The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-09
HOPE AND HEBETUDy..

Two OF our esteemed contemporaries
rise to remark upon tine proposition to
invsstlagte the poor department, as cor
Quoted under Overseer OF the Poor MAT
THEW j. CUMMINGS.
Here is what the Woonsocket Call
says:
lit is either a put-up job, or serious case
OF malfeasance in office, this ease against
Oyerseer Of he Poor Cummings OF Providence.
Mr. Cummings was reelected by vote greater
than that o. any of tho mayoralty candidates
We incline 20 the belief that the charge
acainst-him viii prove 10 be pu'- up Joo
This expresses bop', the friendly hope
OF a newspaper that stands ever for inde-
pendence and reform when those things
may be made the tail TO fly the Domo-
cratic kite. Mr.. CUMMINGS has ever
been the shining star, the glorious ex'
ample Of this sort OF a non-partisan idea.
Here IN Providence we have been repeat
edly called upon to worship him as the
golden calf Of non -partisanship, the
choicest fruit Of citizenship as exhibited
whilst drawing salary in public Office.
in whose person was compressed all the
virtues that should distinguish the mod
ell office holder OF the kind that offices
sought and not OF the sort that sought
the office. And the fame OF Mr.. CUM
MINGs mas spread abroad and his example
has given hope and encou ragement to
Democracy and reform wherever these
were joined in wedlock and sought sane
tificatiop through the sublime faith of
popular majority.
Needless TO remark, all this has tended
to make a good many folk, possessed Of
ordinary sense. little bit "tired. " We
felt that other men, even partisans, had
Vccas ionslly served the public efficiently
before the town ever knew that Mr.. CUM
MIYGs was on cart h, and that il Mr.. CUM
MINGs did his plain duty in Office that was
no reason for stopping over about il. AS
matter OF fact there have long been
opinins held by very worthy people in
this town that Mr.. CUMMINGS grossly
mismonageu bis Office, but in the face OF a
support, as overbearing and loudmouthed
as it was evidently ignorant OF facts, these
opinions found little chance for hear
ing. Even this newspaper which has ac-
qured tomewh hat OF reputation for hon
esty OF conviction to the point OF sas3i-
ness in the ex xpression thereof didn't care
to criticise Mr.. CUMMINGS management
OF the routine WORK OF bis department,
knowing foil well That when popular
impression is set one way it is about as
hard to turn back ms it would lie to
throw facts and figures at flood tide
with the hope OF making it ebb.
But, ms ii happened, something besides
the matter OF the performance OF Mr..
CUMMINGS routine duties came TO
light. In the tirs, place, it appears
that while Mr.. CUMMINGS has been in
office. presumably devoting all his time
to the duties thereof for salary If s1i00
year. he has acquired very comfort
able property. real and personal He is
not today what would call a rich man,
but he is pov cssed ~ number OF thou
sands OF do lars that he was not credited
W lNu NHtu Ht lppk OUiNt, Hllu lIIl Nbulu
hardly have been saved out OF his. salary
/ without some help, When an enploye OF
/ "A private concern, like The Calf Publish
! Ing Company, for instance, gives evil
dence OF having more money than his
employment seems TO warrant, his EN-
! ployers usually look into the matter 10
| find out how he gets 1t. That is the right
and duty of the private corporation. II
the employe is public servant the peo-
! pie and the press and every medium Of
representation for the people have a right
! TO inquire--it Is a duty TO inquire. So we
| manfred rs 10 Mr. CUMMINGS We foun a