The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-30
GOSSIP OF ADAY.
New Method Of Giving
Weather Forecasts.
Political Managers Preserve
Discreet Silence.
Two Plain Rules That Will Prevent
Defective Ballots.

A novel method of distributing weather
forecasts has been adopted in Washing
ton and, it is expected, will soon be in use
in other large cities of the country. This
method consists in including In the
time stamp which is placed on every let
ter received a brief statement OF what the
Governments weather sharps say the
weather will be for the ensuing "A hours.
Postmaster Willet of Washington is the
originator of the idea and he has obtained
the consent of the Postmaster-Generalt TO
put il in operation and the cooperation
OF the weather bureau to carry II out.
Twelve stamps have been made, and they
are very much like the old ones although
considerably longer in order TO give space
for the insertion of the weather forecast.
In the outer ring are four spaces into
which is set the type predicting the state
of the weather for the ensuing day. The
words used in making the forecast are
"Colder.u Warmer "Frost," "Cold
Wave. - "Cloudy.o "Fair,n "Cold,"
"Rain,n and ssSnow." The new stamps
are certain 10 meet with general favor,
and IL is expected that other postmasters
will soon endeavor TO follow the example
Of Postmaster Willet and secure for their
offices a set of the stamps. Twelve stamps
are required and each of them costs S6.
Uncle Sam will have TO spend pretty
snug sum il the two or three hundred
large postofilces in the country are to be
supplied.
The day after tomorrow the citizens of
these Plantations will be engaged in the
performance of the important duty of
electing State officers and a General AS
sembly. AS TO the result there Is very lit
tie doubt. The Republicans are expected
TO win, hands down, and will do so un-
- -. Io~ to- nf
stay-at-homes than has been the case in
any previous contest. A reasonably large
vote will insure sweeping success and
give Rhode Island the honor OF being the
first TO record her vote in favor of re-
tnrn TO power of the party through whose
wise conduct of affairs she became the
most prosperous nation on the face OF the
globe. il is to be noted that in this
campaign the Democrats are saying very
little and doing less. They are not fol-
lowing their usual custom of appealing to
the labor vote as has been their habit in
the past. This silence is sensible and pol
itic. With their present candidate for
Governor 1t would be not only unwise but
little less than suicidal TO make any
special effort to capture the vote. To do
SO would ne to. court inquiry into Mr..
Little6eld's record on the labor question,
and such an inquiry would hardly result
satisfactorily, even to those who by
support him at the polls. Indeed, can
didate who Is credited with having given
uttsrance to the extraordinary state
ment that dollar day is pay enough
for laboring man and that out of that
he should be compelled TO furnish his
own shovel, cannot but be thankful for
the discreet silence preserved by his po-
litical..managsrs as to his labor record and
their wisdom in .refrainiDg from starring
him on tine party bill boards as the great
and only friend OF the wage worker, ac-
cording to the usual custom OF Demo-
cratic managers in such cases.
This is q rather late day to talk about
the proper method OF marking ballots,
but trite as thessubiect is, every election
furnishes ample evidence that very con-
siderable number of Rhode Islands elec-
torate is sadly in need of kindergarten
instruction as TO how to mark ballots
aof hav will mt ba thrown ont as defecE g