The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-14
FOR REPEAL Of
BLOCK ISL AND AGT..
Continued from page Five.


have greater respect than for others il Is
the Rev. Mr.. Goodwin. and am sure that
he Is n great in4uence for good I'm his
church work. but when he comes here
and threatens these gentlemen Indicating
, the committee) that he will declare war
n this bill isn't repealed IL seems to me
that he forgets himself.
"He has threatened 10 hire detectives
TO come up here and watch the members
OF this legislature! Let me~warn him, II
he does, not too hire BSown University
students.
"Now. 25 years ago Block Island was
little more than n fishing hamlet, merely
a place for excursion boats to stop. Ask
anybody who has been there how the
place has grown. until the hotel interests
that alone represent here today amount
TO half a million dollars.
"It has been said that the granting Of
liquor licenses keeps away from Block
Island the class OF citizens that are de-
sired, but as a matter OF fact, II keeps
away the class who spend their money on
the island.
Now I charge that clergyman (Mr.
Cristy) with false pretences." continued
the speaker. when he gets these good
men here by representing that thts act
affects towns other than Block Island.
He has wifully misrepresented for some
reasons of his own and has deluded them
by telling them each and every one that
this act affects his town. He has / say
gotten them here today under false pre-
tences
81 appeal to the lawyer on the commit
tee TO consider how anyone can be so
foolish" continued the attorney, "as 10
think that this legislation affects any
town other than New Shoreham. and yet
this man has deluded these good people
into the belief that IL affects every town
In the state. There IL no rule anywhere
under the construction of statutes that I'm
any way can connect this law with any
place other than Block Island.
A WARM ARGUMENT
Al this point Senator Champlin and
Rev. Mr.. Roberts got into n war OF
words I'm which the gentlemen accused
each other OF more or less perhdity.
'I have defendede criminals for the
past 25 years from murder up and down,
continued Gen. Brennan. but let me say
that the biggest criminal that l ever saw
IN this state. or was ever in this state
was this mans predecessor, Rev Nor
man Plass."
A shower OF Kisses broke out all over
the ROOM and Bishop Mcvickar, with
several others cried: "IIe isn't here! He
Isn't herer'
"Nop replied Mr. Brennan. "IIe
doesn't dare 10 be here!
''You talk OF home rule" he continued.
turning to Mr.. Cristy. "and sap that
these people ara deprived of their rights,
these 450 voters, but when a hearing was
held in this state house on an act 10 es-
tab1fsh police commission in the city
OF Providence, you and two or three
other gentlemen who are here today
came up here and without compunction
spoke in favor of taking away the rights
OF $4,000 people,
Rev. Mr.. Roberts said that he wanted
60 explain that the reason there weren't
more Block Island people present was
few could get away. since IL Is q matter
OF four days getting To and from the is
land.
Rev. Mr.. Williston addressed the COM
mittee He said 1--WE are the people.
We made you legislators. God made
you men first. ana we want you TO keep
so. This legislation has, however, pass
ed, and we want you to pass this bill,
rer~sallng it."
Rev. Ernest G. Wesley OF Providence,
William +. Brghtman, a Prohibtionist
OF Tiverton; Rev. j. H. Buckley OF Cen
trail Falls, Mr.. Mcdonald OF Pawtucket
and Rev. l.. l.. henson of Providence
spoke briefly I'm favor of the passage of
the act.
The committee took the matter under
consideration.