The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-02-06
Spoke In Reply to Charges Of
Senator Stinsss and Gov. Utter
ABLY DEFENDED HIS POSITION
81. Georges Church at Newport Was
Crowded Last Evening With Those
Eager 10 Rear Rscter's Answer.

At st. Georges church at Newport last
evening Rev. q. w. Laidlaw gave utter
ance to further sentiments upon Rhode
Islands political unrighteousness. His
text was suggestive. taken from ST. Mark
VIII. IS:
Having eyes. ye see not. and having
ears. We hear not. and ye do not remem-
ber." His remarks were in large part
reply to Gov. Utters speech In Woon-
socket In which the chief executive was
emphatic IN the expression OF his opinion
In regard 10 the clersyman's charges OF
corruption and bribery at the state house.
Mr.. Laidlaw alleges that tho governor
has called him liar. without taking the
trouble 10 investigate the correctness OF
the quotations from the original sermon.
and then he goes on to ask tho reason for
Gov. Utter's change Of attitude on what
he terms ring" legislation.
THE ADDRESS.
Mr.. Laidlaw said in the course OF his
address: Last Sunday evening preached
on some OF the aspects OF the corrupt
conditions in this state. The talk was
from notes, and. as ] said at that time.
IL was based upon recent article In
magazine. 1t claimed nothing Of orig-
nality. nor was there anything original
I'm H. The same ground and more has
been covered with greater explicitness
and detail by three different men In we'll
considered articles published in influential
prints within the past two years
What have we witnessed during the
past week as result OF that sermon? In
the hrst place. there was a scene In the
senate chamber II the public prints gave
q true picture Cthe chief actor having
gone south for rest and recuperation.
have not been able 10 verify the report,
II the papers have correctly reported the
affair. the senator from Warwick, one
Stiness by name. having obtained the
floor on a question OF personal privilege.
thundered out that | was a liar. n
slandcrer and n disgrace TO my cloth
GOV. UTTER's WORDS.
"One may dismiss Senator stlness from
further consideration with the remark
that he protests too much about his
honesty. The second incident which
wish 10 consider occurred AT meeting
OF the Irish American Republican club
OF the Second ward OF woonsocket on
Tuesday evening. Gov. Utter was here
the central figure, as was fitting and
proper on such an occasion. Now. one
does not often hear tho governor Of n
state call any man liar In an open and
public manner and I'm the presence Of re-
porters. Yet that is what Gov. Utter
did on Tuesday I'm Woonsocket. 7 have
asked him IL the report was true. and he
has admitted its truth. II is Just to him
20 add that he had the manliness TO say
that he would withdraw the words IL |
had been incorrectly reported.
"In addition 10 these two indictments
there have been many newspaper edito-
al nd bt.
sermon as by the prominence which the
attitude OF Senator stiness and Governor
Utter has given 10 H. n has been graft
flying to find that in almost all instances
where the papers have not been under
the rule OF the ring the note struck has
been one OF approval Let us however
return TO Governor Utter. for he did not
stop talking after his attack upon me. He
is reported TO have said In effect and
have verified the report, that he had been
IN public life off and on for the last 70
years and in all that time he has sus-
pected but one man connected with the
government Of bribery.
QUESTIONS FOR GOVERNOR UTTER
els the governor one of those who, hav-
ing eyes, sees not, and having ears
hears not? Has anyone noticed that his
memory is poor? I shall take the liberty
to ask his excelency n few questions
Has the governor forgotten the time, only
few weeks before the nomination for
Lieutenant governor was rendered him.
how loud and vehement he was In his de-
nuncistion OF the corrupt ring which was
ruling the atate? Has the personnel Of
that ring changed so materially since
that not long hgo day
The governor has been a long time
in the public service I'm ono capacity or
another Has he como TO know Senator
,Nfl, - Ck y
Has he never heard Offerings and muir
murings about him? If my memory serves
me. Senator Champin was chairman OF
1he judiciary committee In 1903 The legis-
lature was Republican. Champlin was
elected as a Democrat. Does the governor
have no idea as to why the Democrat
was made chairman or this prominent
committee? Then there Is the matter OF
the now notorious Great Salt Pond A
good deal of its recent history is a mat
ter OF record. and a good deol Of its re-
cent history that ought 10 he a matter OF
record Is not Does the governor sup
pose that II this pond had been located
in Westerly, he would have the power
and influence enough TO get from the
state through the Legislature over 100000
al different times and In the closing hours
OF sessions?
Did IL ever occur 10 tho governor 10
ask himself why. as Commissioner Sui
livan reports. no accounting OF the ex-
penditure OF all that money has been
made up TO the time Commissioner Sui
hvan's report was made? Again. does
the governor have no recollection Of the
bill which changed the time OF the cleo
tion OF town officers 10 the same day that
state officers are elected I'm the town "
New Shorcham7 Does ne recall how
strenuously u was opposed and by whom?
Does he remember how IL was voted
down? Has he no recollection OF what
the committee did with 10 when the ring
master appeared and the whip cracked2
Does the governor remember that this
bill was finally passed. and why?
PERPETUAL FRANCHISE.
"The governor will recall all the steps
that led up 20 the passage of the Per
petusl Franchise bill. and I beg 60 ask