The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-05-18
FOR THE RELIEF OF MIR. SIMS.

| fOh IHE hELiEf VI NIX. SlMS.
We are greatly entertained by the
discovery OF unique scheme for secur-
ing public appropriations that has been,
we believe, first attempted, and success
fully, in connection with the Kingston
School appropriation.
The idea seems to be this: II You
want the State to do anything and the
State doesn't seem enthusiastic about
doing It, go ahead and do it yourself, and
then the State may be asked to come to
your help. The State, being a great big
fellow with money to burn, and you
only humble citizen, the common
wealth would be mean, indeed, if it al
lowed you to soak yourself in its inter
ests, even though you may not have
been asked, without reimbursing you.
When the Kingston School manage
ment understood that there might be
hitch about the appropriation for re-
building they didn't stop the work of
rebuilding, which they had already be-
gun without any authority. Not much.
And the stronger the possibility seemed
to become that the appropriation might
not be passed, the faster they dug into
the earth and piled up the stone for the
new structure. IL was evident that
they intended to go to the Assembly and
tearfully point ont all this wasted labor
as an argument for endorsing th cir
efforts by authorizing them.
But after a while the laborers on
Kingston Hill had to be paid. Even the
eloquence of President WAsHBURN
couldn't keep them at hauling stone all
spring without some cash in hand-and
the appropriation was still hung up. In
this emergency the management turned
to Mr.. GARDNER G. SINS Of the board
of managers.
Now Mr.. SIMS is an enthusiastic and
able member ofthe board, whose eff
cheney in the line Of the mechanic arts
has resulted In the development of a
suberb mechanical department, while
the agricultural wing of the State
Agricultural School has molted badly.
Furthermore, Mr.. SIMS is counted we'll
to-do, somewhat above his associates,
and he is liberal with his money, we |
guess. AT any rate he is credited with |
paying the bills for the unauthorized re-
building. Then the Kingston School
management, having pulled Mr.. SIMS
leg, went to the Assembly and asked
that body to come and help out generous
and self-sacrifcing Mr.. SINS.
1t was a fine scheme, and we are i'm
pressed with the promptness and una
nimity with which all the Legislative
discovered it, both our es-
teemed contemporaries, The Journal and
The Telegram, remarking it, The Journal
reporter, who has favored the app ropria-
ion, observing fatty that "the leaders
'f the House didn't desire to see Mr..
SIMS in hole. so they voted for the
'esolution." The resolution ought to
lave been entitled "bil for the relief
# Mr.. SIMS"
We refer to this matter as n pointer
o other interes is which want to encour-
ge halting and hesitating appropria-
ions. If Governor Brown or Gen.
OYER, for instance, had advanced money
begin the new armory we have no
oubt they would even more quickly !
ave secured the armory appropriation, !.
ust to help 'em out. 1t is new kind
a way for State to do business: to {
ny for unasked-for self-sacrifice in the 2
ublic interest; but it shows that even
le commonwealth has sympathetic q
cart that may be appealed to in an
mergency. And another bill for the
'lief OF Mr.. SIMS will come along 9
'me day, for Mr.. SINS has bought S
lot of land adjacent to the y
lngston School property, to save it to p
le State, because the State is so slow in u
aking up its mind in these matters. r
his newspaper is warm admirer of
r. SIMS, and we will bet our bottom
'llar that so far as he is concerned O
'thing but the most public spirited
olives ever prompt his actions
public official; but we q
9 inclined to be fearful that the o
lance of the Kingston school manage Il
ent may take an undue advantage of II
5 ingenious nature il he doesn't keen :,
$ weather eye peeled. v
AT any rate we must credit Mr.. SIMS -
tn being the inventor OF a new force hi
r securing legislation, when we build .;
40, 600 building to help public official
{ of hole. N
/ III