The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-01-10

/ Gross for police commissioner and turned
down Alderman John c. Dunn; and the
club. a most representative Democratic or
ganization, heartily endorsed his action,
on motion of Addison T.. Monroe.
at was a question of whether Hunter
! G White should name the police commits
/ sioner of the city of Providence, or the
| mayor OF the city should name him." said
/ Mr. Mccarthy. Il concluded that tho
mayor should he the one.
81 nominated Col Gross because In the
| last campaign he instructed the police OF
the city to preserve order and not TO In
! terfere i'm the Democratic cancuses.
9 II nominated him in order to be sure
that in the next campaign the police force
OF the city would not be used against
| the Democratic party.
Il am satisfied in my own mind tnat !
have done the best thing for the city and
the Democrats party that was possible
under the circumstances"
Mayor McCarthys speech was the fea-
ture OF the clubs 18th anniversary cele-
bration In Gelbs parlors. He asserted
that the movement In behalf of the candi-
dany OF Alderman Dunn was promoted by
the Republican machine as a blind, and
that he found IL impossible TO get assur-
ance that any Democrat he would name
would be confirmed by the aldermen.
He declared enlphatically that the sole
reason the city Republican ma chine would
not indorse Col. Gross was that he had
other considerations
"A certain gentleman of the Third
ward" the mayor said, with fine sarcasm,
made himself candidate for police COM
missioner. Petitions indorsing his candi-
dacy as a Democrat we're put forward by
the Republican machine, and the mayor
was advised TO support HIS candidacy by
voluminous petition containing 300 names.
secured by soltcitation; and the majority
of those whose names appeared on the
petitions did not understand the situation
and signed them by request.
II suspected and ascertained that II was
the purpose of the Republican machine 10
force the mayor TO select this candidate
as the representative OF the Democratic
party. knowing he would not be approved
by the board of aldermen and that the
board would select some other person TO
fill the position presumably a man select
ed by the machine.
'The question became one Of whether
IL was best for the mayor to name man
who would be satisfactory TO the citizens
OF Providence and who had a chance OF
being confirmed. or to let the board of
alderman name a commissioner selected
by the machine. whose prime object was
TO wreck the Democratic party.
Finding that no Democrat would be
confirmed, the mayor did the next best
thing The personality OF the man a
citizen-the mayor OF Providence. His
course has been supported by public
opinion and by the unanimous press.
II named Col Gross reluctantly. be-
cause | believe that a Democrat should
be on the commission: but the mayor
is simply given the privilege OF indicat-
ing his preference. The board OF alder
men has the express power OF electing the
commissioner
''The power that the police commission
has to operate In politics is such, and
the experience the Democratic party has
had with the police force within the past
two or three years has been such, that
the mayor did what he considered the
best thing to do for the party-named
the hand of the machine off the Demo
cratic caucuses last fall IL was posi-
tion where the mayor, like the man told
Of in a familiar story, would he ID III
he did and id If he didn't
THE mayor is willing TO bear all the
criticism and censure OF people who do
not or will not understand the. situation.
The Democratic candidate for mayor was
not the candidate Of those who are. work
ing against the party. He has made no
trade with and asks no favors from the
! ants nor will he He desires to serve
the city as a citizen, not as the represen-
tative OF any faction,
THE Republican machine is disap-
pointed and says 1t has been thrown
great hole to put the Democratic party
1 in: but the Democratic mayor surround
ed the machine and put them into the hole
! instead
night from now until the calling of the
| caucuses next fall TO accomplish what 1t
| has lost by this appointment 1t is cult-
waiting a sentiment among alleged Demo
Gratis that the Democratic party has been
thrown down. 1t will do what il can, so
| be prepared when the next campaign
opens
"The mayor regrets that circumstances
were not such that Democrat could be
| placed on the police board, hut the time
| may not be far distant when there may be
! another opportunity. The mayor hopes to
| leave record behind him that the Dem
| ocretic party will not have 10 apologize
/ for"
| Clarence A. Aldrich said: "I am glad to
! encourage a man who could do his duty
as he saw II. and especially glad that he
did IL as I saw IT, 1t was not question
] OF politics but OF policy and good gov
! ernment for the city.
Il know the puny hand behind this ma
| chine. IL isn't the substantial machine in
| the state that dabbles In such things as
the city property committee and the police
| commission ership, hut the puny hand that
for the sake of graft is willing TO do this
work. and the machine let's II because OF
/ the support IL receives. I admire the cour-
! age Of the man who said: The city first,
| my party next: but In making this move
| I'll serve both. "
| Richard Il. Comstock sald: Inc queS-
ton was whether the cits was TO have a
commissioner who would play the game
or stand for the good OF the city IL the
mayor had named Democrat. he would
| have made il possible for the Republicans
! TO play the game
"If they could have pledged Col Gross
! TO play the game there would have been
no opposition. In fact. they did 20 to Col,
Gross and told him the opposition 10 him
was because he wouldn't play the game.
II don't believe there is man In the
Republican party today who. IN
mayor would have done as brave and
courageous a thing as Mayor Mccarthy
has done We ought TO feel gratihed with
the mayor the men who voted for him.
| and ourselves
Representative Thomas A Carroll de-
clared that tho conservatism OF the Demo-
cratic party was attracting such men TO
| IL as Col. X. n. l. Goddard
After dinner the annual election OF Off
GERS resulted as follows President. Thomas
r Cooney; vice president Frederick r.
| N I..s u "A