The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-11-22

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| shown by the men who were called upon
! 90 vote on these important matters. VI is
! possible that two or three Of the members
I or the council had been given some inside
! Information. but the rest knew no more
/ than did the public, and yet not "A man
/ OF them dared TO express an opinion. II
! he had one, and IL Is doubtful II some OF
! them had the slightest realization OF the
I Importance OF the measures. II was not
| for them TO question. They had not been
selected for that purpose. The ring had
cracked the whip and the lash wound
round the necks of everyone of them just
as II does when any important matter
comes up for action I'm the Pawtucket city
council.
With the exception of one man who was
named for appointment last night il is
, scarcely likely that there will be any
great criticism on that score. Charles r..
ltill. who was named as deputy chief, and
who because Of the Illness OF Chief Rice
VIII from this time forth be at the head
Of the police department. is "A man who
is thoroughly liked by practically every
one who knows him. The general public
VIII be pleased that he has been given
TINS responsible position. and IL Is said
that the men Of the department with
scarcely an exception will feel pleased at
his promotion. That there Is a need for
someone TO be placed at the head of police
affairs will be acknowledged by everyone
who has any knowledge OF the depart
ment. And this is no reflection on the
management Of Capt Nananda. That Of
HteI mas Deen the acting mead OF the pO-
lice for about a year, and he has done
his whole duty. But Capt. Nananda real
lzed that while he was responsible yet
that responsibility did not carry with il
the moral authority which such "A position
should have. 1t is possible that he could
have legally acted I'm all cases Of disci-
pline but he naturally felt that he was
only acting for someone else. and that he
was I'm duty bound To carry out policies OF
another. Deputy Chief Hill will have no
such feeling. lie will be the actual head
of the department II there had been re-
ceived the resignation OF Chief Rice the
office OF deputy would not have been
created, but that was not at hand. and
so the machine has done the next best
thing.
AS for the appointment of Jantor JEFF
fries to the vacancy on the force created
by the promotion OF Patrolman Hill that,
too, is a good one. There may be some
questions as to whether or not Il lis worth
$1,000 TO the city to have a clerk OF police
and IL is difficult at this time to see just
how he Is going To earn his money, but
SO far as the appointee is concerned no
one is making any criticism.
But the other appointment Is different.
Thomas McHugIh is a renegade Democrat.
Three or four years ago he was elected
to the general assembly from this city on
the Democratic ticket and while he was
in that body he posed as the special
friend of the labor unions. Later he
wanted another nomination. but IL was
not given to him and from that time To
this he has been cinging To the skirts
OF the Republican machine leaders. lie
spent good deal OF his time during the
campaign I'm denouncng John j. Fitzger-
aid and Mayor Higgins. who he claimed
were responsible for his turning down
and he never has lost an opportunity to
work against them or their friends. \
few months ago he was given a school
janitorship by the school committee.
II is not because of the men who were
named under the new police ordinance
that there will be criticism but because
Of the manner In which the job was done.
Advantage was taken of the absence OF
the mayor of the city To 10 something
which will receive tho very greatest con-
demnaton. IL was an underhanded ad
vantage but one which ls entirely I'm keep
ing with the methods pursued by the Re-
publican machine leaders OF this city In
the past.
Just what effect the change i'm the fiscal
year OF the city will have on tho finances
is one OF the things which will be more
plain a little later. There arc those who
believe that IL Is good thing and there
are others who win say that II Is entirely
unnecessary To make the change on
thing IL will do will he to throw the max
ing OF appropriations over to the next city
council but there Is no political advan-
tage I'm this because while the next 'coun-
ell is entirely Republican still the four
Democratic members OF the present coun-
ell have never offered any serious obsta-
Gle I'm the path OF the machine when II
wanted To carry through any OF its
schemes