RHODE ISLAND. 



669 



The apostolic; powers arc vested in a first presi- 

 dency composed of 3, a quorum <>f 12 apo-ilcs, 

 Hiid ? quorums f seventies. The local officials 

 an- elders, priests, teachers, and deacons. There 

 is also a body composed of 12 hij, r h in-icsts called 

 a High Council, who are the highest judicial 

 body in the Church. The duties of the-e sev- 

 eral ofllciuls are defined in detail in the Doctrine 

 and Covenants. The temporal and financial 

 departments are under the management of the 

 bishop and his councilors, who have subbishops 

 throughout the Church. 



The finances are chiefly for the support of the 

 families of the missionaries and others who give 

 their entire time to the service of the Church, as 

 also for the care of the poor. There are no sala- 

 ried ministers among them, they claiming that 

 the gospel is" without money and without price," 

 and that they have not the right to make mer- 

 chandise of it. 



Their headquarters are in Lamoni, Iowa, where 

 they have a printing establishment and book bind- 

 ery. The " Saints Herald," the Church organ, 

 "/ion's Hope," a paper for the young, and ''Au- 

 tumn Leaves," a monthly, are published there. 



The numerical strength is something over 30,- 

 000. Last year's report at the general annual 

 conference gives an increase by baptisms of 3.069, 

 which is larger than in any previous year. There 

 is in process of erection at Lamoni a college, and 

 also a home for the poor ministers. 



RHODE ISLAND, a New England State, one 

 of the original thirteen, ratified the Constitution 

 May 29, 1790; area, 1,250 square miles. The 

 population, according to each decennial census, 

 was 68,825 in 1790; 69,122 in 1800; 76,931 in 

 1810; 83,015 in 1820; 97,199 in 1830; 108,830 in 

 1840; 147,545 in 1850; 174,620 in 1860: 217,353 

 in 1870; 276,531 in 1880; and 345,506 in 1890. 

 Capitals, Newport and Providence. 



tiovernnient. The following were the State 

 officers during the year: Governor, D. Russell 

 Brown, Republican ; Lieutenant-Governor, Mel- 

 ville Bull; Secretary of State, George H. Utter: 

 General Treasurer, Samuel Clark ; State Auditor 

 and Insurance Commissioner. Albert C. Landers ; 

 Attorney-General, Robert W. Burbank ; Railroad 

 Commissioner, Edward S. Freeman; Commis- 

 sioner of Public Schools, Thomas B. Stockwell ; 

 Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Charles 

 Matteson; Associate Justices, Pardon E. Tilling- 

 hast, John H. Stiness, George A. Wilbur, Horatio 

 Rogers, and William W. Douglas. 



As i lie May session of the Legislature this year 

 was adjourned by the Governor to January. 1894, 

 before the returns of the April election were can- 

 vassed, the six officials first above named held 

 over after the expiration of their term in May 

 till the close of the year. 



Finances. For the year 1893 the State treas- 

 ury statement is as follows: Balance on Jan. 1, 



1893, $100,007.96; total receipts, $1,338.419.72; 

 total payments, $1,243,578.37 ; balance on Jan. 1, 



1894, $194.849.31. While there has been an in- 

 crease of $200,220.32 in the annual receipts over 

 the figures for 1892, the yearly expenditures have 

 only increased to the extent of $129,446.84, of 

 which about $50,000 may be considered to repre- 

 sent extraordinary appropriations. 



The funded State debt on Jan. 1. 1893. was 

 $1,283,000, of which $584,000 was paid in July 



from the sinking fund, leaving $699,000 out- 

 standing at the eln-c of the year. As the State 

 then had in its sinking fund more than enough 

 funds to meet this liability, its indrbtcdm 

 be seen to be only nominal. In the near future, 

 however, a new debt will be created by the issue 

 and sale of State-House construction bonds, au- 

 thorized by the Legislature this year. 



Legislative Sessions. The General Assem- 

 bly, elected in 1892, convened at Providence on 

 Jan. 31. and adjourned on May 26. An impor- 

 tant result of the session was the passage of an 

 act defining with precision the duties of the Sec- 

 retary of State in making up the list of members 

 of the General Assembly, declaring who shall 

 take part in the organ i/.at ion thereof, and pre- 

 scribing the manner in which such organization 

 shall be effected. Another act regulates the pro- 

 ceedings in grand committee. It declares that 

 the grand committee shall consist of a majority 

 of the members of the Senate and a majority of 

 the members of the House duly assembled, pur- 

 suant to an invitation from one of said bodies 

 accepted by the other, the acceptance being com- 

 municated by message to the body in which such 

 invitation originated^ The method of ascertain- 

 ing and declaring a quorum therein, of recording 

 the proceedings, ana of taking the vote, is pre- 

 scribed. All business therein is forbidden, ex- 

 cept such as is specified in the invitation. By 

 another act a commission was appointed to select 

 a site in the city of Providence for a new State 

 House, and to erect a structure thereon. For 

 this purpose the State Treasurer was authorized 

 to raise money by the issue and sale of 4-per-cent. 

 State bonds or scrip to an amount not exceeding 

 $1,500,000, payable in not over forty years from 

 date. 



A constitutional amendment providing for 

 plurality elections for State, city, and town of- 

 ficers was proposed and transmitted to the next 

 General Assembly for concurrence. 



Other acts of the session were as follow: 



For supplying pupils in the public schools with 

 free text-books and school supplies. 



Providing for police matrons in cities. 



Amending the law regulating weights and meas- 

 ures. 



Prohibiting the carrying of concealed weapons. 



Providing a new law for the commitment and care 

 of the insane. 



Providing a general law for incorporation of com- 

 pu nil's. 



Authorizing cities and towns to provide by ordi- 

 nance for tin- punishment of indecent intoxication. 



To prevent the introduction of infectious di.-. 



Making tlie first Monday in September u holiday, 

 known as Labor I>av. 



Appropriating money for the purchase of a camp 

 ground for the State militia. 



Increasing the tax on savings banks from 25 to 40 

 cents on each $100 of deposits and of reserved profits. 



The General Assembly chosen at the April 

 election assembled at Newport on May 30. The 

 roll of members, as prepared by the Secretary of 

 State, gave the Senate 23 Republicans ana 14 

 Democrats, and the House 40 Democrats and 82 

 Republicans. A majority of 1 in grand com- 

 mittee was thereby secured to the Republicans. 

 But at the opening session the Democrats, hav- 

 ing control of the House, proceeded to unseat 

 the hold-over Republican member from James- 



