The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-30
CHAT AND CHAFF.

wv inulSuatlOnlSts on the idic pio
subject of eminent domain were out In
force and we indgnated In a way that
must have made that soulless corpora
tion, the Consolidated, tremble in its
boots. was surprised 10 hear the
trains were able TO keep running.
We showed 'em the power Of the
people when they get an uprising streak
on and the way we crushed 'em under
the iron heel OF our mouths, was some-
thing fierce.
l was SO glad my friend, the acting
mayor of the city, wasn't sitting there
representing that wicked railroad az
he used to do.
1 would have felt so bad for him, al
though suppose he got larger salary
Tor doing it than he does for Joining
uprisings and writing unsolicited mes
sages TO the city council in the absence
of the mayor.
But his conscience must feel so much
freer now that his indignant fellow cit
liens can no longer ding the vile epi-
thet corporation counsel" at his head.
The present attorney of the Consoli-
dated seems to be an exceedingly firm
skinned sort of an individual, who
doesn't appear to mind what we indig-
nationists say about his old monop-
oily.
He didn't even look alarmed when
Lorin Cook delivered a Philippe, two
trades and half dozen ultimatums all
In breath. Lorin was awful, / tell
| you. He's the boy to make old Corpor-
alton quake. He'd rather devote his
| practice to the poor for year than to
any corporation for minute.
OF course you read all about II I'm
| the papers. 1t was the finest display OF
assorted Indignation that we have had
since our Indignation Association got
this uprising started.
There was Col. William Goddard
"Blr' Goddard. the irreverent used to
! call him. I don't know but what they
| do now. I am not irreverent myself
| and don't keep track OF such matters.
| Mr.. Goddard added materially to his
reputation as friend OF the plain, pea
nut eating people and the unalterable
foe of corporations. l was affected to
tears by his remarks. What splen-
did candidate for president on a populst
ticket ne would make IL he would only
grow whiskers and not be SO frequent
about changing his collar!
Then there weree Lawyer Comstock
and Lawyer German who always attend
uprisings and may be counted upon TO
serve without fee whenever we, the
people. get indignant. Sometimes we,
the people, remember them for IL, and
sometimes We don't, Just as II happens.
1t must be such an advantage TO man
though. TO be able to just talk all the
time and become famous, without
working for a living. / always advise
a young man to go into the law and
mix little politics In 1t II he wants q
clean handed job that won't strain
| him.
-Of course, there were some citizens
who spoke without seeming to be quite
as indignant as the circumstances per-
mitted. They showed a disposition to
approach the subject with calm and
dspassionate spirit. We Indignation
lists though would have had very stu
| pid time OF 1t IL everything had de-
pended on these speakersA
| There was one thing that was very
| glad to note and that was disposition
OH the part of the Suburban railroad to
do the fair thing. The Suburban doesn't
seem to want everything only all II can
get. It's representative offered an
amendment to the bill promising that
his corporation would not condemn any
land owned by the Consolidated, which
was quite nice. / am sure.
The Consolidated's representative
then surrendered to public opinion by
promising that nothing in it's eminent
domain bill should be so construed as to
give his railroad the right to seize land
OF the Suburban folks.
Which shows how gracious example
can compel even a souiless corporation
like the Consolidated to do the decent
thing IL for nothing else but effect.
You can see what the Suburban might
have done II It had wanted to be mean
and not said anything.
II might have condemned the whole
Consolidated railroad IL the Consolidat-
ed didn't first.
When / told Billy Budd about this
touching act Of consideration on the
part of the Suburban. Billy said some
thing under hfs breath about honor
among thieves, the significance Of
which I failed TO catch.
of course. Billy wasn't al the hearing
and he hasn't yet taken any part I'm the
uprising. His excuse is that he "has
business to attend to" and he proposes
TO attend TO il. He claims he doesn't
have time to get indignant or fight cor
porations.
IL is because Of such chaps as Billy
that the world Is going to ruin so fast
especially Rhode Island They seem to
think more OF their own affairs than
the public veal.
Here. last Saturday. were Col. Cod
Hard and I,orin Cook and Dick Conn