The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-05-01
TO BUY LAND AND STABLE

big show in the columns of our pecu
liar contemporaries just now-but tha
represents. fortunately for the reputa
tod for good sense enjoyed by the com
munity, really so small part of pub
lie opinion-by the peculiar opposition
to the purchase of an addition TO Roge
Williams Park, the addition wanted be
ing at present the property Of tn,
Union Railroad Company. The Com
mon Council has voted TO buy the land
and without doubt the Board of Alder
men will concur when they take the
matter up tomorrow afternoon--inas-
much as the Board of Aldermen are
pretty level headed body of mer.
A variety OF objections have been
raised to the purchase of the land. OBJ
Jections and arguments are healthful
and proper, always. Anything that is
worth doing is usually worth objecting
TO. 1t is a poor case that doesn't pre-
sent two sides for argument. But it is
the remarkable feature that the main
strength of the opposition to the pur-
chase of this park land was based on the
fact that the city was to buy
1t OF the Union Railroad Company,
the implication being that the Union
Railroad Company is, was and always
will be in the business OF buuco steering
and gold-brick selling rather than in
furnishing rapid transit 10 the citizens
of Providence and outlying territory.
If this view of the matter did not
verge on the ridiculous we shoaid think
self respecting citizens would he inclined
to indignation at the resultant attacks
made on the members OF the City
Council and the park commission
who supported the purchase. TO be
sure, some part of the opposition was
due to the opinion that the land
was not needed and TO the
sentiment which exists in some quarters
that too much money is being concer-
trated on Roger Williams Park when
more might be distributed among other
parks. But the main objection was that
the city was asked TO pay too much
money for the land and why it was too
much money was because the Union
Company was To get IL.
There is no ground for the assertion
that the land is to be bought at too high
a price or that the Union Railroad Com
pany is TO be "fatted" by the purchase.
Probably no such statement would have
beef made had the land belonged to
private individuals. The facts and
i9ures quoted by the park commission
demonstrate clearly enough that the city
S getting very fair bargain, though
perhaps it is not "skinning" the trolley
company, as we are compelled to believe
few persons would like TO see it do.
No one will accuse Chairman DEMIYa
IT the park commission of being
pen to the bribes of ever SO soulless a
corporation. No one will say that the
layor OF this city, commissioner, may
'e subject 10 any illegal or discreditable
nfiuence. Nothing could be more alb
urd than 10 hint iha. Colonel WINsHIP
the commission will allow anybody to
ictate TO him-not by long ehot.
resident SELLEw OF tho Council and
ouncilnen ANGEL. ARNOLD. BARpEN.
ARNEY, BEANE, DURFEE, DAVIS, JOSEPH
!. kENDRICK, JonN T.. KFNDRICK.
IURpHY, MOORE, PARKHURsT, RYAN,
SAN SouCI, TRAsK.
AUGHAN, WHITE. WooD, and WEST.
no voted for the purchase, are
either chumrs nor rascaIs. Many
them have repurations as particu-
rly able business men who know a
'od thing when they see it. Most of
EN- are of the kind we call "smart
en-" And anybody who undertakes to
sert that their legs can be pulled or
at they can be hired to sell out the c
y is of a mental calibre that would
title him to position in freak show. c
he insult that would ordinarily carry
tn such charge is not worth consid-
alton, so much supreme is the folly of
Moreover, there is positively no I
ound for any similar charge against | O
trolley corporation. 1t is easy to ,
Il the trolley con>sany band of black I
g and to hurl your mouth at it and un- r,
'tunately we get so accustomed to this h
t OF loose t ak that we pay little at in
ltion TO it. But we do not care ir
spring to the defence of the ff
Hey company. We are most inter NJ
ed in the individual members of the
mmon Council whom a couple of w
vspapers and handful of people have II,
IN talking about in a free and easy n,
y that is uawarranted and would be n,
rageous il IL commanded any serious ar
ention. As IL is it is only burIesoue 81
The park commissioners and large b,
nber of citizens believe that we sh
mt that new park property and at AZ
: rate know enough TO know oi,