The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-10-25
PLAIN TALK
TO BOARD OF
CANVAsSERS

! In presenting a list Of names selected
by the Democratic ward organizations
for election officers to the board OF can
vassers at the city hall yesterday after
noon Chairman Thomas III. Donohue and
the representatives OF every ward com
mittee. except the Fifth, joined in a
strong plea that I'm justice to the Demo
cratic party regard should be paid to
their wishes for party representatives at
the polls on election day.
The claim was made that heretofore
the selections by the ward organizations
for election wardens or clerks had too
often been ignored by the board. whilr
In its appointment of supervisors the
board had rarely chosen the first two
men suggested except from the faction
which is aligned against the regular or
ganization In the city Democracy Col.
Donahue. addressing the board. said:
I'VE want to ask you, as the represen-
tatives OF the Democratic ward commit
tee. unanimous I'm the party deliberations
wfti-tifc= possible exr-pt+off- or Une ward
to give US a square deal In the appoint
ment OF wardens and clerks. The men
whose names are included In the lists
are men of good character. qualified ana
competent I'm every way for the offices
for which we have named them and are
the chosen representatives of the Demo-
cratic party I'm their respective wards.
'Tf the men whose appointment as war
dens or clerks we ask arc not In every
way qualified for the positions, we do not
want them To serve. but we would re-
quest that when their names are turned
down and those whom we have not named
are appointed we be given some reason
for the change.
"Of course. you arc not compelled TO
make the appointments from the lists
submitted to you for wardens or clerks;
all we want is To know why the names
which are presented i'm the lists are turn
ed down.
80 far as the appointf INT OF super
visors are concerned we would urge the
selection OF the first two OF the six names
filed in each OF the districts When tho
practice OF presenting the names for su-
pervisors went into effect, q was supposed
to be the plan that the first two names
submitted were to be selected and that
in case either or both could not for any
reason serve the next two would be
chosen instead. AT that time you wished
but four names for supervisors from
which to make n selection of two. Then
II was asked that six names be present
ed"
In reply 80 Chairman whitley. who
asked why in some Of the districts men
who are engaged in the fire or police de-
partments and could not possibly serve
as supervisors, were named on some OF
the lists Col Donohue said
"Your action heretofore compels us 20
do that. III we name two men who are
able to serve and willing to do so. tho
L., LII .g
can be conserved is To name
four other men who are not able TO serve
because OF their occupations
Commissioner Molloy wanted TO know
why on a list submitted from the First
ward there was the name OF man whose
name did not appear on the Democratic
enrolment list. Chairman Donahue ex-
planned that the man was accepted by the
enrolment committee but the clerks in
the list happened to jump his
name.
"You make mistakes here sometimes"
he said to Mr.. Whiteey.
Col Donahue after reading the lists
which had been submitted by the Demo
cratic committee for the last election.
showed that in the First. Third. Fourth
and Tenth wards. at that time identified
with the opposition 10 the dominant party
faction the lists as submitted were APP
proved by the selection is nearly every
case of the first man named for warden
or clerk, and by the acceptance of the
first two men suggested for supervisors
But In the other wards the wishes of the
ward organization. particularly I'm regard
to the appointment of wardens or clerks,
had been completely ignored. In most in
stances. IL was claimed, the men sug-
gested had been rejected without any
given reason and men Of the opposing
faction had been appointed I'm their
places
Other remarks were made by James I.
Nolan Jr.. of the Third ward. Hugh A.
McCabe OF the Ninth ward and Peter G.
Cannon OF the Tenth ward.
The board Is 10 make their appoint
ments OF election officials 10 days before
election. or probably tomorrow