Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-09

ket place. All true friends of their country,
lovers of freedom and haters of shackles
and handouts are hereby invited to tes-
tify their good disposition by bringing
in and casting into the fire a needless
herb which for a long time hath been
highly detrimental to our liberty, inter-
est and health"
At the hour named a fire was started
in Market square upon which were cast
a tar barrel, a copy of Lord North's
speech and other Objectionable material.
after which men and women fed the flames
with contributions from their household
supplies to the amount Of about 300
pounds of tea.
The Providence Gazette reported that
there was great cheersulness in COM
hitting to destruction so pernicious IN
article" and continued: whilst the tea
was burning a spirited son Of liberty
went along the streets with his brush and
lampblack and obliterated or implanted the
word tea on the shop signs"
The battle of Lexington found the Rhode
Islanders ready to lend their active assist
ance In the patriot cause. When the gen.
eraI assembly gathered in the old state
house at Providence in May, 1776. its
HhSLnpcTS were ready lOI any TdulCdl StSp'
The crisis was precipitated by Colonel
Jonathan Arnold. a member of the house
of deputies from Providence. He was
then only IS. yet a man of mark in the
colony-a man of family and property,
a physician, a teacher, clerk of the SUI
perior court and destined to round out his
career as chief justice of Vermont and
member OF the governors council.
Became Leader of Revolt.
The act was not accepted without de-
bate. Before afternoon milking time OF
May 4, however. It had been adopted, and
Rhode Island gained the distinction OF
leading the colonies in open revolt against
the crown.
Why Rhode Island has allowed so many
years to elapse before claiming all the
glory there is in this performance is moi
clear. 1t is possible that even this years
official tribute OF gun powder might not be
paid but for James S. Slater, a citizen OF
a little village in northern Rhode Island.
Mr.. Slater is town clerk OF North Smith
field. and is. like every second native
Rhode Islander, an amateur historian. Fol
several years he was in the habit of un,
furling as large an American flag and al
handsome a state flag as he could get t
the breeze on May 4, and when Eome OF his
neighbors asked the reason he would ex.
plain that it was Rhode Island independ.
ence day.
This custom did not appear to make
much of an impression outside of MI
Slater's immediate neiEhborhood until on'
year when a reporter happened to learr
about the celebration and wrote a storS
about It. ThRt was four years ago. Tit
next year the Rhode Island Citizens His
torical association OF Providence get busy
early on plans for a celebration of its own
II had an orator and the usual fixings anC
held forth In a church.
Two years ago this program was ampli
fled. The governor and the speaker of thu
house OF representatives were present anC
the Declaration Of independence" wa
read. Last year there was a similar cele,
bration. Then the general assembly passed
an act ordering a salute OF 100 guns OF
every May l.
This is as far as the matter has gon,
up to date. But IT is expected that som,
OF these days the whole Of Rhode IsIanc
will observe the state holiday with Mar.
athons, base ball games. shore dinner
and all that sort OF thing. and the store.
and mills will all be closed.