The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-02-07

COL. H0NEY'S MESSAGE-PAGT l.
It Is customary 60 treat papers of state
somewhat exhaustively in an editorial
review aud 1HE News regrets that it is
unable IN This issue TO so discuss Cl.
S. Rump Honey's admirable report from
the judiciary committee. but at the ex-
penso OF peis nal vanity it must confess
that the task set by the gallant repre-
sentative from Newport is too great. In
sporting parlance lie trots trife too
fast.
THE News has read little more than
half OF this remarkable production. rnd
while the strain was severe it hopes in
time TO be able 10 read the other half.
1t is long document modelled some
what on the pattern OF Mr.. Cleveland's
essays on government, while escaping
the charge of lack Of originality that is
sometimes laid at the Chief Magistrates
| door.
IL bears every evidence, both inter-
nally and externally, of originality. 1t
suacks in nothing OF the encyclopedia.
Search as you may there is MT an in
telligible idea in the entire twelve pages
of closely written type-wrilten copy
that suggests any one bnt Honey.
Ii shows that be must have speat rest
Tess nights ard Days poriug over rocks
bearing uroa the constitutional ques-
ffo, bo diccuo-as en- no o., .t,-o;1 ,u,. L;p.,
any reference that woald indicate the
source OF his authority would in
innate plagiarism.
While he did SO, night after night
the city by the sea slept ON.
This may seem strange, hut all history
agrees that nations sleep in fanced Sc
curity while one man. burdened with
responsibilities Of seeing that the affairs
of state are safely guided, passes the
silent watches Of the night in seeking
TO keep the vessel on an even keel. II is
the bitter irony Of fate to have city By
the sea sleep on.
But 10 return to our mutton, as tie
French would say, Col. Honey. at last
concluded his labors after weeks and
months Of anxious study, and the result
found expression yesterday in his report
in the House.
In substance he said TO Governor
Brown "'take back. the message thou
gavest.' Thou canst be q ,vernor in all
things else and thy acts are legal, bnt
thou canst not send message TO a
Honey Rump House not while Honey is
there 10 give advice for himself"
This is as far as THE News has read.
1t would be presumptuous on our part
to pretend to cri riticize after the hasty
perusal of few hours this production
ove- which Colonel Honey has labored
10. these many weeks. Perhaps when
we have read the entire story, when we
have traced his reasoning priori to
posteriori and then back once more
through the successive changes until
it finally reaches definite statement
and assumes tangible form an ex
cathedra statement may be possible.
But not now.
In the meantime the affairs of state
may continue to glide along with
their accustomed ease and regularity.
The Colonel certainly does not mean to
Immediately overturn things. He will
grant the people OF Rhode Island time
enough TO get out of the way before he
begins any more disastrous hostilities.
There is nothing really mean about
Colonel Honey. He disliles the word
so much that he doesn't really mean
half he says.
The News Cffers its apologies and its
thanks. It's apologies to Col. Honey
that it is unable TO do justice to his re
markable effort, and its thanks that he
confined his labors TO IL pages
Of type written copy. He
had much 10 say, but he
evidently hGd compressor present TO
get it well within the IL pages. There is
a significance about that number le
There are ~ months in the year aud it
took him almost l2 months 10 write IL
there are IL pages of copy and each
page furnishes at least l9 arguments TO
prove that the Democracy il great
party aud Honey is It's prophet; i2 times
II makes iii; and there are ~ letters
in the two words that admiralty sum
np the g.st Of his argnment 4" Hoaey,a
defeat"