The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-04
RHODE IsLANDs MISFORTUNE.
: lhe following communication starts
train Of thought that is not sltogetber
pleasant:

To the Editor Of The News
| Sir-Walter welman, your Washington cor.
respondent, wrote in recent issue OF To,
l News that one of the original thirteen States
never has had representative i'm ,he eal,i
net (referring 90 Rhode Island), while her
noighbor, Massachusetts,, heads the list with "a
4 Now, ~ this a. ~ should BET Is IL because
1 of SO much superior talent Just across the
| liney Is il because of any benefit Ia be oh.
tanned from that particular locality? And also,
4 why are many chosen from all the other
| States 20 the exclusion of Rhode Islandg T.
II, sir, for amy OF the above rcasonsY
Is il not, sir, because men and the press Of
other States applaud the abilities of their Eel.
lows and have cordial word for their own.
4 while here in Rhode Island every man. hand
seems 10 be against his neighbors, ana the
| press, with the exception OF your own News
rarely ever speaks kindly or even respect.
| fully of our public menS
RHODE ISLANDER.
Providence, X. l., Feb p
IL Is indeed true that Rhode Island has
never been stinguisned by she sppoint-
ment OF one of her sons to a cabinet
office, ana the contrast with the fortune
of our neighboring! State, Msssach husetts,
which leads all the States in cabinet
honors, makes the "Rhode Island situa-
tion" particularly conspicuous.
1t is a fact Of common knowledge that
nowadays at least, once Rhode Islander
attsins to position of public prominence
he Immediately becomes a target for that
part OF the newspaper press that considers
IL chief fonction to oiscredit everything
and everybody that undertakes TO per-
form with any sort OF vigcr the duties OF
public office except in the rare cases where
such public spirited citizen baprens to
be pet or a protegs of that kind OF jour
nalism. And we think that our CORES
pondent is, I'm measure at least,
right In attributing that failure
of Rhode Island men TO achieve dis
tinction outside the State warranted by
their abilities TO the extraordinary lack
OF loyalty OH the part OF their fellow citi-
yens, as represented or prompted by this
class of journalism. Outsiders are not
unnaturally moved to regard Rhode
Island politics as petty institution and
Rhode Island politicians as a qusrrelsome
lot engaged most OF the time in kicking
out the underpinning from one another's
ambitions. Massachusetts, its people,
and its press, are nota BILE for standing by
one OF their own and sinking all local
jealousies and fnternecine struggles for
supremacy to join in support OF any of
its citizens who appear to have a chance
for higher homer and broader tame than
the limits of the State afford. The spirit |
OF local pride is marked in Massachusetts, |
when Is comes to matter that brings |
that commonwealth into competition |
with the outside world. On the con-
trary Rhode Island men and Rhode Island |
are not infrequently held up
TO be discredi.ed by Rhode Islanders and
inevitably the outside world. W hich is
unable to judge except by what 1t gathers
from the press, frequently must have a
very poor opinion Of much that concerns
Rhode Island.
We enunciaie nothing new In these few
nothing unfamiliar to thinking
Rhode Islanders. The matter OF cabinet
,fiice or OF any other honor or distinc-
ion is comparatively small matter. The
important thing is that Rhode islanders
ire made to appear too often as lacking
n loyalty to their own, as willing to dis
redit everything OF home manufacture,
heir men, their enterprises, their insti-
utions. We don't really do IT, OF course,
lot always at least, hut we are made to
ppear to'do ii by the fiippant or mali
ious writers OF some OF our newspapers.
{ IL an unhallowed spirit, existing, we
elieve, to 20 great an extent In no other
ommunity in the country.
Professor Alonzo Williams in his fine
ration delivered on "Rhode Island Dayn
the Worlds Fair, recognized this ex-
raordinary condition and realized that
e must bump up against IL when be came
0 speak OF the glories OF his state and ex- J
II her in the eyes Of the world, as IL was
is duty to do on such an occasion and
) he doubtless found joyous task In J
Ding since the material. rich and abuu- J
ant, was at easy commsnd In the
ecords. "I torbear" said Professor Will y
ans, in enumerating the fame of Rhode
'lsnders, "lest there be nothing OF the !
rst grade left during this period q. g.
be revolutionary era) for the other
tsies. massachusetts, has been especially
'rtunate In the unusually large number :