The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-09-24
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER "a, 1906.
A TRICK THAT FAILED.


of the Democratic city committee, may protest
with all the strength OF which he is capable that he
had no sinister purpose in delaying publication OF
the call for the Democratic primaries but he will
induce not single citizen OF Providence to believe
him.
O'Neil is convicted in the public mind OF having
deliberately planned, by delaying the publication OF
the call for the caucuses beyond the time ex-
plicty stated in the law TO render those caucuses
invalid, and by so doing TO maintain himself for
another year in a position in which he is mon
strous misft and menace TO the interests of the
honest Democracy.
Nothing he can do or say will change the
public verdict registered against him or lessen
the contempt in which decent and sef-respecting
men hold him. The scheme which popular opinion
regard him as responsible for conceiving and at
tempting to execute is one that involves party
treachery, the punishment OF which is public con
tumely and disgrace.
He contends he thought publication OF the call
for the caucuses on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
and Thursday would comply with the law, when as
matter of fact the law directs publication for four
days before the day which the caucuses are to be
held
According TO his scheme the publication would
have been made on three days preceding the pri-
maries only and would not, therefore, have been in
conformity with the provision of the statute. Was
ONeil honest, though mistaken, in the belief that
publication as he proposed to make 1t would be
legal?
The answer Of all honest Democrats and OF all
rght-thnking citizens of other political faiths is
an emphatic "Nol" and for that answer they find
ample warrant in the manner in which O'Neil
secured the charmanship and the use he has made
OF il.
That meeting in Arcanum hall at which O'Neil
claimed he was elected chairman OF the Democratic
city committee is still noxous memory with the
citizens OF Providence. The hall had been packed
by heelers and pluguglies who came in the interest
OF the Hessians, and whose illegal and outrageous
interference with and participation in the proceed
ings was permitted to go unchecked by the police,
though they were many times appealed to by the
majority of the committee.
This majority, "a members out OF the o7 con-
stituting the city committee, was finally compelled
to withdraw 1t later held session at which creden-
tials were presented and examined and proceeded
in due form TO elect officers. Peter c. Cannon was
the unanimous choice for chairman.
In the meantime the Hessian minority, with
the aid of toughs and roughs, went through the
motions of electng officers. Without the presenta-
ton of credentials and dsregarding all legal and
orderly procedure, O'Neil declared elected
chairman.
1t was scandalous affair and plainly illegal,
yet when the question of title to the chairmanship
was subsequently tested before the board of can
vassers and registration that VIGOROUSLY partisay
body decided in favor OF ONeil
That Of itself showed where O'Neil's interests
lay, and that his sympathy is not with the honest
Democracy was later more signally emphasized by
for the purpose Of aiding in the work OF registration
O'Nes political associates the Swiss mer-
cenaries who year after year are employed by
Braytonism, and paid out Of Braytonsms corrup-
ton fund TO betray the Democratic party. The
men who supported him in the fight for the chair
manshp and who are now his allies and advisers
are among those who were branded as traitors by
the highest authority in the Democratic party.
O'Neil's professions of honesty OF motive will
count for nothing against the record he has made
and against the known corruption and chicanery OF
his political associates and mentors. Were he other
than he is pusillanmous pigmy, boosted into
place by scandalous knavery, there might be some
disposition TO excuse his latest manifestation OF
malevolence against the party he pretends 10 serve,
on the ground OF Grass ingorance
As it is, the public has reached the conviction
that he planned coup by which he could retain
his place as chairman and by which the Hessians
would still maintain their maevoent and traitorous
representation on the city committee.
The trick has failed, and its failure ought 10
serve as an Indictment 10 every decent Democrat
in Providence 20 attend the primaries next Thurs
day evening. Ii makes palmer than ever before
the existence of plot 10 seize and manipulate the
caucuses in the interest OF Braytonsm, and that
plot should be defeated
Let the decent Democracy show its manhood
its loyalty and its courage by attendance az the
primaries that will insure the election OF honest
members Of the party and the merciless whipping
OF the traitors who conspire to sell II out to Bray
tonism.