The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-06-18

| euhS ilore apparent daily.
Many men who heretofore have blindly
followed Boss Brayton are now seriously
| questioning the wisdom OF submitting TO
his leadership. and are saying that 1t
| would not be at all bad thing for the
Republican party TO unload the general
one OF the best known and ablest Re-
publicans in the state said today:
IF / were not actively In Republican
politics / would work and vote for Col.
II. III. /. Goddard. regard his letter ac-
cepting the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS NOM
! ination for United States senator as a
most statesmanlike and inspiring docu-
| ment. IL Is certainly an appeal to the
manhood OF the citizens OF Rhode Island.
| which will not 60 unanswered.
Whether Col. Goddard wins a majority
| OF the grand committee or fails. owing TO
! our rotten borough system OF representa-
| tion, he will have succeeded In arousing
the people. as perhaps they have never
| before been aroused, to the enormity OF
their mistake In entrusting 10 any dicta-
tor the tremendous powers exercised wiln-
out question by Charles r. Breyton.
There is not the slightest doubt that
conditions In this state are more dep1ora-
BILE from a political viewpoint than they
have ever been before In my long expert
ence. 1t is a bad thing for the state for
any party to have such undisputed sway
as the Republican party has had for so
many years.
Gen Brayton may be considered an al
most necessary product OF our peculiar
system OF government; but that is equally
an argument against the system and
against Gen. Brayton himself.
THE Republican party is undoubtedly
divided over the question OF selecting
George Peabody Wetmore TO succeed
himself, or allowing Col. Samuel Pomeroy
Colt, representative of so many trusts, TO
supplant him; but the people generally
will have no opportunity to say whether
they want the one OFF the other.
Personally. ! have not the slightest
doubt that Wetmore is stronger with the
people than is Colt: but that is not the
question, as the people heretofore have
never had much TO say about the choice
OF a United States senator. and the Re-
publican party, as party. nothing Mt all
There is no question in my mind as 10
who would win IL the selection were left
10 the people themselves. nor as to wheth-
er II will be Colt or Wetmore II IL Is left
TO Gen. Brayton TO decide / firmly be-
lleve that the general favors wetmorc;
but this is an extraordinary year.
THE contest because OF the strong per-
sonality OF Col. Goddard. who appeals TO
all the conservative forces I'm all parties
is likely to be very close. Much money
Will be required for the legitimate ex-
penses OF the campaign: and doubt
A
reputation OF being a lavish spender will
he either willing or able TO supply the
| Golfers with the sums needed
There Is vast difference between a
| forum like Wetmore's OF say So, 100000 in
vested at about 3h per cent interest and
n growing fortune, like that OF Col Colt.
which is increasing at the rate OF per-
haps sl,0oo.00o per year. because the coll
| onel is still actively In business. while
| Senator Wetmore is not.
| "Wetmore has had IL years of
! vice in the senate, and the novelty OF
II is not SO attractive to him as II
| IL TO Colt. He would probably be
not so willing to expend $4,000, or
| more, for another six years term and
a salary aggregating only one-fifth
| OF that sum. Col. Colt Is ambitious.
| He has been defeated in the only con-
| test he has entered into for years and
| desires some measure of revenge, too.
| "He knows the men who were re-
! sponsible in part for his withdrawal
| from the race for governor two years
| ago. when he thought everything was
! 'cinched' for him: and that Will in
crease his yearning to get even with
them. because most, IL not all, OF them,
are now lined up under the Goddard
/ banner.
Gen. Brayton is a past master at
| manipulating campaign funds so that
/ they will bring the best results. III
| Wetmore Is willing to supply the
needful in sufficient quantities for the
| general to do the necessary political
| business in the close country districts
| and TO foment dissensions among pa
| triotic Democrats who desire only a
| simon pure Democratic candidate for
United States senator and prefer
| Republican to Col. Goddard. the gen.
| eral will doubtless instruct his Re
publican legislature, IL one is elected,
| TO vote for WetmOre.
| IF, however, Wetmore refuses 10
| open wide his Golfers for campaign
expenses--and the general knows how
| TO pile them up artistically-there
! will be nothing to IL but Col Colt
when the legislature meets next jan
uary, provided Col Goddard does not
prove the surprise OF the last half
century from political standpoint.
II am a Republican but -nnt-a-
I Brayton, nor either an Utter man. /
| believe it Is the worst thing possible
| for the Republican party to have such
an overwhelming majority of the legis-
| lature as IL had during the last sea-
! sion. II was utterly useless TO en-
deavor to buck against the Boss, who
was always able to muster more than
clear majority in each branch, even
/ IL a dozen Republicans revolted and
! Joined the Democratic minority.
! II saw any number OF signs of un-
rest among Republicans during the
session. but they knew that II was
hopeless task and would be politi-
cal suicide for them TO kick, under
| the circumstances.
II see that the party, which means
the general, has decided TO name Utter
| again for governor. believe Jackson
would make a better run. II there
ever was Republican candidate who
has lost the confidence OF his party
in a greater degree than has George
III. Utter, i would like to get a line
on him.
Even In his own home, Utter has
| completely disrupted the Republican
| party, which Is demoralized. disorgan-
| lied, disgruntled and reduced TO only
| fragmentary part OF its original
strength and attractiveness. why did
the associated LIQUOR dealers OF the
state believe within few days OF
| the last election that Chairman Will
| liam III. Luther of the Providence Po-
lice Commission would not be reap