The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-07-20
NEW ENGLAND NOT ALONE.

NEW ENGLAND NOT ALONE.
The following editorial from the
Boston Pilot is Interesting and in
structive. 1t relates to the change that
has taken place in Rhode Island. But
the story of that community is the
story of many others in different parts
of the country:
Although Roger Williams, the foun-
der of the colony Of Rhode Island
shares with Lord Baltimore. the foun-
der of Maryland. the distinction of
pioneer of freedom in what are now
the United States. yet in Know moth
ing" days the tiny New England COM
monwealth rivalled any in the section
in its ntiCatholic prejudices and OPP
position to foreigners. The suffrage
laws of the state had never been lib
eral: but with the increase of mmi-
grafton they became worse. The prop
erty qualifications was repealed in
1912. except as against foreign born
citizens. We quote from S. S. Riders
End of a Great Political Struggle in
Rhode Island" on this constitution
"by which all the disabilities COM
planned of were swept away, with the
exception of the discrimination in the
case of foreigners. BY it negroes
We're admitted. but foreigners were
required to hold lands"
This was meant to be prohibtive and
was aimed directly at the immigrants
from Ireland. who We're at that time
the most numerous of the foreign born
class. and who naturally increased out
of proportion to al: other elements in
the little commonwealth during the
famine years" 1s45-1s5o.
They came upon us unlimited" said
Senator Henry F.. Anthony. land upon
their departure there is no restraint"
But they departed not. Instead. they
increased and multiplied they became
educated and fairly prosperous, and.
they rose above whatever natural
chagrin they might have felt at seeing
political rights extended to the negro
which We're withheld from the man of
Irish blood, and took their full part in
the war for the maintenance of the
integrity Of the Union.
The public life. OF the state suffered
ated against from this condition of 20
litical serfdon1. The millionaire an
peared as an Office seeker and presently
elections We're openly bought and sold
and Rhode Island attained the bad
eminence of being the most corrupt of
American states.
Through Governor Bourn however,
honorably discharged soldiers and sail
ors of foreign birth were admitted IT,
the suffrage on the same pane as the
native born: and two years later
1sss-popular agitation thus encour-
aged forced an amendment to the con-
stitution. putting all naturalized citi-
zens on an equality with the native
born.
Fourteen years went by before the
strongly entrenched rule of bribery
and corruption got its first blow. DR..
Lucius F. c. Garvin. Democrat. won
the governorship in 1902. and held the
office for two years. Then arose
young lawyer, James Higgins. who be-
ing elected mayor OF Pawtucket. proved
himself so thoroughly man that he
was nominated in 1906 for governor,
and actually routed the forces Of
multi millionairedon. under the long
and heretofore successful leadership
of General Charles r. Brayton. the
Republican Boss" We have written
already in these columns of Governor
Higgins. 1t is the irony of history
that descendant of the pioneer Irish
stock and an excellent Catholic should
have been the means of cleansing his
native state from a political corrup-
ton which grew naturally out OF a