The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-02
NEW BOOKS.
A HISTORY OF RHODE ISLAND. edited
by Edward Field. A. b.:


published by The Mason Publishing
company. BY subscription. Price 500
(Finai Notice.)
The third volume OF the exhautive Ills
tory of Rhode Island" which AS to the
preceding volumes has already been
treated In this column. contains several
articles of the greatest Importance and
erai political history that introduces the
work. The four monographs dealing with
The Political Development of the
Towns" by Professor George Grafton
Wilson; THE Struggle for judicial SUI
premacy" by Edward Clinton Stiness. A.
Il. Ii. b.: Public and Private Finauce,"
by Howard Kemble Stokes. Phi. d., and
Industrial Development by Mr.. Josiah
Browne Bowditch. deal with subjects, the
ample consideration of which is essential
10 comprehensive presentation of state
history. In these monographs the writ
ers whose names are sufficient warrant
of authority I'm this community have pre-
sented a dispassionate, full and very in
teresting survey that should have the at
tention OF every Rhode Islander. and may
well be OF incalculable usefulness from
time TO time for study and reference.
Rhode Islands existence began with the
town, the little settlement, and from these
separated units the state derived It's very
being-a process the reverse of that that
maintained i'm the development OF other
colonies. Independence and individuality
were only reluctantly surrendered and by
an instalment process so that, however,
shocked the rest of the state may have
been at Rhode Islands pertinacity I'm re-
fusing so long 10 enter the union OF
states, to a Rhode Islander that was but
logical disposition with historical prece-
danf In he 80
Founded by men who had fed from the
rigors of a centralized authority, II is not
surprising that their descendants were
indisposed to sacrifice to the necessities
OF setting up a consolidated government.
Even now in Rhode Island the towns deal
directly with the state and know no in
termediate divisions, as counties. except
as boundaries established for a mere mat
ter Of judicial convenience. Only I'm very.
very recent years have they relinquishcd
town government with it's freedom OF
town meeting for city charters when the
former has become unwieldy. The story
OF the towns is vital I'm Rhode Island HIS
tory and II is clearly and interestingly
rendered I'm Professor Wilson's chapter.
Not less curious, and TO be attributed TO
much the same sentiments and based
upon the same logic. was the struggle
for judicial supremacy. Amazingly I'm
advance OF anything In the new world,
was not until far into the last century
that the judicial branch OF the govern
ment was admitted to be anything more
than subordinate TO the general assembly
and came to assume the plane. that is
now accepted as a matter of couse,as CO.
ordinate branch with certain powers in
the matter of legal Interpretation supreme
10 the legislative that make il actually
q final authority. The progress OF this
struggle-and that Is AN exact word for
the process-is told with illuminating
reference and typical incident by Mr..
Stiness. the article being further made
interesting by brief mention of the
Judges Of the higher courts, most of
whom have truly adorned the bench.
Mr.. Stokes writes the history OF finance
and a curious and interesting history II
is. The writer was equipped for his task
by many years OF study on the subject
In all its various xxsanfestations ard is
recognized as an authority In this branch
perhaps second 10 none among students
of Rhode Island concerns. Accepting the
limitations required I'm such a work as
this, the writer has treated his theme
from the essential point OF view OF the
legal relations OF the subject OF taxation,
since from these have arisen many points
that affect the constitutional relations OF
local and central government. From the
point of view of Mr.. Brooks Adam> and
his follows. economic history is at
the basis OF all history and the key TO
many phenomena that are otherwise in
explicable.
Mr.. Stokes calls attention TO the fact
that the close association of finance I'm
Rhode Island with the development of the
principles of home rule Is an unique fact
Of the states history and IL is along this
line that he pursues his subject. His
presentation in clear and cogent. and. con-
sidering the breadth and depth of his SUBJ
ject, his performance Is distinguished by
simplicity and readableness.
The financial history Is divided logically
into three periods. first. that of colonial
and local taxation beginning with the
first settlement and ending about ITO. The
second treating of the colony as a banker
G710 to 1900 and the third telling the
story Of "A century's expansion along fair
ly consistent and orderly lines. supple
menting the history is a specific story OF
chartered banking; divided into four Pc
riods beginning with 1871 and closing with
the end OF the century. Considerable sta
tistical matter. not readily available else
where, contributes to tho value of this
chapter for reference.
Mr.. Bowditch. we'll known as a statisu-
clan and especial authority IN industrial
matters, formerly state commissioner of
Industrial statistics and frequent writer
on branches OF the general subject, writes
the Industrial history. He finds the begin
ming OF IL while the colony was yet
farming community although perhaps
nothing more impressive In the way OF
an industry that grist mill or saw mill
existed In the earliest period. There were
soon developed important interests I'm
-shipbuilding and the manufacture of brick
as early as 1851 Is matter or record.
There were undoubtedly also tanneries,
forges and blacksmithies some time be-
fore the close OF the seventeenth century.
The eighteenth century. however. saw a
marvellous development often along orig
inal lines. Nearly everything necessary TO
the comfort and well being OF the colon
fists came 20 be made within the borders
of the colony and after the close OF the
Revolutionary war the beginnings of our
modern factory system were made cul-
minating In the establishment of the first
successful cotton factory In America.
From that time to the present when
nearly everything needed In the house,
hold. i'm the shop. on shipboard and In