The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-02-12
WHERE THE SHOE PINCHES
Those Who Will Suffer II the Appro-
priation Bill Is Not Passed.
Important Special Appropriations That
Are Needed by the Board of State
Charities and Corrections.


preparation bill Is subject that Is OF the
greatest interest to every citizen OF Rhode
Island. Few persons, however, who have not
made a careful study OF the question, are
able to realize just what the effect would
be IL the bill should not be passed by the
present General Assembly, but it is the
public officials and those sxho are inter-
ested in the States charities who are ex-
hibiting the greatest anxiety.
Although, as one OF the prominent OIL
cials said this morning, the State would
move on in the same old way. Everything
would have to be done on credit, and
while there was little chance that any
business man would object to trusting the
State the officials did not like the idea OF
being compelled to ask for credit. Still,
while the State might go broke without
any great Inconvenience, there was more
serious aspect TO the situation for many
necessary improvements We're about to be
ndertaken and none of this work could
he done IL the Legislature adjourned with
out passing the bill.
The annual appropriation for the use OF
the Board OF State Charities and Correc-
tions is $225, 900, but the Board has made
demand for further appropriations, the
bills now being before the finance COM
mittees OF the Senate and the House
Among other requests was one for $4,000,
the cost Of building women's prison.
While this Improvement is badly needed
the members of the board have decided TO
let the matter rest for the time being, and
TO ask for still larger sum to be used in
the construction Of new County Jail.
The bill for this special appropriation is
now being drawn and will be presented as
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estimate OF the cost.
The adjournment of the Legislature
without the passage of the appropriation
bill would be hardship. but it would be
slight as compared to the result of even
temporary postponement of action upon
this special appropriation.
The State prison proper has but 124
available cells, and as there has been an
average of 40 prisoners during the past
year it was necessary to place some so of
them in cells In the Jail side. This has
crowded the regular occupants of the
cells out into the corridors, where they
have slept upon cot beds, and as some of
them are dangerous men awaiting trial on
grave charges, great risks have been run.
Notwithstanding the great demand for
woman's prison, the board is of the
opinion that the men need the money
more and for this reason a special appro-
priation will be requested.
A year ago the board also asked for 5000
special appropriation to be spent in erect
ing special building for the use of the
prison officers. For some years there has
been an increasing need of better hospital
accommodations at the workhouse and
the demand has now come to be particu-
larly pressing. The present hospital
building is being used for dormitories by
the officers and the structure cannot be
used as was originally intended until an
other building has been erected.
The bill for this appropriation is also
buried in some committee room and it
has been the intention OF the Board to
call 1t to the attention Of the Legislature
after the passage of the regular bill.
These are but two of the many special
appropriations that the Board has been
compelled TO demand. All of the expend-
itures are necessary and must be made at
some early date, and it would be great
relief to the prison authorities IL their
wants could be met this year.
While the prison and various State
officials would not suffer directly il the
Legislature should adjourn without pass
ing the appropriation bill, there are many
places where the lack OF funds would be
felt.
The S10,0 900 appropriation for the support
of the Rhode Island College of Agriculture
and Mechsuic Arts and the 900 for the
support OF the Institute for the Deaf
are badly needing. Then there is the
s13 900 Appropriation for the soldiers relief
fund and the 81, 900 for the use OF the
Soldiers Home. The lack of ready money
would always have tendency to retard
the charities of the State, to say nothing
of the privations the many persons who
would be unable to collect their individual
claims from the State Treasurer.
A prominent State official in conversa-
tion with a NEWS reporter yester-
day stated that it was only necessary to
remember that the present appropriation
bill represented the expenditure of nearly
a million dollsrs to understand its i'm
portance. Ii the bill was passed a large
portion OF this money would be spent and
other necessary legislation would in all
probability be taken up, hut if the bill
should not be passed the State would not
starve but would continue TO exist at the
expense OF those who were not able to
bear the burden.
Now that the bill has succeeded i'm pass
ing the Senate without opposition ii has
been referred to the House and it is quite
probable that those who are the most
deeply interested in the passage of the
measure will bring their arguments to
bear upon the Representatives before the
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