Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-10-06
TARIFF RICHES RUINED
FAMOUS WAR GOVERNOR


From the Springfield Mass.) Republican
II Ex-Governor Sprague of Rhode Island,
who has Just died In Paris, was not the
last of the civil war governors, on the un-
ION side Of the conflict, the fact will
quickly be made known 1t is as hazard
Gus to describe a man as the last of the
wal governors as it is to describe someone
eise as the last son or daughter of the
revolution. Yet 1t is ones strong impress
sion that the last Of the wal governor.
really passed away with William Sprague.
ne was not yet 30 years OF age when ne
1860. With youthful energy and miiltan,
palrlotism he threw his state instantly
10 the active support of President Lincoln.
when the civil war began; the memorable
crisis. He was a notable if futile figure
on the battlefield of Bull Run. So popu-
Tar was his course h in 1862, he received
1879 out of II, 264 votes cast for governor,
which was substantially a unanimous re-
election. His later election to the United
States Senate in 1863 was also a measure
OF the affection and admiration of his fell
low citizens.
Mr.. Sprague after the civil war became
another KIN of an American. He was
spoiled by the combination of exceptional
popularity and immense wealth. The vast
textile interests in his family, which he
mad inherited. were amazingly prosperous
IN the war period, precisely as so many
manufacturing plants today are fattening
on war orders; and Mr.. Sprague by his
marriage to Kate Chase, daughter of the
secretary of the treasury of the United
States, had already formed an alliance
with one of the most ambitious as we'll
as one of the most brilliant society women
of the time. Under her social leadership
the Spragues were conspicuous in the
gar1sh display Of wealth for which Ameri-
ca soon became notable.
The older generation readily recalls the
domestic tragedy is the Sprague family,
following the financial crash in the panic
or 1873; the divorce of the il-mated couple
and the prolonged scandals localized at
the famous estate of Canonchet at Mar
ragansett Pier-from which the master
once drove Senator Roscoe Conkling with
a shotgun-theSe were the newspaper SEN
stations of a generation that for the most
part have passed away. The Sprague for
tune was never restored and an Influential
Old family ceased to exist as q factor in
the business life of New England, although
TOT years 1t had come near dominating
our New England textile interests. For
the rest of a long life, William Sprague
was without financial. political OF civic
turesque personality kept him in any de-
gree whatever in the public eve.
The life of William Sprague was a drama
"a romance" of the older school-such as
we seldom. a seensinNAmerica. In one
decade he helped materially to save the
ruin; In another he personified sp%endthrift
expenditure and business decay. In the
swift extinction OF the Sprague family
fortune one sees also the effect upon a
fictitious prosperity caused by war Of the
reaction brought about by the return of
sprague could have told many. a jubilant
manufacturer growing suddenly rich on
war contracts today to beware of the re-
actaen That must surely come.