The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-26
RHODE ISLAND IN
DOUBT SAYS EXPERT
Canadian Reciprocity Plank
May Deliver Little State
TO Parker

CHICAGO, Sept. 25.-Raymond, the
political expert of the Tribune, has sent
this to his paper:
Providence, R. l., Sept. 24.-After
talking with representative men on both
sides my own impression now is that
Rhode Island should be considered among
the doubtful states, though the chances
favor the Republicans. There is sur
prisingly large foreign element of the pop
ulation in this state. immigration has
been directed here from widely separated
foreign centers.
The result is a curious conglomeration.
For instance, the last census shows that
there were 10000 Canadians, 10000 born
in Great Britain and 35 600 Irish, in round
numbers. These three classes taken to-
gether represent nearly one-fourth of the
entire population of the state, and they
get into the habit of voting by nationalitfes
to a peculiar degree.
Not long ago there was an election
which believe was in the town of Woon-
socket although it might be true of any
town. The Democrats put three French
Canadians on their ticket and others rep
resenting other scattered nationalities The
Republicans similarly recognized the
French Canadians and other nationalities.
When the ballots were counted it was
found that the French Canadians had
voted for their own countryrnen on both
tickets, and as they largely out numbered
other nationalities only French Canadians
We're elected at that time.
How NationaIltIes Are Divided
Under ordinary conditions the French
Canadians are Democrats and the British
Americans are Republicans. Two years
ago the British Americans voted for
Garvin, the Democrat, and four and eight
years ago the French Canadians, who are
thrifty, prosperous. and conservative
people, voted for Mckinley on the money
question. On the other rfand many, if not
ALL of the French Canadians have voted
for Garvin for governor.
This year the British Americans would
naturally vote for Roosevelt, but there
is another element which must be taken
into consideration, which makes their
vote something more than doubtful There
is strong and growing agitation for
Canadian reciprocity. The British-Ameri-
can voters seem to be attracted by the
plank in the Democratic platform declar-
ing for reciprocity.
Canadian Reciprocity
This same plank appeals to the French
Canadians. Their friends and relatives
in the dominion are mostly farmers and
they believe that the rarming class in
Canada would be largely benefited by rec
iprocity with the United States, as they
could send over here cattle, ordinary farm
products, garden truck, butter. eggs and
poultry. This intense cl4nnishness has
induced the French Cana dams to take up
the war cry of recip,o oc1ty with Canada
to an extraordinary degree, and in this
they are followed, although with less en-
thusiasm, by the British Americans.
1t does not appear that constitutional
reform proportional representation, the
initiative and referendum, election of the
supreme court, and similar theories and
isms which Gov. Garvin is identified with
will cut much ice in the Rhode Island
campaign this year. Reciprocity with
Canada is the most tangible issue which
has yet been presented in this vicinity,
and am inclined to think that when the
of weeks or SO, this reciprocity idea will
develop into an unusually important is
sue, which may in the end determine the
result Of the election.