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Gov. L F. C. Garvin
Whilo active in politics for a number of years
and well known in his own state, Dr. Lucius Fa
yette Clark Garvin did not become a national
character until 1902 when ho won a closely con
tested election and was elected governor of Rhode
Island by the democrats of that state. Since as
Buming the duties of governor his acts have been
closely watched and he has demonstrated not only
his ability, but his loyalty to democratic prin
ciples. Prior to his election as governor Dr.
Garvin practiced his profession with gratifying
success, but his interest in good government im
pelled him to take an active part In public af
fairs, and he was always found on the side of
those who were battling for political reforms. His
election was a tribute to his earnestness and
ability in prosecuting this work of reform, and
attracted to him the attention of the entire coun
try. Since then he has often been mentioned in
connection with the democratic presidential nom-'
ination. One who has known Governor Garvin
'long and intimately submits the following brief
sketch of his life:
"Governor Garvin was born in Knoxville,
Tcnn., November 13, 1841. His father, James Gar
vin, was born in Vermont, graduated from Am
herst college, and removing to Tennessee to en
cage in teaching became a member of the faculty
of EasrTennessee University. After the death of
the father the family moved to Greensboro, N.
C, and here the future governor received his pri
mary education. After attending a Friends'
school at Greensboro for a time he went to Am
herst college, graduating in 1862. Immediately
after his graduation he enlisted as a private in
company 13, 51st Massachusetts volunteers. While
in college and for a short time after returning
from the army, Governor Garvin taught school.
Ho studied medicine and entered the Harvard
Medical school, graduating in 1867.
"Until 1876 Dr. Garvin was a republican, but
since then he has been a democrat in both local
and national politics. His change of politics was
occasioned by the fact that in national affairs ho
believed in the doctrine of free trade, equal rights
to all and special privileges to none, while the re
publican party had begun to drift away from those
great principles. He was also influenced to throw
his lot with the local democracy from the fact
that the state ofRhode Island was an oligarchy in
stead of a republic, with a restricted suffrage based
on property, and a representation so unfair that it
rivalled if it did not surpass the rotten boroughs
as they existed in England previous to the passage
of the reform bill there in 1832. Under these con
ditions the republican party was the upholder and
beneficiary of existing conditions in the state, and
so strongly was it intrenched that the task of dis
lodging it seemed hopeless. Nevertheless this was
the work that Dr. Garvin set out to do, and an
amazing measure of success has crowned his ef
forts when the difficulties in the way are consid
ered. For years he conducted an agitation for
equal rights and the extension of the suffrage to
foreign born citizens, thereby attracting attention
to the unfair conditions existing, and gradually
by that means building up a personal following
that gave him political strength. In 1883 he was
first elected to represent his town, Cumberland, in
the general assembly, and in all ho served for six
teen terms thirteen as representative and three
as state senator. During these years he was the
principal advocate in the legislature of reform
legislation. Because he was an honest, fearless
man, advocating the rights of the people consist
ently, constantly, without fear or favor, unin
fluenced by abuse, or intimidated by authority
he was such an unusual phenomenon in Rhode
Island that at first the people could not understand
him. Despite ridicule and misrepresentation he
gradually won Ills way until he became a force
to be reckoned with and througn him for the first
time in generations has come about the revival
of the American democratic spirit in Rhode Island
politics.
"The passage of the ten-hour and the ballot
reform laws, of the amendment to the constitution
granting suffrage to foreign born citizens, of the
bill establishing tho-bureau of industrial statistics
and of the acts for factory Inspection and plu
rality elections, all found in him a strong and
persistent supporter. In the contest for the ex
tension of the suirrage ho was for many years
tho leader both in the legislature and in the com-
The Commoner.
munlty, and to his exertions more than those or
any other man was the success of the movement
due.
"Ho was the democratic nominee for congress
from the Second Rhode Island district In 1894,
1896, 1898, and 1900, but was not elected. In 1901
ho ran for governor on tho democratic ticket, but
was defeated by a vote of 25,575 to 19,038. In
1902, however, after an exciting campaign, he was
elected governor by a vote of 32,279 to 24,541 for
his republican opponent, a plurality of 7,738,
while his majority over all was 2,383. He polled
the largest vote ever cast for any governor in the
state of Rhode Island.
"Notwithstanding tho fact that Governor Gar
vin was elected by such an overwhelming voto the
republican ring is so firmly entrenched in tho
state that it was still able to control the legisla
ture, largely because of the fact of the unequal
representation. The state senate, by a law passed
two years ago, has the appointing power, and as
the senate is practically controlled by a state
boss, that fact makes the boss virtual dictator
notwithstanding tho largo democratic vote. A
majority of the senate can bo and is elected by
less than 5,000 voters, and these the boss has
been able to control and defy the democratic
masses. Governor Garvin shorn of all real exe
cutive power has by speeches and articles in the
press and magazines kept up a constant fight
since his inauguration so that the political condi
tions of the state are today better known to its
own citizens and to the outside world than ever
before, and the way thereby prepared for a gen
uine democratic victory in the future. By means
of these conditions in tho state the great public
service corporations have- been, able to obtain
through the boss the legislation they desired, but
the campaign the governor has carried on has
brought out the facts in regard to these matters
as they never were brought out before. As a re
sult of the governor's course in these matters he
has again been subjected to the same sort of
abuse that he was treated to during his past ca
reer, but he meets it in tho same way, goes on
doing what he considers right, quietly,, but un
compromisingly, keeping his temper, but also
keeping 'everlastingly at it' "
JJJ "!
The Melting Pot.
On another page will be found an editorial
from the New York World discussing "intrinsic
value. The editorial was called out by an inquiry
from Hon. Charles A. Towne and the World
makes the absurd mistake so commonly made
by the worshippers of the gold standard. It re
lies upon the melting pot test to determine in
trinsic value, when a moment's reflection would
convince the editor that "melting without loss"
is a law made characteristic and nothing else. If,
for instance, our law fixed a mint charge of i
per cent for the coinage of gold the dollar would
lose one cent by melting because the owner would
havo to pay one cent to have it recoined. If the
charge was five cents the loss would be five cents.
When silver was given free and unlimited coin
age silver coins could be melted without loss and
the same would be true again under free and un
limited coinage. Bimetallists believe that tho
parity could and would be maintained under free
JotoafOjbuteven the parity was not main
tained the silver dollar could be melted without
loss just as the gold dollar can be now.
The World also overlooks the fact that what
It calls intrinsic value is in part, at least, value
created by a law-made demand. Tho monetary
use of gold is Its principle use and If this use were
withdrawn the market price would necessarily fall.
The World and those who like it ignore rea
son and common sense in the discussion of tho
money question give gold credit for all that law
bestows upon it and then blame silver for all that
law takes from it Tho editorial reproduced is a
fair illustration of the lack of logic which char
acterizes the World's utterances upon the money
question.
JJJ
Tariff Reform Growing.
On another page will bo found an editorial
which recently appeared in the Des Moines Reg
ister and Leader. It shows that some of the re
publicans are beginning to realize that the tariff
on raw material does more harm to the manu
facturers than tho tariff on the finished product
does good. Tho plea of the consumer was not
heedod, but the republican leaders are not apt to
ignore the protest of tho manufacturers when
they find that protection results in a net loss.
VOLUME 3, NUMBER 29,
Official Misconduct
Robert Baker, democrat, is a member nf
gress from tho Brooklyn, N Y dtatrini ?f n
ho was nominated or conrels ad as hi 93
raphy printed in- 'the Congressional niibf!og"
says, "was elected in a disWctWherdr PSSS151
ley had lad 4,577 plurality in Sof by 16 n&
ity and this despite the rancorous opposm nl
. tho Brooklyn Eagle, which honored no Sdem1
ocratlc congressional candidate with its opfe
irntiS081?0? f S?ch iwMteations as tho
Eaglo will be better understood in the lieht n?
correspondence that has recently been made pub
He, revealing as this correspondence does, to thosn
who are not acquainted with Mr. Baker's charac
teristics, that he is not the man to be controlled
by the special interests which such newspapers as
the Brooklyn Eagle serve so faithfully.
Recently Congressman Baker received the
following letter with enclosure as stated:
"The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company.
Century Building, Washington, D. C, July 21.
1S03. George E. Hamilton, Division Counsel.
"Hon. Robert H. Baker, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Dear Sir: Heretofore, under the regulations of
the company, annual passes have not been issued
to members-elect until the congress to which
they were elected had convened. I am glad to
inform you that this regulation has been modi
fied, and from now on annuals will bo sent to
members residing in company's territory the firsb
day of July following their election.
"I am accordingly pleased to forward to you
under this cover a card of travel good for 1903,
Yours very truly, G. E. HAMILTON,
"Division Counsel."1
Congressman Baker's reply to this railroad
official deserves wide publication and the uxampla
set by this congressman should bo followed by ev-
ery other public official who hopes to faithfully;
represent the people. Mr. Baker's reply is as fol
lows:
"544 Carlton Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y., July 27,
I903.-George E. Hamilton, Esq,, Division Counsel,
Baltimore & Ohio Railroaa Company, Century,
Building, Washington, D. C Dear Sir: On my,
return to the city I find yours of the 21st enclos
ing an annual pass and announcing officially the
policy of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad company,
in supplying passes to, members of congress.
"In returning the pass I desire to say that I
am unable to understand on what grounds a pass
is tendered, if it be not with the expectation that
it will influence me to act in my official capacity
to conserve what your company regards as its
"rights," regardless of the rights of the people, or
may bo to aid in securing for tlie company addi
tional privileges.
There is, I am aware, another possible con
struction to be put upon this tender of a pass,
and that is, that if the pass be not given, then,
in my official acts in matters affecting tho B. &
O. R. R. Co., the company cssumes that I will bo
guided, not by a determination to deal justly,
with both the American people and your com
pany, but to harass and annoy if not to cause it
pecuniary loss.
"I am no more disposed to accept this as an
excuse for the company's action, than to believe
that it assumes the pass would induce me to look
with an lenient eye on legislation designed to
confer extensions of its existing privileges; either
view would constitute a reflection on tho integ
rity of my actions which I reject
"As the language of your letter unmistakably,
implies, not only, that the Baltimore & Ohio Rail
road company has presented passes to members of
previous congresses "residing in company's terri
tory ," but that tho pass sent me is tlmply ono
of many tendered to members of tho 58th con
SJJf? and as the language used precludes the pos
slbility of your action being regarded as a per
sonal favor to me alone, I consider it a duty to
give the widest publicity to tho matter, and shall
therefore send a copy of this and of your letter
to the press, for my constituents are entitled to
-know that a groat railroad corporation has in
eaectopenly, certainly without concealment or
evasion, done that, which, if not resented, would
lay my actions in all matters affecting railroad
legislation open to the suspicion of having been
corruptly influenced.
In view of your language, "under the regula
tions of tho company . . . this regulation has been
modified, and from now on annuals will be sent"
etc., I must conclude that a number of its highf
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