The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-23

"a, s,,tts,,es vere puhiiahrl Y No'uN ""
f1ubtthst krHturhV. tuf at ~ H'lNlN','
tls hofs NJ M led military urrq y nul go
etb ,t, og,s-ss i~attuan ~ he genial,
friroIiv tefatnnHtv. bic public eilt'"u
seoef,sttv anI hta tDNer IN ihr Cntntuettl''
world. makrs hitu q furtuidhhle '','.'ll.
fpr any ONE ~ tu ~" .ptt-ru' llln"
his ambition hta Orrn VS.. ~ 'r.N'''"
CifruWatanc, hnve turrnl ma ef'' hh'
his steps toward tha United states Nenh'"'
rouFs ~ r%fs,Sct,t otASrs.
ncs IA, Oh ems, 81 the Industrial Tui7t
Comtany . home on Nca' minister NI''
that narrow, busy and cunRrr'ed artery "I
where banks are ~ nuineroi. -
S,loona IN an ordinary town, s'ihu- w
hia granite building ~ the Rhodn l-mN'
HoatAtal TrtBt Company, tbs ihiru nrEE,
apcond IL conceded TO Bp~to on rated tot US
oo~naaryati-m a. opposed to tho st"cuhliiV11
enterpraa of modern finance, ana C~uh'tuiWu
by tho uolda rda The rivalry ,etwren ,h"
two IL deep and bitter, and the head on ~
Indtpd rial Trust Company Will never, r. 20
the senate N The Rhode lsaDd HoapI'aI trust
Company can prevent a. ill, ~,
Westminster street, Ia the modern Say
scrarer Of the Union Trust company,
Wheth her IL IL the fourth or tith Ihfg,,'t
fna institution Is not material me
Important fact. 40 far as II relates 70 pon-
tics and the public affairs Of the state, -
that its prpsiden nj IL Marsden j, Perry, once
a pa wnbroker and candy merchant on Norm
Main II rect. to-day The man wIo owns
Rhode Island" On the top floor OF the
bank building. as ornate and expensive VI
is interior decorations az IN III TINS c'un-
try, where a window glance prlc'lciHy
sweeps the State, Mr.. Perry sits every DAY
with his fingers on the wires THAT cOnlroi ne
activities OF the State Boss Bra yton, ne
General Assembly, the Municipal ,tounch,
tha public utility corporations, ana, SO lar
a. il l. not affected by the opposition OF me
| Industrial Trust the Rhode Island Hospital
Trust and the few other fina nclil concerns
that venture to show their heads; the entire
business life Of the city. His domination IN
nearly all directions, although he keeps
modestly out Of sight, is measure ply com
plete, and lie issues his orders with an au-
dacity that is almost brutal, r
Mr.. Perry's political and hnanclal ANNA
tions are with the Aldrich-Colt interests,
| and his influence will, Of course, be thrown
TO the Colt candidacy at leastln its prehin-
mary sta ges. There are those, who DeieVe
that if Wetmore, Colt and Goddard XII on
each other Perry" would not object TO
stepping up and taking the SenatorShip lor
NOT SOCIALLY SUCCESSFUL.
In one respect Mr.. Perry's power in the
| community is a ne gative quantity; MS
| social ambitions he has not been aDle 10
RratltY, AltnOuRn u Iihhi VI boc' $500
correct habits apparently, VIDE reading
artistic culture and refined tastes, he can
| make no Roadway toward the goal OF the
ambition Of his later life. He had sufficient
power to get an act by the Generai Assem-
bly, to adjust a matter concerning MS purely
private and personal comfort, an act so
In violation of public sentiment that It
Was soon 'afterward repealed. He cannot
get social recognition from the Browns,
| Goddards, Gammells and other ola and
| established families who pose as and PROB
! ably are the best element. He lives IN one
of the oldest and finest OF the charming
mansions, built a century ago. and has what
is said to be the most complete and valuable
| collection Of Shakesperlana sxtaht, Dut ne
cannot become a member. OF the ROPE OF
Of this city, and he cannot get even a
| nod OF recognition from certain men whose
homes and offices are within "a stone $
throw Of his own. He owns railroads and
private cars, and in a way is. public spirited
| and liberal in his contributions to worthy
oh iects, public and private, but the doorsat
which he most persistently knocks are as
peIsistently closed in his face. Newport Is
no less adamant in this respect than ProVl-
dence, Of which it il a suburb. -,
Still all the Senatorial Candidates VIII
ha We to reckon with Marsden j. Perry before
the campaign is over. The Goddards will
not do so in the first person, OF course, Out
that will be their loss, not his.
There is, Of course, little or no possibility
of Col. Goddard's election. With all
nature for the kind of fight that is necessary
10 uproot the peculiar and anomalous con-
ditions that have existed In this unique
State for the past fifty years, conditions
that cannot easily be made PLAIN TO the
outside public, but which Rhode Islanders
understand and appreciate, The oligarchy
that has ruled 80 long will some day be
destroyed. 1t cannot continue under the
pressure of modern progress in govern
mental reform-national, State and munich
pal. There must be q change soon or late
the time will be determined by circum-
stances and the personality OF the, needed
Moses. Rhode Island is not for sale in the
sense that the superficial, historical and
self opinionated magazine writers would
have us believe. That is, its legislative
and governing bodies are not controlled
by graft. The State and municipal govern
ments are honestly conducted. Political
control OF the country towns is undoubtedly
maintained by the party that has the most
to offer to a majority OF the voters, but
other things than money have a purchasing
power.
BRAyToN AND PERRY, BOSSES.
To pass or defeat a bill in the General
Assembly it is necessary only to see Boss"
Brayton; to enact a municipal ordinance it
is only necessary that il should have Perry's
Endorsement That is, this has been so.
Brayton'S bosses, however, are already
preparing to unload him in the face of out
rage1 public opinion, and only a few weeks
ago in public gave Perry a lesson on the
limitations of the power of a boss that even
he will not 500 forget. The City Solicitor
died, and the man who had been his first
assistant for fourteen years and acting
Solicitor during the long illness OF his chief,
was astounded to learn that MIR. Perry had
selected an outside man for the place that
he had earned. The community was as
founded, too, and as the Council were about
to carry out the bosses orders a lombard
ment Of petitions took place that caused
them to dictate the outside. candidates
withdrawal. This striking object lesson
of the power OF the people when aroused
| did not escape the acute mind OF Mr.. Perry,
1t is largely by means OF the Anticipated
constitution, giving the sparsely settled
country towns equal representation with the
cities, the concentration OF the State and
municipal government in the hands OF a
few men of immense wealth who thus direct
ly or indirectly control the influential per-
sonages in the various classes OF a money
making and money loving populace pro-
verbally acute in the science of self pro-
lection, that the ~oligarchy has been on
tinued and extended. Its evils are con-
spicuous and the man who will smash it
will earn lasting fame.
This is the opportunity Of Col. Robert
Hale Ives Goddard's lifetime, If IN his
letter of acceptance he will but announce
that while willing TO contribute for all neces-