Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-04-04
Sprague May Butlerize Rhode Island.

Little Rhody elects Governor and u
huge list of State officers every year,
and is poetic enough to so through her
local battles in the genial spring time.
Her Governor is paid the pretligate salary
of one thousand dollars for term Of
service, and his chief duties are to watch
over two capitals. appear on dress parade
on important occasions and contribute
from five to ten times his salary to the
party The state is nearly three to one
Republican on full vote, and the party
has logged along with few vicissitudes
ever since young Sprague shook it up in
1880 and out bid Padelferd for the COM
mercial vote and made himself Governor
by what was by courtesy called an cleo
ton.
That election Of William Sprague in
1860 was the opening chapter OF person
He was young in years, smooth-faced
boy in looks, with little beyond his spec
tacles to give him the air of manhood.
But he was rich, ambitious and some
thing of leader. He made Rhode Is
land shock and terrify the Republican
leaders in the great struggle OF 1860 by
wrestling one Of the most reliable Repub-
lican states from her political moorings,
just as the most mOmentous national bat
tie of our history was about to open. The
natural inquiry was: Ii Republican
Rhode Island falters, how can the doubt-
full states be won for Lincoln? But the
auction features of the Rhode Island con
test were soon understood and the Repub-
licans gained the victory.
In 1861, when the term OF the young
Democratic Governor Of Rhode Island
was about to end. civil war had flung its
terrible pail upon the country. Sprague
heartily espoused the cause of the loyal
people, and he was reelected war Dem
ocrat. Soon after he was at the head of
the Rhode Island troops in the field, and
the Sprague tide was taken at the flood
league of Anthony. Later the dazzling
sun of fortune from Rhode Island woocd
and won the beautiful and accomplished
Kate Chase, then the confessed reigning
belle of the capital, and he was excep-
tional in his social and political distinc-
ton. He served in the Senate with the
amiable Anthony, though seldom agree
ing with him, and feud threatened to
ripen between them that would compel
the retirement of the weaker and the sur
vival of the stronger. Prudence ruled.
however, and the millionaire Browns,
who backed Anthony, and the million
aire Spragues tacitly agreed to part
Rhode Island between them, by which
compact Anthony and Sprague were
both reelected without quickening the
mutual hatred of their respective friends
to active hostilities.
The sad sequel to the sprague story is
known to all. His riches took wings; he
and his beautiful wife became strangers;
his seat in the Senate was given up
without any to voice regret for his re-
tirement, and for several years he has
figured in the public journals as a politi-
cal and financial crank, and his recent
marriage to hastily divorced wife crown
ed him among the noted social cranks of
Rhode Island he would not now be
thought of for Governor; but the genu-
inc Yankee states take the crank shoot
in politics once in awhile, and when they
do they are the most uncertain political
quantity known in modern political bat
ties. Sprague, like Butler, has never been
q Democrat since 1861, and, like Butler,
he has been free-thinking Republican
most Of the time, with occasional jerks
over to the support of the Democratic
ticket. Sprague heartily supported Gree
ley in 1872, and since then has never TAX
en- prominent part in politics.
At first glance the general inclination
was to regard Sprague's Gubernaterial
candidacy in Rhode Island as one of the
political jokes of the season. But as
Buffers candidacy had been tossed off
with thoughtless jest until Butler finally
stepped into the Gubernatorial Office, it
now seems possible, even probable, that
Sprague may distance Bowen, the Re-
publican candidate, and turn up rehabili-
tated as leader and statesman in the lit
tie commonwealth The Providence
Journal, the staid old organ that has
borne the name Of Anthony at it's editor
ial head for more than forty years, beats
the long roll along the party lines and
proclaims the danger of Sprague's cleo
ton. The Providence Press, fresher
but not less reliable journal, also tells the
is possible and appeals to the faithful to
rally under the party flag.
The multitude in Rhode Island, like
the multitude in Massachusetts, sympa.
thize with political leaders who strike
out against the ruling powers, and every
voter who has grievance threatens to
settle it by electing the naturally most
improbable candidate and the man least
wanted by the state. In this general
chaotic condition of political affairs,
it is altogether among the posi-.
bilities that Sprague may be elected Gov
ernor of Rhode Island on the Sd day OF
April, and that Butler and Sprague may
exchange congratulations on their victo
ries over the considerate judgment OF
their peeple.-PhiiadeIphin Times