The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-11-02
ISSUES FAIRLY DISCUSSED.

1t is convincing evidence of the earnestness and sincerity Of the
citizens of Providence in their desire to secure real constitutional
reform and the restoration of the right of local self-government. that
so many of them attended the meeting under the auspices of the
Democratic state central committee i. the old Westminster Congre-
gational church on Mathewson street last evening. Unlike the rally
of the Republicans on the preceding evening in the exclusively
engaged and permanently preempted Infantry hall, there was no
tempting repast to attract and no brass band to cheer, but there was
a wealth of honest, straightforward and convincing discussion of the
real issues that re before the people of the city and state for settle
ment at the approaching election.
Not one of the speakers failed to direct attention to the necessity
of voting to reject the insidious and deceitful constitutional amend
ment to be passed upon at the polls on Nov. T. because instead of pro-
noting real representative government, it will, if approved, perpetu-
ate government by an insignificant fraction of the people. Not one
failed to demand the restoration of the right of home rule to the
cities that have been despoled of it through the fundamentally of
nlschievous police commission laws, and no n neglected to give
hearty endorsement to the plan of the Citizens union for securing a
convention for the thorough and adequate revision of the organic law
Indeed, the contrast between the two meetings was sharply drawn.
AT the Infantry hall rally there was a plain, almost painful endeavor
to evade discussion of the dominant issues in the campaign, at the
Westminster church meeting there was a full, fair and frank consid-
Grafton of those issues.
Those who looked to MIR. Clarence A. Aldich, Democratic can
didate for mayor, for a forceful and sound presentation of his views
were not disappointed. He showed the injustice practiced upon the
taxpayers when all control over the police department, which spends
annually nearly 100000 of their money, was taken from them and
placed in the hands of a foreign-appointed and partisan police COM
mission. The mischievous nature of the constitutional amendment
to be voted on next Tuesday wa clearly revealed.
Pretence is made that the approval of that amendment will give
Providence a larger representation in the house 1t will certainly
increase the number of representatives from IL to rs. 1t will not.
however, destroy, but make more absolute the power that twenty
senators from country towns exercise ove the governing and law
making functions. Furthermore, it will permit a gerrymander of the
larger cities and towns for partisan purposes and will rob the ballot
of the individual citizen of nearly all the power it now has.
Under any reasonable or just apportionment Providence is en-
titled to at least forty representatives, because, as Mr.. Aldrch clearly
demonstrated, this city has two-ffhs of the total population and
pays three-hiths OF the entire cost of maintaining the state govern
ment Nevertheless, it is denied representation in proportion to its
taxation and in proportion to its population. The founders of this
republic declared taxation without representation is tyranny and
1t is against such tyranny the people of this city must battle at the
polls on November 9TH