The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1906-11-22
RHODE ISLANDS boy GOVERNOR"
IS GOING after SENATOR ALDRICH
~ MARLEN e. PEW.

PROVIDENCE, r. l., Nov 22,-
Unless signs fail and words are
hollow, it will behoove the aver
age citizen to turn an eye upon
Little Rhode and keep it glued
there for perhaps two years, may
be longer
Little Rhode has just elected
new governor James Henry Hlg'
gins is his name. He is 30 years
Young and not much bigger than
senator Nelson w. Aldrichs right
leg. His Body is as sick as 1t IS
small, bubt his head is all fight.
The brief history of the political
skyrocket career of Governor-elect
Higgins has no parallel. Flfteeh
years ago he sold papers on the
streets to help him through school
and assist his widowed mother.
Eight years ago this young Irish
man kept books, thus paying MS
tuition through Brown university.
Then he was a clerk at Washing
ton and went through law school.
In 1900 he set up law office and
industry won him business.
Four years ago the democrats
sent Higgins, then 26, to the
Rhode Island house Of representa-
tives. That's a big honor, when
democrats are like roses on jan
uary l.. Then he was elected may
or, and the whole country herald
ed him as the boy Mayor of Paw
tucket." He has had republican
town council against him, but he
succeeded in blocking the grafters
In several attempted steals.
Now, behold, the Boy Mayor
blossoms as the Boy Governor, the
youngest of Uncle Sans state
chief executives.
There are several reasons why
Higgins Is the most interesting
new character in the political
arena, in addition to his youth. He
believes that young men are re-
quired to do the bloody field work
in the fight for political reform.
He believes that intrenched pow
err, like that Of the corrupt repub-
lican oligarchy of his own state, Is
no match for public sentiment
when 1t is aroused.
He Is the first adherent OF the
Roman Catholic faith to be elected
governor of New England state.
He believes that Senator Aid
rich is the friend OF the Standard
Oil and sugar trusts, the ally OF
Wall st. and the enemy of every
lover of the primary principles OF
American liberty from coast to
coast and border to border, and
should be removed from the SEN
ate. More than that, he proposes
to use his Office for the disruption
of the system which has made
Aldrich's power possible.
Higgins is most unassuming. He
did not resent it by look when a
Pawtucket newspaper man intro
duced him to me as Jimmy"
Perhaps a stranger in the state
will not understand clearly the sit
uaton that confronts me, so III
explain little" he said to me.
"Rhode Island, though the smallest
state in the union, Is nevertheless
one Of the most important states.
Her population outranks IS Of our
states and territories. We have
vast manufacturing enterprises,
wonderful waterways and more
people to the square mile than any
other state.
"For many years Rhode Island
has been in the hands of corrupt
politicians working in league with
INSCRIPTIONS commercial inter-
ests. Our people have been
robbed right and left Our system
has been wrong at its very base.
"We have restricted suffrage.
That Is the trouble. Our state Is
divided into % towns and cities.
each Of which sends one presenta-
tive to our senate. Twenty of these
towns control. and 20 of them
rolled into one would not have the