The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-03-30
Poor Little Rhody!

Everybody at all acquainted with
Rhode Island politics knows that for
many years General Charles II. Bray
ton has been the Republican boss of
that tiny commonwealth. Ii Is u neck
and neck race betwlxt Pennsylvania
and Rhode Island as to which exhibits
Republican corruption ut the worst. Ii
ought to be stated. however, in ordi-
nary fairness that there are signs indi-
eating that the public conscience, so
long dormant in both states Is aroused
Mt last. In 1904 Pennsylvania gave
Roosevelt more than half million ma
jority, but in 1905 the Democrats, work
ing hand in hand with conscience Re
publicans, elected state treasurer by
nearly 100000 majority In 1906 the
Republican candidate for governor, Mr..
Stuart, pulled through by small ma
j0rity because he everywhere declared
his independence of all bosses and
promised the people that IL elected he
would be governor in fact as well as in
name and would give them clean,
honest administration. They took him
at his word and elected him. He has
his opportunity. What will he do with
IL? 1t will be remembered that year
Or two ago great moral wave swept
over Philadelphia, temporarily sub
merging the bosses, but this spring
they got their second wind, won a de-
cisive victory over the reform forces
and caused the Cityyof Brotherly Love
TO follow the example of the SOW
and return to her wallow. That's not
an encouraging fact and seems to show
that the forces of corruption may bring
all Of Governor Stuart's good inten-
tions to naught. Lovers of good gov
ernment everywhere wish him well In
his more than Hercules task of purging
the Augean stables at Harrisburg. 1t
Is rumored that certain big thieves
who stole themselves rich in building
and furnishing the new state capitol
are liable to land In the penltentiary,
bnt In this case seeing Is believing.
/, In passing it ought to be stated that
Governor Stuart Is handsome man
and looks like an honest one, as no
doubt he is, but 1t remains to be seen
whether he can successfully battle
with the Republican machine which
has SO long dominated political affairs
IN the keystone State. Let US hope he
will.
But to return to our mutton. Last
year the Democrats managed to elect
a governor, but lost the legislature. In
which there has been long senatorial
deadlock betwixt two men whose only
claim to the high position Is their vast
wealth. The Democratic Governor Hlg-
gins appears to carry his nerve with
him, as Is demonstrated by the fol
lowing dispatch:
Providence. r. l., March e--Governor
James H. Higgins yesterday renewed his
sfforts to oust General Charles II. Bray
ton. the legislative agent from the Rhode
Island statehouse when he sent a letter
TO the high sheriff Of Providence county,
General Hunter c. White. directing him
to refuse General Brayton the use Of the
shsriffs ofiice for political purposes. The
governor In his letter to Sheriff White
says In part:
''In the name of the citizens of Rhode
Island demand that You refuse to allow
Mr.. Brayton to use the property OF the
state OF Rhode Island for his private
pleasure and pront Year in and year out
he has occupied and used your ONCE for
his vile purposes with your knowledge
ana consent.
',rhe mans continued presence in the
capitol offers daily scandal TO the men,
women and children of the state.
''In the name of the decent citizenship
Of this commonwealth demand that you
clean this moral and political pest out OF
your ONCE. In the name of common CIV
jlixed virtue demand that you no longer
IN it..l
70 be used as the headquarters Of a mo-
tcrious lobbyist
There is certainly nothing mealy
mouthed about that utterance OF his
excelIency. He hits straight from the
shoulder. end to mere looker-on In
Vienna 4 seems that there ought to be