New-York tribune., 1888-03-26
RHODE ISLAND CAMPAIGN.
A CONTEST OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE.
UNITED STATES SENATOR TO DE cnosEN-Mod'
wUMP SPITE AGAINST AFAITHFUL REPUBLICAN
-vIGoKous NoRK on ALL eIDES.


VIGOROUS WORK on ALL SIDES
PROVIDENCE II. l., March 25.-Rhode Island leads on
In tho Presidential year with state eiectiop 10 DO
held on April 4. at which Governor and fuh State
ticket arc be chosen as well as Legislature whose
duty Il will 10 TO choose United States Senator to
succeed Senator Jonathan Chace. Previous to last
year Rhode Island elections not regarded
important. a. she certain Republican State
Vermont. Owing to q combination of circumstances
unnecessary to specify here the Democrats captured
tho whole state Government last spring and the pop
ular branch OF the General Assembly. This Demo
cratic reform government has been on trial year
Now. what shall the verdict bel IT, as IS generally
believed among Republicans. last years election was
simply sporadic outbreaking Of Independence among
Republicans in of year. and Republicans VIII vote
the Republican ticket this timc then this election VIII
show that Rhode Islands fonr electoral votes safe
for the Republican candidate for President But IT,
the other hand through ncrneclne strife, the State
tichet is again slaughtered will he hard struggle
to keep Rhode Island In tho Republican column this
fall. 1t Is therefore important that the independent
clement who declare themselves Republican in Ma
tlona elections, should look further ahead than this
spring and should remember that creator Interests arc
involved than their petty sptcs against this that
Republican.
1t Is generally allowed that there must be harmony
and unity OF action this spring To secure these there
concessions 10 tho state ticket among
the who had tho to shape II about as they
pleased Tho fact that they made tho ticket to suit
others rather Than themselves shows that tho working
politicians not of the rule or ruin order.
People outside Of tho state cannot nc alize the I'm
portsnce attached hero to the attitude of Tho Jour
Das II the Republican party had mouthp,ece here,
they would care very little to what The Journal
may say do. but when they practca ally shut out
of the press It is important that Journal
port should be secured To gain this support they
placed Mr. Taft's irreDroachabc at the head OF
the ticket. Tho second place was given to Kent
xvhp nf fba nfe of n,for
class now in one party and then in another. Davis
carried Warwick last year by a large majority. To
regain this important territory the most popular and
influential man in the town. the Hon. Enos Lapham,
selected for Lieutenant Governor. Tho Journal
accepts Mr. Taft, but rejects Mr. Lapham, and rejects
him In autocratlc and brutal manner
The readers of The Journal after perusng The
and direct attacks Mr.. Lapham, would
be led 10 believe that tho Republican candidate for
Lieutenant Governor devoid of principle and
entirely unworthy the sufrsges of tho people Yet
/" The Journal" makes specifications for Mr.. Lap
ham bis friends TO mako answer to. The insinua-
tions there, however, and they speak volumes. On
the 22d instant The Journal out with the Ro
Dpublican ticket, Mr. Lapham's name having two par
allel lines drawn through It, This was pre-
meditatcd and direct insult any political can
ddate received, and Republicans Of all shades of
belief unite In denonncins the act dirty trick,
trely unworthy great newspaper matter what Its
politics are.
Your correspondent has taken pains to look into Mr.
Laphams record citizen and Republican, in order
to bring the facts Of the directly before the people,
and to ascertain what, II any ground The Journals"
blttcr opposition rests upon
EnOs Lapham was born Burrville r. l., farm
September 49, 1921 He came Of good old Rhode
Island stock, being descendant of John Lapham, a
Devonshire, England, weavor, who came to America
about 1850. Enos Lapham's father the Rev.
Richard Lapham, a Methodist local preacher, who
preached the Gospel because he felt that he had call
to do so, at tho time supporting his family by
farm work The grandfather of Enos Lapham was
Quaker minister, and his father In turn q devout
member of that scot All of these Laphams pros
porous and influential citizens of Rhode Island
When young lad with only the barest district
school education, young Enos went into cotton mill
a common mill hand. But this mill boy smart
and at age when the boys of to-day stp In high
school he running little mill in Burrillvllle,
which he had hired. 1880, at the age of eighteen
he Joined his older brother, Benedict Lapham and
bought little factory at Frenchtown, East Greenwich
They virtually partners, although the business
was started in tho name Of Benedict Lapham, and so
continued until his death EnOs the practical mill
and superintendent OF the concern, and Benedict
the business manager Their venture pros peIed
bought the large cotton mill of the Warwick Man
ufacturlng Company. In 1861 they erected nam
In Rhode Island, owned by one man. In this mill are
10000 spindles and GAL broad looms. Four hundred
colt on cloths and now turn out shade cloths win
dow curtains Benedict Lapham died in 1882 be-
brcther So that the mill boy of 1888 Is the millionaire
OF 1855 His property IS unencumbered, and he does
of the possibilities OF poor boy under the American
system OF industries and government:
whole man, beloved by all who understand him
His life been of keen and persistent toll de-
lacks soSeihns Of thai polish suaylty common to
gentlemen reared in polite society lie Is emphati.
<f q t,A nnna hay
and showing marked kindness to those who have been
less successful than himself He Is noted for hard,
in legislative halls than college education or polished
manncrs Reared In Methodist family he has been
member Of that strict sect nearly ell his llic, IS
trustee of the church in Centrevlle and is director
Of the Providence Conference Seminary at East Green
wIch. The temperance question Is one vital In our po
tiles Just Enos Lapham IS no sudden convert.
There Is stronger temperance man In the sl%e @ IN
liquors sold and none have been anEwsa o. IN
that village for past Me Sn be hau question Of
enforcing prohibition Is solved He Is president o,
tho National Bank aud OF the warwick lnsu
In politics right here The Journals objections
hss h been " Republican during the lie Of that party
Warwick Is large town: wide n TERRITORY nhea wI,n
populous mill villages of conflicting interests There
are more than 900 people resident IN the town. CON
ssting OF all natlonalties Politics have therefore.
account of being large real estate owner In GENRE
willie Mr. 1 s has gess CT hmS sa his side Of
hs right has generals been vs,oousS and IN ais ths
fght he goes in TO wn as The Journal" adherents
viii find to their cost before this thing Is over:
Ie SAYS he never bought vote himself and he never
knew of being purchased I'm The interests oi BIS
nayty I'm warwick Ii is true that has been liberal
contributor to campaign funds Is true that ne has
friends in Warwick BY the hundred who arc warmly De
voted TO his political fortunes and Is true that his
name is potent throughout the State: but that he Is
corrupt and unworthy man. those OF his neighoors VINO
bost know him declare Is not true. - .
Mr. Lapham has been president OF the warwick
royrn c.ounc for three wears In 1896 he .
member of the State senate. He was not concerned
In the May deal" against which The Journal wakes
SO Wroth but was absent when that legislation was
c0nsummafed. On the other hand. Governor Davis.
Who was a member OF the Senate at that time. was
prrscnf and voted for the District Court bill and for
many of the judges elected under It.
re ahove Is n plain and truthful sketch Of this self
made man who Is best respected where best known: