The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-20

Councilman William u. Vaughan ofthe
First Ward is, without question, the best
abused man in the city government. The
Goo Coos denounce him MS q dangerous
politician, because they can't bulldoze
or browbeat him; the Democrats because
OF his dizziness in defeating their little
schemes snd his facility in beating them
at the polls, and the Prohibitionists be-
cause he refuses to admit that the affairs
OF the city can be successfully conducted
by an insignificant battalion OF hobby
horse riders.
MIR. Vaughan is a politician. He is of
the kind that Is absolutely necessary in
every successful, progressive and up-to-
date municipality. He is the sort of poll
itician who sees the natural ad vantages
OF Providence and proposes to improve
them for her benefit and the comfort,
convenience, prosperity and progress OF
her citizens. That's the kind OF politician
William Il. Vaughan il, and IL Providence
years ago had the services OF a few such
men she wou not have remained SO
long In a state OF sompolence and stagna-
ton. One of the charges made against
MIR. Vaughan il that he is the friend of
railway corporations. Let us see how hat
is. For more than a quarter of a century
the matter of securing better railway
terminal facilities in the city was agitat-
ed and discussed both in the Council and
out OF ii. Committees and commissions
were appointed, plans were prepared and
no end OF work was done, but was any
thing accomplished? Absolutely moth
ing. Why? Because the railroads would
not move in the matter. They made
promi Uses only to forget them and after
twenty years of dallying and dickering
the city was no nearer the end sought
than at the beginning. Then william
p. Vaughan, the dangerous politician
and friend of the railroads, took hold of
the matter and with what resultY
Let any citizen take a glance Mt the
place where once the ~malodorous Cove
sent out its pestilential vspors and make
answer. The Cove has been filed, work
on the new terminals has progressed with
amazing rapidity bridges have been con-
structed and the lines laid out for the
new passenger station. This is work that
should have been done 20 or 20 years Ago.,
but IL was not done until William ~.
Vaughan was placed at the head Of the
committee on railroads. Perhaps he is,
as charged, a friend TO railroad corpo-
%rations, but there is good reason for the
belief that President Clark OF the Consol-
ldated does not so regard him. When
Mr.. Vaughan began his labors at the
head OF the railroad committee he found
the corporations bent upon pursuing the
policy OF the previous two decades. De-
lay was their motto. They would do
nothing until they were ready; out
whether they were ready or not they
FOUND III the new chairman of the rail-
road committee a man who could not
be trlned with. "A little acquaintance
with Mr.. Vaughan convinced President
Clark and the other railway meu that
their policy of pr~ocrastination could no
longer be carried on, so they went TO
work Ihey have been working ever
since and will continue TO work until
Providence has what IL has suffered Tor
for 25 years and morc-a commodious
station and adequate facilities for the
growing OF the city. IL all
this has been accomplished through the
perseverance,. energy and intelligence Of
y dangerous politician then may Proyi.
dence never lack the services OF such po-
liticians In the future.