The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-10

"The Providence NEWS keeps alive the
agitation against the law legalizing gambling
in this state. II was The NEWS that first ex-
passed the hidoousness Of the law, and II ii is
repealed much OF the credit therefor Is
directly due TO the intelligent and persistent
forts Of our esteemed contemporary"
The pleasure we have in reprinting
this paragraph does not alone express
the natural qualification we feel at
this tribute on the part OF our con-
temporary, but this feeling, which is
unusually strong. in measure is due TO
the way The Call has of expressing
itself as well as because we happen to be
the fortunate subject Of its words of
praise.
In word, it always does us good to
have one newspaper say pleasant word
for another. especially when II does 1t so
heartily as The Call has done in this in
stance In this case our esteemed con-
temporary, The Call, itself one OF the
first and foremost newspapers in the
State to take up the crusade against the
horse gambling law, does not
hesitate to state with the ut
most cordiality its conviction that
lit was The NEWS that first ex-
posed the hideousness of the law" and
adds with equal warmth that "if 1t is
repealed, much of the credit therefore is
directly due to the intelligent and persist
ent efforts" etc. ~
Accordingly, this little paragraph
gives us double pleasure-one for the
| tribute and one for the manner OF its
paying, and the evidence it gives OF a
cordial and unselfish spirit on the
part of our esteemed contemporary.
| 1t is not becoming for us
TO boast or take unto ourselves undue
pride for the share this newspaper has
had in accomplishing the repeal OF
the gambling law, but we may be
pardoned, perhaps, If we contemplate
that share of this work, with
view TO the effect it has had in various
quarters, and with sense of sat
isfaction coupled with a sort Of sardonic
newspaper smile at some of the humors
of that effect.
On October 2, the 45-days' race meet
ing of the Narragansett Racing Asso-
citation opened at Narragansett Park
under the condition made possible by
Section of Chapter 1880 of the Public
Laws. We had watched the operation
of that law with some interest from the
date the first races were given under he
auspices Of the Country Club in June
We noted its operation at the State Fair
with some solicitude, and then
when the racing began on October 2
we became convinced that an institution
was insidiously being established In
Rhode Island under the protection OF
law that Rhode Islanders would object
10 if they realiz ID its character. Accord.
ingly. on Oct. 8. THE News devoted an
entire page to what The Call describes
as an exposition of the "hideousness
of the law The story was
told plainly wit very little comment
and without malice or any attempts al
sensationalism. 1t was plain, unvar.
nished tale. Aud from then TO the day
the race meeting closed, Is days
sooner than it had been planned to close,
THE News devoted considerable space to
the matter and its editorial, reportorial
and art departments worked in unison
to arouse and express public sentiment
against the law which permitted an OBJ
noxious enterprise to gain foothold in
Rhode Island.
The position The NEWS took at that
time met with recognition Of a varied
sort. No one dared say loud enough to
be heard that this newspaper had any
other than the highest motives in
making its assault, although in-
| quiries were made to learn il
this newspaper had received its share of
advertising patronage from the race
folk OF course it had-up to the time
the first attack was made, when, as was
natural, the advertising patronage was
withdrawn, as might have been ex-
| pected. We could find no fault
with that, and in fact cheerfully devoted
all the money that had previously been
received from the advertising, and a
good deal more, to making cartoons
| No other motive than that plainly
stated, namely to arouse public
sentiment and notify it that it had a
newspaper champion. did it desire
to speak aggressively against the gamb-
ling law, being found to explain the
position Of this newspaper, the next in
quiry was naturally how much in
fuence will THE News be able to exert p"
And as TO this it was quite generally
agreed by those interested in furthering
the horse gambling enterprise that
neither The News nor any other news
paper could cut any ice," so strongly
did the promoters believe themselves
entrenched.