The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-10-01
PROF. WILLIAM MACDONALD

I'VE have seen the president OF the
United States--a stalwart Republican as
he himself has repeatedly reminded us
strike straight from the shoulder at a
corrupt Republican organization in Ohio.
and we have applauded his action. But
when the same newspapers that have
chronioed these great things have re-
marked, In sneering words, that perhaps
sometime political salvation might come
to Rhode Island, We have felt ashamed
and disgraced. II is the aim OF the Lin
coin party to translate the perhaps into
certainty TO substitute for that some
time definite here and now. tApplause)
"There is only one way by which this
ran be accomplished. II rs absolutely
necessary to destroy, root and branch, the
power OF the existing Republican machine
In this state. (Applause) The task Is not
easy. The Republican machine in Rhode
Island has unlimited command OF money
md plenty Of henchmen ready at any
time to sell their souls for a chance
70 do its dirty work. 1t was born
of sordid sehshness IL has been nurtured
on the fruits of systematic corruption and
has been brought to mature years by bril-
berry. intrigue and fraud. and today as
for years past. II faunts It's corruption
and its power before our eyes, snaps its
fingers impudently in our face. lays its
heavy hand upon us IL we dare oppose 1t,
and brazenly asks us what we propose TO
do about IT,
"The widespread and systematic use Of
money for corrupt purposes in elections
sometimes to buy votes outrlght--the
prices paid being given in the papers the
next day-sometimes to hire voters TO
stay at home, sometimes TO pay rascally
Democrats for selling out; (Cheers) the
denial OF the appointing power to the gov
ernor; the pigeonholng OF important bills
by committees OF the general assembly;
the enactment of the most iniquitous eau
Gus law possessed by any state in the
Union; the recent abolition OF the secret
ballot and the substitution OF form OF
ballot obviously intended TO make inde
pendent voting difficult: notorious frauds
in voting and in counting ballots at eau
ruses and elections; no effective law
against bribery, and none requiring the
publication OF election expenditures; sue
oessful and contemptous resistance to ev-
cry effort to revise our antiquated consti-
tuition, with its ingenious provisions for
the maintenance OF machine control-all
these are but the more familiar illustra-
tions, known abundantly TO us all, of the
way in which the present Republican ma
atzH .tr~ o,,A
Thousands OF Republicans in Rhode
Island. including many high in office, are
disgusted with the way in which the af-
fairs OF the party are managed. and
would welcome an opportunity to punish
those who have betrayed them. ICheers)
II see no hope Of reform. accordingly.
save in the destruction OF the Brayton
machine And when / speak OF the ma
chine do not mean simply Gen. Brayton:
for he. after all, is only an agent There
are men higher up who constitute the
real boss OF Rhode Island, and who must
be reached. and will be reached before
this movement for political honesty Is
over It is these men, rich. powerful. able,
whose interests are at stake in the COM
ing senatorial contest; and we shall not
achieve anything lasting until we de-
throne them.
"Dethroned the machine must be; and
know of no way OF dethronlng Il save
by the election of general assembly
pledged to vote for candidate for the
United States senate whom the machine
cannot control. Applause. )The foundation
Of Republican ring rule in this state is In