The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-10-29
BOOM ERANGS.

When any newspaper, when any wide
mouthed tslker, when any party, faction o,
organization or group of persons,
calling itself a party or orgsniza'
tion assumes, on the right oi
free speech, to declare that the members OF
the city government OF the city OF Provi-
dence are a gang OF thieves or thick
heads the uDwarranted language Is In the
nature OF boomerang. Those who use IL
know il is wild, ridiculous and shameful
and so do the rest OF the people.
When any such charge the City
Council, with such rare exceptions as
GEORGE j. WEST, with being band
of spoilsmen, robbing the taxpayers
money and wasting the municipal sub
stance, the folly aud crime in the lam
guage react on whoever uses IL.
Providence is not very big city. The
gentlemen chosen TO represent the sew
eral wards OF the city every year are
known personally to nearly every citizen
that votes for them. Their private lives,
their business and pretty much all about
them are like an open book. Candi-
dates, supporters and opponents are all
neigh bors, one with the other. Their
families enjoy neighborly association,
they have every day business relations
with one another, they may attend the
same church and be together interested
in and identified with organizations
and institutions OF one kind or another.
When anybody undertakes to tell the
mass OF the public that the men that are
selected from their numberfo public office
are rascals or nincompoops the state
ments are subject to opinions based on
personal acquaintance and personal
knowledge that thousands OF their fell
low citizens have with the men thus held
up to public opprobrium. And that ac-
quaintancs and knowledge are likely to
have res ulted' In a judgment so far at
variance with the vile language used as
to only dumbfound and amaze the pub
lie at the impudence and malice that in
spire the language.
We think we are safe in stating that
never in the history Of local politics have
the names and regulations of honorable
and able citizens been subject to any
thing like the vile attacks that have dis
tinguished the so-called reform move
ment that the Providence Journal inau-
gurated for its own malicious ends last
summer and which has now collapsed
dismally by reason of its obvious insin-
cerity OF purpose and the mud singing
methods for promoting its aims. Our
friends, the Democrats, when they go
into a campaign are wont to enjoy them
selves with loud talk about rings and
bosses and oppressors OF the people and all
that sort of stuff but everybody under
stands it as the properties of the political
stage trotted out to do duty at every elec-
lion and never designed to be under
stood as meaning anything or expressing
my "hard feelings" As rule our cam
oaigns are conducted with decorum, and
appeal to the suffrage is made with a
proper regard for the decencies il not for
Ill the oourtesies that should maintai in
my community.
II is no wonder that The Journal met h |
DDS have run out The Journal movement |
almost to the last driblet. Those methods |
have been as ridiculous to the minds OF |
thinking citizens as they have been dis
yusting to all of us OF -mindedness
Ind sense OF decenoy. And most OF us
In this town are disposed to be fair-mind-
I'd and decent. The unsupported state.
nents made by the recognized mouth
pieces of The Journal have the sooner
in dlscredit by reason OF the
bominable personal attacks which have