The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-20
Valuable Paper Read by
Judge John H. StineSS.
AT the Anniversary of the R.
!. Historical Society.
Charter and the Constitutional
Tribute TO Thomas w. DOrr.

T A large number of members OF the
in the cabinet on Meeting street last
night 10 celebrate the 10th anniversary Of
the organization. The paper in honor Of
the occasion was "a most interesting and
scholarly one and no person could have
been selected who would have given the
society richer treat than Judge Stiness
did. lie chose rather to give the main
points OF the history of the community
since the organization than To deal with
the society's work and his review of the
changes in public policy In many regards
were enlivened 10y "A fascinating wit and
rounding OF periods no less than by n
wealth of information on vital points In
the states history. He dwclt on every
topic he took up i'm broad way and
though he claimed not TO speak for tho
society but rather TO express his own
opinions the intelligently given applause
showed that there could be no doubt In
the minds of his hearers that they recog
nized the soundness OF his reason and the
wisdom Of the deductions he made from
events that at one period at least were
differently viewed.
Judge Stiness was introduced by Vice
President William Is. Wcoden, who made
"a happy reference TO the society's years
and 10 the charm that anniversaries had
address was "Ciyic Changes IN the
State. "
In beginning his address he referred TO
the importance of the day in history that
society gathered TO celebrate its anniver-
sary saying on this day in 1929 the Elec-
tor OF Saxony had won for himself and
those who opposed the compulsory meas.
ure of the Emperor Charles the name of
Protestants; ON this day in 1859 the
liberation act in England was passed Civ
ing Dissenters the right To worship; on
this day in came the Edict of Nantes Civ
ing the Huguenots freedom and In 100
was begun the great revolution that ended
SO successfully eight years afterward.
Our own state had in l172 though begun
the conflict 10y the burning OF the GGspee
and also established religious freedom
which differed somewhat from liberation.
Life, the speaker said, was inevitable
change and we sometimes looked back To
count our loss and gain and 20 years
was long time even In the history of
state. For II was long enough for three
generations To have lived and for the pop
ulation To increase four-fold and To mark
much labor ana achievement. History
turns our minds back in order that we
may profit by it in the future. A Greek
philosopher said history was philosophy
teaching by experience. 1t is not what
we have but what we are that makes us
great
Population In 1882.
In looking back we find that in this
state in 1892 the population was 50, 0O0
persons, one half of which number re-
sided in Providence county and one.
seventh in the city OF Providence. The
var of 1912 was disastrous TO our shipping
but IL was not an unmixed evil for the
failure To get foreign goods was the
foundation OF our great industries and
the mills began to dot the banks of our
streams, first of all coming cotton. AT
first nearly all of the operatives were
members of the families of natives There
were but few small farmers from Eng
land and Ireland and in fact so few were
they that they seemed TO arouse no jeal-
ousy, for we find that some of them ex-
ercised the rights of freemen under the
charter. The demands Of the fields and
the increasing demand for operatives in
the mills brought "a large number OF for
eigners, most Of whom came from Ireland
after the famine SO that there was an in
crease in the foreign population in IA few
years of 40, COO or more than there had
been in the 40 years previous.
Ihen came an era OF fear and distrust,
least the now comers supplant those who
forgot that they were themselves but
few generations in the coun-
try. This distrust arose because most OF
the foreigners wore of "a different faith
than the Puritan, "a faith about which lit
tie was known and also because the men
possessed an ardor in their new born
liberty and their activity in many matters
was so pronounced.
The Agitation for Suffrage.
The rise Of the demand for suffrage was
then traced and the speaker showed how