The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-11-02

them and have never made any. ana am
| the past, to perform my sworn duty. and
enforce the laws of my state and my city
| so far as II lies In my power.
| have you done concerning the existence
| OF an alleged gambling resort I'm North
Providence which was said to be running
several months ago?
Several weeks after was inaugurated
received complaints that gambling
4 place. where faro and roulette were
played, was running I'm the town OF North
| Providence, on Mineral Spring avenue,
| just over the Pawtucket line. / made
| record OF the complaints and went TO
| work on them at once. i went to George
| W. Parrott the state senator from that
| town, laid the complaint before him and
asked him, as the highest representative
| OF that town In the state government, IL
he would Investigate the matter and re-
| port back to me soon az possible. At
| the same time i sent for Mr. Edgar Is:
| Hurdis, the president of the town council
of North providence. to come to my Office
| at the state house / laid the complaint
| before Mr.. Hurdis, asked him TO invesu-
gate and likewise report back to me.
notified Mr.. Hurdis. as | had previously
notified Mr.. Kelley. that j would leave
| the matter to the town authorities TO
suppress, but unless they did so j would
| take action myself and close the place.
| 81 waited n reasonable length or time
| both for Senator Parrot and Mr.. Hurdis
/, to report back. Neither did So ana
| after waiting for several weeks, ad-
1
Hurdis, PRESIDENT of the town council
of North Providence.
Governor Higgins then read letter
which he said he had received in reply
! from Edgar II. Hurdis. president of tho
| North Providence council. May IL last.
| I'm which Mr.. Hurds stated that he had
complied with Governor Higgins re-
quest to inform the town sergeant or
| the executives desire 10 investigate into
the existence of gambling place on
| Mineral Spring avenue in that town. He
ported May 10 that he found no evidence
OF the same.
SHERIFF WHITE ACTED.
Immediately after the receipt of this
letter i received renewal of the COM
/ plants about the alleged gambling place.
promptly called on Hunter G. White,
high sheriff of Providence county TO 20
to North Providence, investigate the mat
ter himself. and If he found such a gam
ping place there TO suppress IL forth
with and. In case he could secure sum-
cient evidence. To prosecute the guilty
parties. The sheriff did so at once. and
within few days he reported 10 me per-
sonally, as we'll as to my secretary. Mr..
| I5roderlcn, that he had gone to North
Providence and had closed the place. 1
tclo him then that his action had my
hearty approval. and that wanted the
rlacel kept closed as long as I remained
| governor of the state.
" Since that time have heard nothing
whatever concerning this place and no
complaints have been made. If your in
/ formant has any evidence or any COM
| plaint whatever to make. I shall gladly
listen to II. You may also assure him
that his name shall be kept secret and.
tfat. so far as / am concerned. he shall
never be held up to the public for ridi-
cule or contempt as such complainant.
repeat to you. sir, what have already
repeated elsewhere. that II that place Is
now in existence. II Is unknown to me
and no evidence or suggestion as to Its
existence has been submitted to me since
| the sheriff closed IL under my orders.
"If IL be In existence at this time, will
you do what you can to notify me of the
place where " Is, the parties who are
running IL. and also give me any other
reformation you may be able to get con-
cerning It? And to you. sir. and to the
people OF the state of Rhode Island, 1
now take pleasure In suggesting that X
the Republican town council OF North
Providence is so recreant to itg duty that
X connot or will not close such place.
II II exists: II the Republican town coun-
ell OF North Providence cannot clean us
own house, then the Democratic governor
| stands ready and willing to do IL for
them. And IL the Republican sheriff OF
| Providence county has not obeyed my
orders In keeping the place closed. IL IL
does exist, then the Democratic governor
| Is again READY ana Wllling 10 get ooHc-
body else to see that 1t is closed and kept
| closed.
UNDER STATE LAW.
/ Nov the third question is: What 10
your attitude as To the existence or con-
tinuance of boxing exhibitions or alleged
prize fights in this state? My answer
TO that is that I disapprove OF both box
ing exhibitions and prize fights. l AM
unable. however. to put stop to boxing
Nexhibitions and any other governor OF
public official Is unable to stop them. FOL
the simple reason that the state law hai
legalized them Under our statutes any
town or city may grant license for the
holding of a boxing exhibition, and once
this license Is granted and the licensees
act in accordance with Its terms and II
accordance with the law, the governo
is as powerless to stop 1t as he is to stol
the legalized sale OF Nquor under regu
iarly issued license by the town or Cit.
authorities; just as powerless as he woul'
be TO stop the sale OF drugs or poison
by regularly licensed pharmacist.
my conduct In these matters Is iden
tical with the conduct Of Governor Utter
Governor Garvin and other chief execu
tives OF the state on the same subject
The governor does not make laws ans
he cannot repeal laws. He must tax
: the statutes as he finds them. He Is JUS
a as powerless 20 stop boxing exhibition
: held within the state laws as he Is tt
r stop the legalized sale OF liquor or drugs
as above suggested. Therefore, while
Q disapprove of both boxing exhibitions
: and prize fights. Republican general
: assembly has legalized the former ano
: has thus tied the governors hand
: have taken an oath of office to observe
e the laws of this state and I must live up
10 those laws. whether or not l personally
a | ka them "