The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-10-24
BIG DEMOCRATIC RALLY
HELD At CENTRAL FALLS

ment OF representative government in
Rhode' Island was opened with a vim last
evening. when about 200 citizens gathered
in Fales hall on Central street and with
frequent ringing outbursts OF applause
and enthusiasm listened TO the exposition
OF the cause Of constitutional reform.
DIR. John A. Remington. candidate OF
the Democratic party for state senator
from Central Falls. presided. and before
introducing the first speaker OF the eve
ming told OF an experience he had while
In the legislature last year. He said:
DIR. REMINGTON SPEAKS.
At the time when Senator McKenna OF
Cumberland, that old Democratic war
horse" introduced the bill for the initia-
tive and referendum, which was referred
10 the committee on special legislation.
. hearing on the bill had been promised
10 Senator McKenna.
The Democrats all thought al least the
hearing would be given by that commit
tee. DIR. Remington was sitting one
morning in the room OF the committee on
finance, Of which he was a member, when
Ger. Brayton. attended by his body guard,
appeared at the door. and, thinking he
was addressing the committee on special
legislation, said curtly: You fellows
have got that bill OF McKenna's on the
initiative and referendum. That is Gar
wins work / want you 10 cut II out.
Don't give II a hearing" And there was
no hearing given on the bill
DR. Remington appealed TO his audience
20 vote for James III. Higgins who had
promised Ito try and drive Brayton from
the marble palace on the hill" He then
introduced as the first speaker Edwin
c. Pierce OF Cranston. who is the Demo
cratic and Lincoln party candidate for rep
resentative from that town.
MR.. PIERCE's REMARKS.
Mr.. Pierce spoke in part as follows.
II will be entirely frank this evening
and say that for myself j choose 10 call
myself a Democrat and ever since 1898
have so chosen.
In six consecutive presidential cleo
tions, from Hayes to Mckinley. l was
Republican. and consequently know some
thing of the feelings OF Republicans who
inherited the sentiments and traditions OF
Lincoln Republicanism.
What is a Democrat?
"A Democrat is a man who looks the
richest and most powerful man In the
face and says. / am as good as you are.
and TO the poorest ana WEAKEST man says,
You are as good as i am.
THE Democratic party stands today
as the dependable guardian OF popular
rights. and OF the poor and oppressed
against the arrogance and predatory ten
nencies Of syndicated wealth.
"Our Republican friends are In the hao-
81 Of pridlng themselves on the measure of
prosperity we enjoy and charge that the
Democratic party Is destructive In It's
principles The Democratic party has
been and Is the party OF achievement
not destruction, and is TO be so IN the
future
Mr.. Pierce here gave considerable at
tention to the plea made that the Repub-
iican party must be kept In power 10 hold
ups the hands OF Theodore Roosevelt
Said he, there is no reason why the un-
known candidate of the Republican party
should be sent TO the United States SEN
ate TO sustain Roosevelt. The speaker
asked his hearers TO look over the country
md TO say whether in view OF what was
transpiring against the liberties OF the
people whether Theodore Roosevelt had
gone far enought in his fight against the
trusts.
He said This constitution was deliber-
ately contrived TO keep the suffrage IN
the hands of the few and out OF the hands
of the many" II is a story as old rs hu-
man history. Power once grasped py an
aristocratic class IS chung - and amused.
And so Il is that Rhode Island. the eldest
born of liberty, in close corporation to-
day and in the power OF corporations
which are closer still.
THE Democratic party in Rhode Island
as an organized force In state politics has
q great moral advantage over the ltepup-
lican party. II has a clearly defined prin-
cipal upon which II bases its party
faith This Is the principle of the right or
the people TO govern themselves. The
Democratic principle is the principle VI
majority rule. This Is a principle OF JUS
tice. The Republican party practically re-
pudiates this principle and dares not
make profession of II"
REMARKS OF MR.. WILLIAMS.
Chairman Remington then introduced
James A. williams of Providence who
spoke as follows:
"My friends, l want to give you some
reasons why the Republican party ought
10 be defeated on Nov. g. 1906 and some
reasons why the Democratic party should
be placed in power in Rhode Island
THE Republican party ought TO be de-
feated because IL opposes the popular de-
nand for constitutional changes. Its plat
form its candidates. its orators It's news
papers. are all silent on the subject The
reason Is plain Republican supremacy
will be at an end when Rhode Island has
representative government. The rule OF
one man VIII nave lo give iiaNS w P"P
ular government
The Republican party ought to be de
feated because 1t has prostituted Its hon
or and its reputation and destroyed It's
usefulness by its abject surrender OF It's
rights to the diction OF one man VINO
uses his position as boss OF the party
as a means OF gaining livelihood. Ana
there is not a candidate Of the party, an
officeholder OF the party. or an inhuen-
tial man who Acknowledges allegiance TO
the party who dares attack the boss ana
declare that he must be overthrown.
"Gov. Utter says he does not wear the
Brayton collar, and even Mayor Dyer,
now candidate for congress In the First
district has declared that he does not
wear the Brayton collar. But these gen
tlemen do not say that the Republican
party does not wear the Brayton collar
They do not pledge their honest enorts
to take the collar off the party.
Gov. Utter I'm his monday speech TO-
Day at Pioneers headquarters repeated
his claim to Independence. but the audl-
aIartrinpd nv admiS-