The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-10-18
RULE Of A FEW
WAS DISCUSSED
BY DR.. GARv|N

At Belleville last evening a Democratic
rally was held at which the speakers were
former Gov. l.. f. C. Garvin and Ed
ward A. Stockwell OF this city There was
big attendance. many coming from a
distance. and much enthusiasm, the name
of Col Goddard being received with great
applause.
DR.. Garvin said his topic was why"
the question therein embodied being ask
ed concerning the contamination of gov
ernment in Rhode Island and the reason
for its continuance. He hoped that If any
one present could furnish a reason for
such a state OF affairs, he would do so.
Continuing he said:
THE contamination OF government is
TO very considerable extent throughout
the United States and In national affairs
as well The actual rulers are those who
finance the machines which control the
election OF legislators, and who then die
tate the laws 10 be enacted And the
most apparent result OF this government
by the few is the amassing OF the enor-
nous fortunes which have been accumu-
lated by these. the real rulers
'Of the 100 wealthiest men I'm the world.
who include many OF the crowned heads
OF monarchial governments 30 are to be
found in our Republican United States.
Take for example the richest man in
the world. John ID. Rockefeller. the pos
SCISSOR OF wealth conservatvely estima ted
at $500, 900 900. or his partners, William
Rockefeller and Henry III. Rogers said to
be worth 500. 600 each. The effect of
the opportunities offered by present laws
to acquire in a short time an income
reaching into the millions is TO cause all
able business men 10 become dissatisfied
with the comparatively slow returns from
ordinary business methods.
"Our so-called captains OF industry are
more and more directing their efforts to
the securing OF special legal privileges.
rather than to the earning OF an honest
living. The evil effects OF ssich a trans
fer OF business enterprise are incalcula-
BILE
THAT great mass OF the people whose
earnings are filched from them by un-
just laws, the farmers. the artisans, the
clerks and the laborers generally are left
to suffer for even the comforts OF life.
They live constantly upon the very bor-
ders OF want. are unable TO educate their
children as they ought and sometimes
are driven by their extreme necessities
even TO crime.
THE net result. then. OF government by
the few I'm the interest OF the few Is to
produce two social extremes. the bound
lessly rich and the very poor; and both
extremes are bad. Neither class. as a
class. makes good citizens of a republic.
THE means OF correcting this. our
most menacing danger. is TO stop congress
and the state legislatures from creating
legal monopoles. The power to do this
rests in the votes of the people. The op-
portunity to exercise that power occurs
on the 9Th of next November. Do not for
get it,"
Mr.. Stockwell dealt with state issues
and showed the desirability of putting an
end TO Braytonism by supporting the
Democratic and Lincoln party candidates
for the general assembly. He urged his
hearers TO ally themselves with those
who were laboring to bring about a bet
ter condition of affairs in Rhode Island
and to do away with corruption in gov
ernment