The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-05-17
THURSDAY, MAY II, 1906.
CITY HALL RING MUST GO.


"I regard the political conditions in this state
as simply infamous" said Colonel Goddard in the
course of his prompt reply to the statement OF the
notification committee, appointed by the peoples
convention to inform him that he was the unani-
NOUS choice of that representative body for the
Office of United States senator.
Colonel Goddard's remark was broad. 1t COW
cred conditions throughout the commonwealth, but
It Is applicable with special force to the city of
Providence. Political conditions here infamous
indeed. Under them we have ring rule at the city
hall no less scandalous than at the state house.
We have set of men sent to represent the
people. who make practice of misrepresenting
their constituency for the financial gain that will
come to them as reward of treachery and betrayal.
These are the who have established the city
hall ring and who have profited and who still
pro6ting greatly at the expense OF the people.
The city hall ring differs in Some features from
the state house ring The first tries to its sin
lister and unwl1olesome work The other is open,
defiant and brazen in it's nischievous practices Both
rob the people While one seeks to conceal its true
character, the other is plain in revealing itself as
drunk with power, and in no way ashamed of pub
Hcity that will reveal its turpitude to the people.
On the theory that the known robber is the less
must be the greater menace to the people. So it is
and SO it will continue until its power is smashed
It will ultimately be by the of the Democracy
How did the city hall ring gain control and
enjoy the profits of its mischevous work? Largely
through its violation of the fundamental principles
of right and wrong. 1t is matter about which
there can be no dispute that members of city gov
ernrnent should have interest direct or indirect,
in any work or contract in which the city has an
interest.
Has this common and safe idea of civic decency
and honor been followed here in Providence2 BY
no means. The records of the city treasurer and
auditor will show many occasions which favor.
ites of the city hall ring have been given contracts
at unreasonable prices and therefore necessarily
yielding unrigineous profits.
Moreover, If other records were obtanable they
would show conciusively that honest bidders were
turned down by the city hall ring and that the tax
payers were severely mulcted because competition
was throttled and ring methods substituted for
honorable and decent business methods.
Members of the city council have done work
for the city when the law expressly provided that
no member OF the city government should receive
from the municipal treasury than his salary as
a member of the board of aldermen or common
council
Within fourteen months one member OF the city
council was paid from the municipal treasury
$4,000 above the sum he drew as member of the
city council
How did he get the work? Simply by stand
ing in" with the city hall ring Simply also, because
he was ready to obey the orders of that ring to
~throw down" the honest Democracy in his ward
his city and his state.
He is only one OF many of the same stamp. All
traitors honorable methods and bereft of any
decent of their responsibility to the people
That is why Colonel Goddard's reference to
Infamous conditions" applies with signal force to
the city of Providence.
That is also reason why the honest Democ-
racy will fight as it never did before to rescue
Providence from the thraldom of ring that has
been successful in its efforts transform some orig
nally honest Democrats into dishonest Republican
grafters when they were sent to the city hall as
representatives of the people.