The New England magazine . e Island it isnotorious that the most flagrant bribery,the most utterly treasonable disregard ofthe citizens duty to the State, takes placein the country towns, where the percentageof so-called native stock is very muchhigher than it is in the cities. How the State Has Been For Sale Lincoln Steffens two years ago dubbedRhode Island A State for sale. Thatwas probably true, in respect of the offi-cial machinery of the State. You couldnot have gone up to the State-house andbought a piece of legislation from themembers direct; but you could, it is gen-erally believed, ha
The New England magazine . e Island it isnotorious that the most flagrant bribery,the most utterly treasonable disregard ofthe citizens duty to the State, takes placein the country towns, where the percentageof so-called native stock is very muchhigher than it is in the cities. How the State Has Been For Sale Lincoln Steffens two years ago dubbedRhode Island A State for sale. Thatwas probably true, in respect of the offi-cial machinery of the State. You couldnot have gone up to the State-house andbought a piece of legislation from themembers direct; but you could, it is gen-erally believed, have got your bill passedif you dealt first with General Charles , the king of the lobby enthronedin the office of the high sheriff. You couldnot have bought the influence of GovernorUtter, but you would have had no need tobuy it, since the Governor has no vetopower, and the Legislature did GeneralBraytons bidding. It is of course absurd to say that anyone could buy a majority of the voters, 148 NEW ENGLAND MAGAZINE. The Sarah Swan Whiting memorial window in Trinity Church, Newport in Rhode Island or in any other man may have his price, but no manor corporation has every mans price. Inorder to get around this dead wall, poli-ticians frequently so arrange the politicalmachinery of a State that a small amountof bribery will give them control. InRhode Island the State Senate is the bul-wark of the corruptionists, and represen- tation in the lower House is also far froiequitable. Each town and city in tbState — thirty-eight in all — is entitled tone State senator. Providence, which ca:|more than 23,000 votes in the last corjgressional elections, has one senator. S<|too, has Little Compton, which cast 13votes; and Jamestown, which cast 17cIn a word, the four cities, — Providena WHATS THE MATTER WITH RHODE ISLAND? 149
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