The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-02-01

That the Journal no more re-
presents public sentiment in the
town of Johnston than it does in
its own city of Providence is
demonstrated by the response of
he Johnstonites to its latest
manoeuvre to manufacture an
artificial demand out there in favor
Of the already repudiated project
of annexation which has so far only
resulted in securing for self:
appointed committee OF Johnston
ties an official hearing by our city
government.
Without .venturing to discuss the
matter at issue, The News did not
hesitate to declare, when the self
appointed committee asked for
meeting with committee of our
city government for the purpose of
talking over annexation, that that
committee had no official standing,
that it came before our city gov
ernment entirely without authority
and that any consideration of their
request for conference was likely
to place the City Council in a false
position even if it were not made
ridiculous and caused to suffer en-
barrassment.
Now, it appears, our esteemed
contemporary, the Olneyville
Times, than which there is no
better authority on local feeling i'll
Johnston, chides the Journal on its
precipitous haste to make the peo-
pie OF Providence believe that the
people of Johnston want to be
annexed and to bring outside
pressure to that end. The Times
says:
According to the Providence journal,
the movemsnt in favor of annexing the
thickly settled part of Johnston To the
city IL gaining ground. The Times,
though it very much dislikes 10 differ
from so eminent an authority is obliged
TO do SO. 1t is plain to great many
thinking people Of this section. that the
longer this matter is agitated. the less
chance there ia of annexation becoming a
reality. The people Of Johnston are. be-
ginning to earnestly look into the matter.
and they fail to see the advantages that
are pictured by the boomers of the move-
mont and by the yer bose reporters of the
journal. II the people OF Johnston arc
taking this step to avoid high taxes, etren
tney will be jumping from the frying
pan into the fire. II the people of
Johnston would submit 90 the heroic
treatment OF taxing themselves at n good
stiff ratesfor couple OF years they could
then come down 10 lowor rate, and
with good management continue It for
years to come; rs good management
would restore confidence In the town,
end the population ana valuation would
b bound 20 show good gains.
II the town 10 divided, efforts will be
made to include Thornton and large
part of Mauton In the portion that will
30 into the city, thus leaving a very
scattered population and a small valua-
ticn. with quite n considerable debt.
miles OF road and some inferior school
houses. The town OF Johnston would be
left II begin life anew under anything
but favorable conditions Annexation
seems TO Us the last resort and other
means should be tried before this ire
<rievable step Is taken.
Whether or not the evident op-
position to annexation on the part
of the public sentiment of the town
Of Johnston, so intimately repre-
sented by the Times, is justified
may we'll be question for discus
sion. But that no great numbers
of Johnstonites have yet come 10
approve Of the project is certainly
clear. Meantime our City Council
has been duped into giving a sort
OF official sanction on the outside
to trivial delegation Of conference
that has no rank or standing a,
homo.