The General Assembly, elected in April, met for its first session in Newport on May 28. There was no choice for State officers by the people at the April election, except for AttorneyGeneral. The two Houses, in joint session, elected the Republican candidate, Herbert W. Ladd, for Governor, by a vote of 58 to 48 for John W. Davis, the Democratic candidate, and chose the Republican candidates for Lieutenant-Governor, Secretary of State, and General Treasurer by a similar vote. On May 29 William C. Townsend was chosen State Auditor for the ensuing year, that office being annually filled by election of the General Assembly. On May 30 the submission resolution for rescinding the prohibitory amendment, which was passed by the previous General Assembly in March, was again adopted, and provision was made for a vote on the rescinding amendment at a special election on June 20. The time when the new ballot law should go into effect was postponed from June 1 to June 30, in order that the special election might not be governed by its provisions. The Assembly adjourned on May 31, to meet at Providence in January, but, as the prohibitory amendment was rescinded at the June election, an earlier meeting became necessary. On July 1 a special session was called by Gov. Ladd, to meet in Providence on July 9, for the purpose of enacting license laws. The Assembly appointed on the first day a joint committee of twelve to prepare a measure, and adjourned till July 16. When it reassembled a draft of a bill was presented by this committee, and, after much discussion and many disagreements between the two houses, a license law was passed on Aug. 1, containing these provisions:

The power to grant licenses shall be vested in the town councils of the several towns, and in boards of commissioners in cities, such boards consisting of three members, appointed by the mayors and removable by them for cause. If 10 per cent. in cities, and 15 per cent. in towns, of the voters at the last preceding general election shall petition therefor, a vote may be taken at each April efection, in any town or city, on the question whether licenses shall be granted therein. Whatever may be the result of the election, it shall stand until reversed at some subsequent annual election. The license fee for wholesale dealers shall be not less than $500 nor more than $1,000. Retail licenses in the city of Providence shall be $400; in other cities and towns of over 15,000 inhabitants, $350; in towns of from 6,000 to 15,000 inhabitants, $300; in smaller towns, from $200 to $300. Three fourths of the fees shall go to the cities or towns, and one fourth to the State. Wholesale dealers may not sell to unlicensed dealers, nor become bail for violators of the law. The penalties for violations of the law range from $20 and costs and ten days in jail to $100 and costs and six months in jail. Screens must be removed on Sundays. There are no restrictions as to number or location of licensed places, except that a majority of the occupants and owners of the property within 200 feet of a proposed saloon may prevent the issue of a license to such saloon.

The special session adjourned on Aug. 1, immediately after the passage of this act.

Political. On Feb. 22 the Prohibitionists, in State Convention at Providence, opened the canvass by nominating the following ticket: For Governor, Harrison H. Richardson; LieutenantGovernor, Joshua C. Brown; Secretary of State, Daniel Howard; General Treasurer, Jason P. Hazard. The platform included the following:

As the present attitude of both of the dominant political parties in this State, as shown by recent and proposed legislative action, gives no hope of efficient temperance laws while the State is under their control, we therefore earnestly invite to our ranks all who agree with us on this one important issue. We most heartily protest against the resubmission of the Prohibitory amendment, as sufficient time has not elapsed to test its value, nor have faithful officials as a rule been yet elected to secure its honest enforce

ment.

The Democratic State Convention met at Providence on March 12, and renominated the ticket of last year: For Governor, John W. Davis; Lieutenant-Governor, Howard Smith; Secretary of State, Edwin D. McGuinness; Treasurer, John G. Perry; Attorney-General, Ziba O. Slocum. The following resolutions were adopted:

The ultimate and permanent success of a republican form of government must depend largely upon the respect and support which the people give to the laws of which they are themselves the authors. The fifth amendment to the Constitution, adopted by a vote of less than one half of the voting population, has been, and still is, openly, notoriously, and systematically violated; and, notwithstanding the increased State and local taxation, the lavish expenditure of public money, and the consequent burden upon the tax payer, and threatened financial embarrassment of the State which it has entailed, remains almost universally unenforced. Conservative citizens of all classes, and without respect of party, are calling for its resubmission to the people. The Democratic party therefore demands that the prohibitory amendment be resubthority. In case it should be repealed by the people, mitted to the people, the ultimate and supreme authe Democratic party pledges itself, if intrusted by the people with the administration of the Government of the State, to the enactment of such legislation, in the lines of local option and restrictive license, as shall tend to check the flood of intemperance and demoralization which is spreading in the community under the system of free rum and an unrestricted liquor traffic, which now prevails.

We are opposed to the policy pursued by the Republican party of rendering the exercise of the right of suffrage difficult and onerous by unnecessary restrictions upon registration, and advocate the enactment of such laws as shall, by facilitating registration, encourage the exercise of the rights and duties of citizenship by all classes of voters.

We declare ourselves in favor of the adoption and immediate enforcement of such legislation, similar to the Australian system, as shall secure the secrecy of the ballot, and thus diminish the opportunities for bribery and corruption at our elections."

On March 21 the Republican State Convention at Providence nominated. for Governor Herbert W. Ladd, and for Lieutenant-Governor Daniel G. Littlefield. Secretary of State Cross, Treasurer Clark, and Attorney-General Rogers were renominated. The platform contains the fol

lowing:

We believe that it is the duty of the General Assembly to permit the people of the State to pass judgment upon any proposed amendment to the Constitution whenever an opportunity so to do is demanded by any large number of citizens.

We reiterate the demand which has been made in each Republican platform since the adoption of the fifth amendment for the full, zealous, and impartial enforcement of all laws, and especially of the laws enWe conacted to carry that amendment into effect. demn those officials, whether Republicans or Democrats, who have willfully failed to enforce such laws.

We approve the action of the Republican Legislature in adopting the Ballot Reform bill, and we call

upon the public officers who will be charged with its execution to strive for its honest and earnest enforcement.

A few days before this convention met, the General Assembly had passed, with the aid of Republican votes, a resolution proposing to rescind the prohibitory constitutional amendment. Both this action and the platform declarations above quoted, indicated a change in the policy of the Republican party toward the amendment, which was strongly opposed by a considerable number of its followers, who believed that prohibition had not received a fair trial. They determined to join with other friends of the amendment in forming a new party to elect State officers who would thoroughly enforce the existing law. Assuming the name of " Law-Enforcement Party," the seceders issued a call for a convention at Providence on March 22. This convention nominated James H. Chace for Governor, Franklin Metcalf for Lieutenant-Governor, J. Barclay Foster for Secretary of State, and Edward A. Greene for General Treasurer. Attorney-General Rogers, the Republican candidate, was recommended for re-election. The platform contained the following:

We are opposed to the resubmission of the fifth amendment to popular vote at the present time as uncalled for by the people, unwarranted by the facts, and not justified by argument. We demand an honest effort to enforce the laws already enacted and to maintain the Constitution as it is. We favor such

legislation as experience in other States as well as in our own shows to be necessary in order to enforce Article V of the amendment to the Constitution.

In the few weeks before the April election each of the four parties put forth strenuous efforts. The issue was practically between prohibition and license, with the Law-Enforcement and Prohibition parties on the one side, and the Republican and Democratic parties on the other. The strength of the Law-Enforcement party was unknown. At the election in April no candidate received a majority of all the votes cast except Ziba O. Slocum, the Democratic nominee for Attorney-General; but the other Democratic nominees obtained considerable pluralities over the Republican candidates. For Governor Davis received 21,289 votes, Ladd 16,870, Chace 3,597, Richardson 1,346; for Lieutenant-Governor Smith received 21,101, Littlefield 17,080, Metcalf 3,559, Brown 1,402. The vote for Secretary of State and General Treasurer varied but little from these figures. For Attorney-General Slocum received 21,848 votes, Rogers 20,991, with 16 scattering votes. At the same election members of the General Assembly were chosen throughout the State. A majority vote was necessary to elect, and the contest was so close that there was a failure to elect 4 Senators and 12 members of the House. Of the members chosen, 21 Senators and 23 members of the House were Republicans, and 10 Senators and 37 members of the House were Democrats. Under the Constitution it became necessary to hold by-elections in the towns and cities where there had been a failure to elect. At the first byelection 8 of the vacancies were filled by the choice of Republicans, while for the remaining 8 places there was again no choice and a trial became necessary. Of the eight members to be

chosen, six were to be sent from Newport and one each from Bristol and Cranston. At this second by-election the Republicans elected three of the Newport delegation and each of the members from Bristol and Cranston. There was still no choice for three members from Newport, but as no further elections were allowed by law, the three members of the preceding Legislature whose successors had not been chosen (2 Republicans, 1 Democrat) held over for another year. The political complexion of the Assembly, thus finally determined, was as follows: Senate-Republicans 26, Democrats 10; House-Republicans 34, Democrats 38. The Republicans were in the majority in joint session, and the election of the Republican candidates for the State offices not filled by the people at the April election was assured. A large majority of the members were in favor of submitting to the people the question of rescinding the prohibitory amendment.

Prohibition and License.-The report of the Chief of State Police for the four months of this year ending May 7, gives the following figures from the sheriffs and police officers of the State regarding the enforcement of the prohibitory laws during that period: Arrests for drunkenness in the State, 1,724; complaints by officers for illegal sales, 13; for illegal keeping, 54; for common nuisances, 19; seizures, 328; common nuisances believed to exist but not proceeded against, 278.

On June 20 the special election was held to determine whether the prohibitory amendment should be rescinded. Three fifths of the total vote cast was necessary for the adoption of the rescinding amendment; but the tide of popular sentiment set strongly in its favor, and it was carried by a vote of 28,315 yeas to 9,956 nays. The amendment thereby rescinded was adopted in 1886 by a vote of 15,113 yeas to 9.230 nays. The Governor made proclamation of this result on July 1, and at the same time called an extra session of the General Assembly, which on Aug. 1 adopted a high-license law elsewhere considered. This act went into effect at once. Before the end of the year 532 licenses had been granted in Providence, or one to every 222 people; in Pawtucket 133 were granted, or one to every 172 people; in Woonsocket 97, or one to every 167 people; in Newport 78, or one to every 251 people. In 16 towns and cities 1,123 licenses were granted-one for every 228 people.

RIFLES, MILITARY. The term "smallarms" ordnance includes military weapons carried by the soldier, and is opposed to heavy ordnance, as cannon, etc. The term is also opposed to machine guns, as the Gatling, Maxim, etc. These latter fire a rapid succession of bullets from a stand or carriage, and are by some called "secondary batteries." Up to September, 1854, smooth-bore muzzle-loading muskets had always been used in battles where small firearms were employed. The first battle after the introduction of rifles was the Alma. There the British troops, under Lord Raglan, were, with the exception of the fourth division, armed with rifles; the French had certain picked corps so armed: the Russians had very few rifles. The Russian loss in three hours was 5,700 men, or nearly one fifth of their entire force, which was about double that of their opponents. Since the Crimean

War, columns have never been actually opposed to lines. Columns can not exist under modern infantry fire, and it is infantry fire that decides the issue.

In 1858 George W. Morse, of Lowell, Mass., sent to England, for trial by the English military service, the first primed, flanged, expansive metallic cartridge ever invented. It was intended to be used in breech-loading small-arms. Morse's invention was tested at Hythe, in September of that year, and the following is an extract from the report of the British officers who condemned the primed cartridge: "The introduction of fulminating powders into cartridges is a dangerous element in their construction, and, for military service, an insuperable objection. The manufacture, the packing, and carriage become alike dangerous, and these alone, the committee concludes, are sufficient reasons for condemning the

ridicule. When Abraham Lincoln became President of the United States (1860) it was the only breech-loader in the hands of troops of any foreign nation. In 1861 the smooth-bore musket and spherical ball had been superseded by the muzzle-loading rifle and the elongated ball. The principle of the rifle was not well enough understood to lead to the general adoption of any particular form of the arm as the best. There was much variety.

Credit is due to the United States as the birthplace of a successful breech-loading system. When the civil war began, the infantry of the United States army had just changed its muzzleloading rifle. In 1860 the Maynard primer rifle was changed to the percussion cap, despite the protest of Gen. Winfield Scott, and the Springfield rifle, muzzle-loading, was adopted instead. As late as December, 1861, our Chief of Ord

employment of cartridges with caps attached." Col. Hope, military attaché of the British legation at Washington, dissented. There is not now a military firearm in the world, except revolvers, in use in any army in which the combination is not used. The Morse combination made the breech-loading system possible. In 1841, in Prussia, some Dreyse breech-loading needle-guns, paper cartridge, were adopted. This has been termed the original of the modern military rifle, but its existence did not disturb the equanimity of nations using muzzle-loaders. The needlegun was criticised because it permitted the escape of gas at the breech, and because it was possible for a soldier to waste his ammunition; the latter especially was looked upon as a fatal defect. For more than twenty-two years the soundness of the criticisms of the Dreyse needle-gun was scarcely questioned. The faults of the arm were apparent, and the weapon was the subject of

nance condemned the Spencer and the Henry system because these breech-loaders required a special kind of ammunition which had the fulminate, or priming, in the cartridge itself. Gen. James Ripley also said, substantially, that," Considering the rapidity of discharge attainable from all breech-loaders, and the inconvenience from the additional weight of the additional cartridges in the ordinary use of a magazine gun, but little advantage could be derived from any repeater."

Despite the obstructive policy mentioned, Americans concentrated their minds upon improvements in implements of war, and demonstrated the superority of their inventive capacities and manufactures. After the "Trent" affair, Nov. 8, 1861, Queen Victoria issued a proclamation prohibiting the further exportation of ordnance and ordnance stores from England. Although the order suspending the delivery of