The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-05-04
AN OPEN LETTER.
To Mr.. willard Lansing. the Working
mems Representative.

The following letter of instruction to
Mr.. Lansing will perhaps be of interest
to the readers of the NEWS who have
watched the course of the coupon contest:
NEWS OFFICE,
PROVIDENCE, X. l., May 8.
Mr.. Willard 1. lansing:
DEAR SIR-1he NEWS takes this early
occasion to congratulate you upon your
selection rs the representative Of the
workingmen of Rhode Island to report
upon the industrial condition Of British
workingmen under free trade. It is an
honorable mission aud one whose results
will prove deeply interesting to the peo-
pie OF your city and State.
The NEWS would consider it favor il
you would state rs soon as possible when
you will be ready to start upon your mis-
sion, as it is necessary to begin the prep
arations for the trip some time in ad-
vance. 1t will be for your interest and
advantage to know the precise date Of
leaving Providence long enough in ad-
vance to make n study of your route
You will remember that you have been
chosen to state facts and not to criticise
men, motives or governments. 1t Is prob
able that mere statement of the facts
will be, In effect, an arraignment Of the
British fiscal system, but you will look
upon the British nation with friendly
eyeb 10 bH0 DdECub Ol our OWu luSty
growth. You will clasp hands frankly
and in friendly fashion with "the kin
workman a splendid fellow almost in
variably-intelligent, abstemious, moral,
thoughtful, patriotic and neither so un-
progressive nor so uncommunicative as
Americans sometimes think. You will
find in the great cotton workers union,
the Welsh miners union and others of
the sort some Of the most wisely and con-
servatively managed workingmen's organ
iZations in the world, and well worth
your attention.
Your especial work will be to report
upon as many important industries as
possible, giving In each case these facts
(d) Wages and hours of labor; (b) average
amount of lost time (; (c) the cost Of living
rent, food, clothing, professional services
(d the size and character of working
mems homes (e) the incidence Of taxation
upon the workingman and the capitalist
In giving the cost OF the necessaries or
life. always indicate quality as far as pos
sible, SO that the prices may be available
for comparison.
The News does not need to remind you
that your work, carefully and painstak-
ingly, accomplished, will not only be of in
estimable value to the workingmen who
have chosen you but will make you an
authority upon economic subjects. These
are the subjects best worth thinking upon
by American voters and the NEWS again
conRratulates you upon the exceptional
opportunities you will enjoy for gaining
and imparting information.
Very respectfully,
The PROVIDENCE News.
Twenty y-seven coupons were received to-
day for Mr.. Watson, too late, of course,
to count for his benefit. This makes the
grand total to date 1890.
Mr.. Watson writes TO the NEWS the fol-
lowing letter:
81 MANToN AVENUE, May 8.
To the Editors Of the Ne,os:
Will you please insert this little note so
that the readers and friends of the NEWS
can see that j have not forgotten their
many pleasant notes of encouragement
and sympathy in the late contest. it is
rather late to send 1t in, but am sure
they will excuse that when ! tell them l
had work to do last evening after the
usual ten hours In the factory. In the
first place i would thank the editors OF
the paper for the kind and pleasant
manner in which they have treated
s has aarnsS sSeen the '0nsssa saaare thing, isnk
and the only reason that | did not get the
free trip is that lacked about 10000 cou-
pons-not many to look at in figures, and
only those that had the trouble to
gather few OF them up can understand
the joke. Next ! would thank the ladies'
for their kindly interest In my behalf. 1
had great many little packages from
them that the editor never heard OF, some
with as many as 200 down to as low as
one, and must not forget the little ones,
those who so nobly worked for their
champion -weFkiaernaH,- Ed. Watson,
aud now wish for the first time since be-
ginning this note that had won the trip
/ should have been delighted TO gather
up few of the curiosties that can be
found on the old English coast 10 bring
back TO the little ones as souvenirs OF the
trip. But as that cannot be now, must