The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-04-06
Newspaper Situation in Rhode Islant

Mr.. George French in Incorporation"
To THE EDITOR or NEwsrAPERDoM,
You allude to the reduction OF the price
of THE NEWS of this city from two cents
to one cent, say you take it this has been
done TO boom circulation, and remark:
"Blt why should this be necessary in the
case of the only Republican daily in the
city?n
The newspaper situation here is quite
often made the subject Of inquiry, and
excites wonderment among newspaper
men working in other fields. have often
attempted TO answer queries like yours,
and used to make them. / have studied
the conditions governing this field for five
or six years and believe have discovered
the secret that battles everybody who looks
upon us from outside our walls.
IL is scarcely necessary TO state that
Rhode Island is a small state, but il may
be useful to remember, also, thai its
smallness makes political conditions
possible-inevitable indeed--that could
not prevail in n larger territory. News
papers have not, In this State, the politi-
cal influence they possess in states
that are large enough TO compel politi-
clans to seek other avenues than personal
contact through which to gain political
ends aud effect political results. Here a
man who aspires TO political Office may
easily meet, in the course of a
day, every man in his party who
could be OF any possible use to him.
During he session OF the General Assem-
bly,, which always sits tbrou - she whole
duration OF the State campaign preceding
the April election, the aspirant can daily
lunch with coteric that OF he be Re-
publican) can make his ambitions
reality, or dispel them into thln
air. 1t is not even necessary for this
supposable statesman to spend The day, or
the lunch hour, cultivating politicians.
There is one man who can settle all the
qualms that have ever sssailed him. and
settle them absolutely. Half an hour
ten mnutes-devoted to the task
of sounding this man, or bargaining with
him, is all the time n busy Republican
needsato expend to arrive nj q very just esti-
mate of his chances for preierment at the
hands ofthe Republican party in Rhode
Island. Aud it may beremarked, in pass
ing. that the Republican party, IL 10
chooses to exert itself, will continue TO
control the politics OF Rhode Island, rs it
has i'm the past held control or taken con-
troll when it chose TO exert itself.
Politics is purely personal in Rhode
Island, so far as the practical working of
the party machinery and the influence
brought TO bear upon the voters IL con-
cerned. It is easy to reach every political
leader, and IL IS easy for the leaders to
reach all the voters. IL is unfortunately
true that q very large class OF voters here
are controlled by the mill bosses, and the
mill interests i'm politics are very apt TO
exert an influence that comes so nearly TO
controlling element in election as TO
leave little margin for the exertions OF the
visible party organizations and the news
papers.
It can be seen from what have said that
the field for newspapers in politics Is re-
stric,cd, and their aid ~ not essential to
parties here. This is recognized by all
practical politicians, and the newspapers
are left out OF the calculation
when the political ways and means
committees formulate their plans.
This docs not appear, OF course, but IL is
a condition that II acknowledged when
the matter Is discussed nb rosa, and II