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RHODE ISLAND. 



produced, the color-figure presents a tremulous ap- 

 pearance like that shown by the tip of a singing gas- 

 flume. 



RHODE ISLAND. The "January session 

 of the General Assembly of the State of Rhode 

 Island and Providence Plantations" for the 

 year 1878 began on January 13th, and came 

 to an end on April 12th. Few laws of special 

 importance were passed. Among the more 

 noteworthy was one "to limit the indebtedness 

 to be incurred by, and the taxes which may be 

 imposed upon, towns and cities/' This was 

 passed April 10th, and is as follows: 



SECTION 1. The outstanding notes, bonds, and con- 

 tracts of towns and cities shall be paid and be ful- 

 filled according to the tenor thereof, and all public 

 works now authorized to be prosecuted shall be pros- 

 ecuted, and all indebtedness authorized to be incurred 

 on account thereof, by any special act of the General 

 Assembly, may be incurred in the same way as if this 

 act had not been passed. 



SEC. 2. After the passage of this act no town or 

 city shall incur any debt in excess of three per centum, 

 of the taxable property of such town or city, includ- 

 ing the indebtedness of such town or city at the 

 time of the passage of this act ; but the giving of a 

 new note or bond for" a preexisting debt, or for 

 money borrowed and applied to the payment of such 

 preexisting debt, is excepted from the provisions of 

 this section ; provided, that any sinking fund shall be 

 deducted in computing such indebtedness. 



SEC. 3. No town or city shall assess its ratable 

 property in any one year in excess of one per centum 

 of its ratable value, except for the purpose of paying 

 the indebtedness of such town or city, or the interest 

 thereon, or for appropriations to any of the sinking 

 fnnds, or for extraordinary repairs for damages caused 

 by the elements ; but assessments for specific bene- 

 fits conferred by the opening or improving of any 

 public highway, or for any public sewer, shall not be 

 taken to be within the provisions of this section. 



An act was also passed establishing the fiscal 

 year, so as to correspond with the calendar 

 year, and requiring official reports to be made 

 to the " adjourned " or January session of the 

 Legislature. An act "to prevent and punish 

 wrongs to children " prohibits the use or em- 

 ployment of any child under sixteen years of 

 age " for the vocation, occupation, service, or 

 purpose of rope or wire- walking, begging, or as 

 a gymnast, contortionist, equestrian performer, 

 or acrobat, in any place whatsoever ; or for or 

 in any obscene, indecent, or immoral purpose, 

 exhibition, or practice whatsoever; or for or 

 in any business, exhibition, or vocation inju- 

 rious to the health or morals, or dangerous to 

 the life or limb of such child " ; and provides 

 penalties for persons so employing children, 

 and for those having custody of children who 

 permit such employment. A State Board of 

 Health was established, consisting of six per- 

 sons appointed by the Governor, whose full 

 term of office is to be six years, one member 

 going out each year. Three members at least 

 t be " well-educated physicians and mem- 

 bers of some medical society incorporated by 

 the State" ; and the Governor is authorized to 

 remove any member for cause at any time, on 

 the written request of two thirds of the Board. 

 The usual powers of Boards of Health were 



conferred upon the body, whose jurisdiction 

 includes the entire State. 



The political campaign opened with the con- 

 vention of the Prohibition party, which was 

 held in Providence on March Vth. The only 

 declaration of principles made was contained in 

 the following resolution: 



Resolved, That, believing as we do in the right- 

 eousness of prohibition, and in its necessity as an es- 

 tablished principle in the jurisprudence of this State, 

 we renewedly declare our unswerving purpose by 

 the help of God to carry forward this agitation until 

 we have secured the desired object. 



A resolution was also adopted calling upon 

 the Legislature to " enact a law prohibiting the 

 sale of intoxicating drinks." The following 

 were nominated as candidates for State offices : 

 For Governor, Charles C. Van Zandt, of New- 

 port ; for Lieutenant-Governor, Albert C. How- 

 ward, of East Providence; for Secretary of 

 State, Joshua M. Addeman, of Providence ; for 

 Attorney-General, Willard Sayles, of Provi- 

 dence; for General Treasurer, Samuel Clark, 

 of Lincoln. 



The Republican Convention, which was held 

 in Providence on the 21st of March, nominated 

 precisely the same ticket, and adopted no plat- 

 form. The following resolution was adopted 

 in regard to the organization of future conven- 

 tions: 



Whereas, It is possible in the future, as it has sev- 

 eral times happened in the past, that delegates, regu- 

 larly elected, may be wrongfully debarred from par- 

 ticipation in the organization of the convention, to 

 which they are rightfully chosen ; and 



Whereas, This is accomplished by the presentation 

 of counter-credentials that have no authenticity in 

 fact, and are presented solely with the view to tie, 

 embarrass, and thwart the choice of the regularly 

 chosen delegates ; and 



Whereas, Such contests in the preliminary organi- 

 zation tend to produce dissatisfaction and make its 

 action less weighty : therefore, 



Resolved, That the Chairman of the Eepublican 

 State Committee, or such other member of said- 

 Committee as he may designate for this purpose, be 

 and hereby is authorized and directed, after calling 

 the Convention to order and reading the call, to place 

 upon the temporary roll of said Convention only such 

 delegates as were elected at the primary meetings 

 and caucuses called by the city and town commit- 

 tees (or their lawful successors) that were recognized 

 by the preceding Eepublican State Convention, and 

 that on the completion of the roll as directed said 

 Chairman or his representative, as before provided, 

 shall call for nominations for Chairman ; and only 

 those delegates shall be entitled to vote in his election 

 as appear on the roll so made up : and that credentials 

 authenticated in writing by ward or town committees 

 shall prima facie entitle the delegates named therein 

 to seats in said Convention : provided, however, that 

 nothing in the above shall be construed to prevent 

 the presentation of other credentials after the elec- 

 tion of Chairman as above said; and provided fur- 

 ther, that no town committee shall be recognized 

 who shall have neglected to issue a call for a caucus 

 in form, as prescribed by the State Central Commit- 

 tee. 



The Democratic Convention took place at 

 Providence on the 22d of March. The nomi- 

 nations were as follows : For Governor, Isaac 

 Lawrence ; Lieutenant-Governor, Thomas Da- 



