The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-02-11
BY HON. HENRY L. GREENE
important Factors in Building Up
Our Industries.
QUICK TO ACQUIRE EDUCATION.

Mathewson street nj. r. church yestsr'
day afternoon. The speaker Of the day
was Hon. Henry L. Greene of River
point who presented an able paper on
1.-The Effects of immigration Upon the
City of Providence ana the state Of
Rhode Island"
Mr. Daniel A. Cook, the secretary,
read the minutes of tho last nesting,
which were approved. Mr. Edwin >.
Thurber wns elected member of the
society. RESOLUTIONS upon the death dur
ing the month of two mem bers, sylvester
u. Martin. John >. Monroe of Riverside,
were presented, and nigh tributs was
paid 10 their memory. 1he subject OF
tne pspsr whicn will be read at the next
meeting was announced 10 bs, Through
the Jonnstown Flood The president
proposed that one meeting shall DO given
up TO an open discussion of the question.
Inc Prohibition Moyement-Will IL Fail
or Succeedg'
Mrs. Darling then read an original
poem, entitled 1.-THE Stars OF Life" The
president, Rev. Frederic Denison, read Il
few lines in regard To boger Williams
and his respect for the freedom of the
soul. after which hs introduced MIR.
Greene.
Mir. Greene said in part: Roger
Williams was the fist immigrant To
khoao Island. Driven by persecution
flom Saiem. lie came here 10 establish
religious liberation. The first establish
ment of absolute freedom of conscience
was in Khoie Island. lh,re soon fol-
lowed him number of other gentlemen,
whose names with mis- come down to us
as the original pIoprietors of the COLONY.
AT a insetinQ In Portsmouth i'm l6i7
good goyernmer was declared 10 be DEM
ocratical, tnst is government by
greater part Of ths people. lie document
that was then drawn up was NOBLE one
that EN- bodied all the foundations OF
law. 1t was document that expressed q
noble devotion to the bsst interests OF
man for all time. Its influence has neen
great in the IL moulding OF other states rs
well as ours.
The colony rose into prominence from
its shipping. In 1859 Newport hau an
EXPORT trade in lumber. In 1919 ship
of l5O tons was built In this state for tao
colony of New haven. in the next eleven
wears there were 81 ships sailing from
Rhode Island ports. and 80 OF them wero
owned by citizens, and there were lao
native seamcD. In 1869 Newport had 200
ships in foreign trade, e,includlngia a LONDON
packet service, and had over 100 ships in
domestic trad,. Its shipping trade was
destroy cd forever bY the revolution. In
10, 200 tons, and $500 of At was engaged
in foreign and whaf1ng trbde. fhs war
of 1912 was "a death blow 10 tne maritime
homes of Rhode Island. Ihe population
did not increase very fast till after 1910
After the shipping was destroyed the
capitalists began TO put their money into
manufacture, ana especially ths cotton
business. Ibe operatives at first were
almost entirely natives. but the supply
was soon exuaus0eo and then foreign help
began TO come IN, ana gradually large
mum bers Of Irish, English ana Scotch
cane here, and eventually many frsnch-
Canadians, Now the operatives in the
mills are almost entirely foreigners.
prior 10 1928 there was little moral or
intellectual growth among the lower
classes. The only SCHOOLS were private
schools, and the immigrants had little
chance for euucati0n. When the free
public schools were organized, in 1898.
the operatives flocksd TO them. They
were eager TO act into the higher occu-
pations. Their cnildren had still better
advantages and they made the most of
them, and today We flud them In every
profession and trade.
Other immigrants came In TO take their
places. They have been an important fac
tor In cur industries. III is had not bee n
for tiem our industries would not have
had their remarkable growth. They may
have been lacking in morals ard educa-
tion when they came here. but tney have
sh own de ire TO be . mo better and take
advantage of opportunities that thev never
had in their wn country. 1t Is marvel
Gus to see this TaOioitv with which they
have beconls assimmiated into our ma.
tion.
In Providence immigration has not
been without its draw backs ss It is to tina
cities that largs part of the criminal
class come. but they fly from the coup-
try where they could easily escape punish
inent 10 the city whore they are almost
suro to be caught. This flocking Is the
protection of the country. But there Ia
large industrial class of foreigners in this
city that have done very much for its in
dustries. These Of them that have be-
come ricn have set splendid example of
generosity and public mupiflcence.
The adopted citizens OF this state made
q terrible sacrifice for the country In the
civil war. and they fought as nobly and
as bYavely as any Of the native born.
or the -, 0I2 soldiers that Rhode Isleni
furnished no small part were foreigners.
There should Le no law TO restrict
skilled labor from coming to us from
other countries. Thers Is still more Of us
To come TO us from atr1nd. New discov-
cries aud their applications Will come.to US
II we do not shut them out. In many
. cases they have maue our blst citissrs
their desires are aood aud thsy want their
children % have advantages They must
he educated to bo freed. WHAT is a stateg
Not thick smbattlements or strong forts,
or tall spired cities. but men, bifh
miussed men. knowing their rights and
their dnties, preventing wrong and
crashing thr.tyrant.
A unanimous vote Of thanks was OK.
tended to the speaker for his eloquent
patriotic and truly Rhode Island paner
ana n copy was ordered handed 10 the
sscir arv To- publication. after n collec.
tion hai hven taken M and n request for
new members had been made the a. cot
Ing nd iOurned.