The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-12-13
BURCHARO MAY
BE FORCED On
LEGISLATORS

THE proper thing for a fellow TO do
politics is to form business or social con-
nections that will keep him out Of the
state" said a rather cross-grained Re-
publican 10 a News Democrat reporter to-
day.
II mean that II Is a pretty good idea
when you go in for a line of industry to
follow the pathway marked out by the
successful ones In the same field Of effort.
OF course. you hear a lot about state pride
and the fine conservative spirit OF the
state. When there are any constitution re-
formers around, you hear lots about the
noble freemen of the small towns.
But not all these freemen are dullards
and they have a suspicion that a good
deal OF this talk is for purposes OF de-
ception only. or course the men who get
elected TO the legislature have TO keep
mum as TO their suspicious.
Still the most ordinary voter realizes
that commonwealth avenue is not directly
a part OF the good roads system of Rhode
Island, and that their village postoffces
are more than IS minutes from Broad
way.
THE voters In the dwarf towns are gen.
orally well satisfied with local conditions;
but will they be II their representa- tives
are whipped into line for a Boston law
yer for speaker? Such is said TO be the
course laid out by certain machine lead
ers.
IF there is one more thing the Repub-
lican machine could do TO insult the great
majority OF the voters OF this state than
II has done. II would be the selection OF
the Boston lawyer referred 10 as speaker
of the house OF representatives,.
"Burchard was chairman OF the commN-
tee on special legislation in the last house
lie refused 10 return to the house for
consideration any OF the important meas
ures for which the voters I'm the cities
and large towns have been petitioning
many years.
He defended the principle that a boss
controlled committee was supreme In
everything save corporation and fran
chise matters. On the floor OF the house
in defending his course as a stranger of
reform legislation, he for the first time
In the memory OF man raised I'm Rhode
Island Legislature the race or creed is
sue.
He was ably answered by Mr.. Rattey,
the Democratic leader; and Judge Palmer
on the Republican side gave the narrow
minded representative singing rebuke.
II was believed at the time that this po-
litical leader had ended his career by his
own act
IF the Republican boss has completely
parted company with his former political
sagacity, he will nominate this man,
otherwise not. III j were a Democrat. IL
seems TO me / would ask no better luck
for my party than the nomination OF this
Boston lawyer by my political opponents.
''As a Republican, though, / must pro-
test against any lineup OF the represen-
tatives of the small towns In favor of
such a man for speaker. The party has
all the fights on its hands now that are
necessary TO keep the blood circulating.
"At the best we will have a United
States senator representing a minority OF
all the voters of the state; and l believe
IL would be going much too far TO have
a speaker who would represent but mi
nority OF a minority, and whose record
might prove as damaging TO the Republi-
cans In the future, as IL has I'm the past.