The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-10-18
sCURRILOUs AND ABSURD.


The newspaper that originated the fol-
lowing paragraph ought to be ashamed
OF itself. The newspaper that gave it an
Endorsement by reproducing IT, with no
other reservation than quoting its author
ity, ought to be ashamed OF ITSELF
The Newport Mercury originated the
scurrilous and absurd thing. The Provi-
dence Journal quoted IL, IL not with APP
provsi, at least with no word of dissp-
proval;
When a commission Of half dozen people
| charge SllA7l for a lunch ii would seem to
| ordinar- mortals that they are pretty good
eaters. That is what the lunch for the State
i House commissioners cost on various occa-
sions. The lunch is,perhaps. in keeping with
| the State House they 20 build. A five
/ million dollar State House would naturally
require ''lunch" costing at least $50 n com
| missioner. II Governor Ladd could have been
appointed Minister to Patagonia or some
other place. and the State paid the bill, be-
| fore he got his State House steal under full
| headways IL would have been a money max
ing operation for the State We could we'll
have afforded him SIS. 900 year for life II, by
| that means, we could have escaped the
| present affiiction.
We guess the silly discussion about the
| State House Commis ission's lunches ought
| to end right here 1t ought not have
gone SO far. The State House Commits
sion has been enjoying some pretty good
lunches. 1t has been entertaining some
pretty big men, and big men who are
being entertained customsrily require
pretty good lunches. At any rate, the State
House Commissioners, representing the
State OF Rhode Island, have been iavishly
entertained abroad and they were in duty
bound to reciprocate. We have no doubt
that the business OF planning what is to
be one OF the most beautiful public build
ings on earth has been facilitated by
these lunches. We have not, heretofore,
paid much attention to the absurd dis
cussion that has been going on over this
matter, because we don't believe the pub
lie cares much about it anyway. We do
know, and the public knows, that a COM
mission OF responsible men has given
q great deal of time to this State House
matter, and they ask the State
nothing for their services. The work
has been going on for several years now,
and 1t is to be carried on for several years
more. No small politicians, no seekers
for crumbs from the treasury table, are
on the commission. nor do any such caro-
to get on. .. There 10 nothing in 1t. And
the public docs not begrudge the COM
missioners an occasional lunch, and e
good one. They are "working for their
board" and the victusls should not be
stinted.
The lunch question was only a side is
sue, any way. 1t was developed by . mis-
understanding between an official OF the
commission and the State Auditors Office,
through the act OF the former in charg-
| ing of the lunches to "sundries. ~ As
lunches there can be no complaint, but az
"sundries" the bills we're pretty big, and
the Supreme Court decided that the State
must have rhe bills itemized as the audi
itor required which is eminently reason
able The public should know not only
what moneys are being spent, but exactly
how they are being spent.
The i-sns was OF Importance. The. dis.
cussion of the lunches served for Q few
days OF frivolous discussion, not lacking
in amusement.
But when a newspaper prints, and an
other newspaper copies without disap-
proval, q line rejecting on the honesty
OF the work OF the commission, rejecting
on personal character, it is an outrage,
and those newspapers should be held
strictly to account for it-if 1t were not
also 90 absurd that the sti ng OF the
scurrilous writing is pallisted. "Govern-
or LADD's State House steal" The Mer-
curry calls II. and The Journal acquiesces
In the libel. In all the talk about tho