wig
! orous effort in about the only direction
available TO him for that purpose viz,
| publicity
He can keep the dolngs of the machine
in the continuous glare OF the lime-light
| BY constant watchfuness OF it's schemes
he can keep the public fully informed as
| TO their character and purpose and in this
way at least perform a service which
| cannot but have some deterrent effect
IL behooves us therefore, as the only
infamies OF the machine to select for
mayor at the approaching election our
| best available man.
| II goes without saying that we cannot
/ lcok for such a man in the political party
| directly responsible for existing cond-
! tions: but must seek him either in the op-
! posite party or amongst the independent
citizenship OF the community.
| Amongst several candidates whose
names have been mentioned in this con-
nection, you referred in recent issue TO
that of Colonel Sylvanus Mason. No bet.
/ ter selection could be made, while Col
Mason has been a lifelong Democrat, he
has never been IAN offensive partisan"
In civic affairs he has invariably stood
for a strictly buslness-like admnistra-
tion, without regard to nerve party con-
siderations: and, during his own service
on the city council. no man who ever sat
in that body was more vigilant and un-
trlng IN the cause OF honest, clean and
economical government, nor any who
proved to so great a degree, n thorn in
the flesh OF the machine.
Colonel Mason is an intelligent and thor
ough student of civic affairs. No man
better knows the history. political and
otherwise OF the city. and few understand
so well the ways that are dark and the
tricks that are vain" OF the gang" or
would be equipped with equal resource
fulness In exposing and frustrating them.
He Is honest, able. clean. absolutely relia-
bic. and thoroughly independent. and II
nominated, would not only poll the full
strength OF his party. with the rank and
file OF which he is exceedingly popular,
but would have the support OF the entire
Independent element. and OF a large num-
ber OF Republicans who are sick OF ex-
istng conditions and would like To re-
form them.
! do not train politically with Col Ma
son, and am not his attorney In this mat
ter; but ] know the man. and believing
him To be far and away the fttest and
most desirable OF all the candidates so far
mentioned. I sincerely hope his party will
have the wisdom 20 nominate him
INDEPENDENT.
Pawtpcket. Sept. H.