The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-08-25

*t0IN*%~W ~""""""~
persons who are unable TO obtain copies
OF The News containing the demonstra-
tion by diagram against Dorney's APP
plication for a license within the school
house territory. we reproduce on this
page the map OF the district showing
the location OF the school and of Dor
ney's proposed saloon drawn accurately
to scale. so that anybody may measure
II up and be convinced upon the testi-
mony thus afforded.
We trust II is needless to remark
that the position OF The News In this
matter is based on no personal ami
mostly 10 Dorney, nor TO any member
of the license board. Neither is there
anything of a political purpose in the
contest The News is making. We know
the politics of but two of the board
members, Mr.. Burnham, whom we
count as a Republican. and Mr.. stud
ley, whom. we suppose. we make no
error In setting down as Democrat.
or course. we could easily find out as
to this. for doubtless the commissioners
themselves would inform us IL we
should inquire, and there is ground for
the assumption that there is political
harmony between three members of the
board and Dorney. But the question Of
politics has nothing to do with the case,
so far as we are concerned.
That il has something TO do with the
case, however, so far as our contempo-
raries, the Journal and Telegram, are
concerned. is plainly evident from their
severe silence on matter of such vital
public interest. Because Dorney is a
Democrat, the Telegram has nothing to
say. And because he is Goo-Goo. the
Journal is silent. Both these partisan
newspapers are loyal to their own, and
the public interests may go hang. The
public may depend upon 1t that IL Dor
ney were a Republican and the license
board Republican, the Journal and
Telegram would raise a fine row over
the impudent proposition.
The principle involved, however.
transcends political bias. IL is a shame
full thing which Dorney would have the
license board do for him. If Dorney
were a person of less political conse-
quence there would be no doubt that a
license board of either Democrats or
Republicans would turn down his ap-
plication. But for the announcement
of q hearing 1t might have been taken
for granted that even a man OF Dor
ney's supposed pull would have stood
no show Of taking the boards attention
for q minute on q proposition to estab-
lish a LIQUOR saloon within school house
territory. The hearing, however, In
dieates that majority of the board are
willing to overthrow all precedent, to
close their ears to public sentiment and
TO favor the application unless there is
a strong protest against 1t.
The principle involved is Of vital pub
lie consequence. And 1t is for that
principle exclusively that The News is
prompted to take UP the subject. The
granting OF the Dorney license will be a
public calamity. and though 1t will
some day react on the board that thus
surrenders to Dorney. that. after all,
will be only poor consolation. The de-
monstration that men believed to be fit
to act upon the license board can so
far forget their obligations as to en-
gage in SO shameful a transaction as
Dorney proposes. win be disheartening,
indeed. 1t is to be hoped that the re-
suit Of their deliberations on the ques-
ton will be such that they may receive
public applause and not be made the
victims Of public condemnation-aii for
Dorney.