The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-05-15
TUESDAY MAY IS. 1906.
A. CANDIDATE WHO TALKS STRAIGHT

When the notification committee appointed at
the peoples convention on Saturday last called
on Col r. H. l. Goddard it did not find the candi-
date prepared with reply containing plethora
of platitudes that would tickle the ear without
satisfying the mind.
On the contrary, it found the peoples nominee
for the United States senate ready with no cut
-anddried answer, but willing to accept the honor
accorded him, and to give his reasons sponta-
neously, and without the Intervention of stem
ographer or typewriter.
That is to say, Col Goddard spoke with the
frankness and directness of a sincere man and
not with the hestancy and deliberaton OF a candi-
date uncertain of his principles and in fear
of saying something that might be misconstrued.
Said Col. Goddard: Il regard political con-
ditions in this state simply Infamous"
Is there man anywhere within the states
confines who will deny the full and irrefutabe
truth of that statement? Conditions here are in
deed, infamous and have been SO for many decades.
Why should such scandalous situation have
arisen? Because real representative government
has long been banished from the commonwealth.
Because not the people, but the pitiful fraction
of less than nine per cent of them, have dominated
the governing and law-makng functions.
Because the popular will has been overridden
by sinister political rings that labor promote the
interests of selfish corporations and to either fitch
or destroy the most precious rights of the citizen
ship
Was not the Providence police commission
BILL enacted at after-electon session, by rankly
partisan general assembly, against the ringing pro-
tests of the best citizenship, an infamous attack
on the sacred right of home rule?
Was not the emasculation of the law pro-
viding that ten hours should constitute days
work for street railway employees made to save the
street railway trust from punishment for violations
of that law, for which it had been indicted, an
example of the infamous domination at the state
house of corporate interests?
Is not the granting of perpetual franchises in
the public thoroughfares infamous invasion of
the rights of the people?
Was not the creation of state returning
board, whose work has been so partisan as to
repeatedly call into question the honesty of its
findings an infamous example of ring domination? (?
Is not the persistent refusal to call state con-
venton for the revision of the constitution on
fair and honest basis of representation infamous
attempt to perpetuate minority rule in Rhode
Island?
Was not the refusal of the majority in the
senate to confirm worthy men nominated by the
governor for public Offices and the usurpation by
that majorityof the appointing power an Infamous
affront to an executive who the free choice of
the people of the state?
Truly does Colonel Goddard speak when he
says political conditions in Rhode Island are in
famous. But they will be changed.
A united Democracy, supported by the SEN
tinent of decent citizens, will, next November,
begin the work of wiping out the many nfamies
under which the state suffers and the equally inn
portant task of driving into oblivion the re-
sponsible for bringing those infames Rhode
Island.