since 1890, as has also been the case with the silk
and silk goods industry. Next in importance to the
textiles are jewelry and silverware. The State
ranks first in each of these and second in the
reducing and refining of gold and silver not from
the ore. These industries are almost wholly
concentrated in Providence. They began here
prior to the Revolution, but the prominence of
the city in this respect dates from about 1894,
when improved machinery was applied. All three
of these industries made large gains in the
decade 1890-1900. The foundry and machine-shop
industry mainly turns out engines and boilers,
for which the State has an established reputation.
The manufacture of rubber boots and shoes
(not included in the appended table) amounted
in 1900 to $8,034,417 in value, and the
manufacture of electrical apparatus reached $5,113,292
in the same year.
The following table shows the relative importance
of most of the leading industries:
INDUSTRIES
Year
Number of establishments
Average number wage-earners
Value of products, including custom work and repairing
Total for selected industries for State
1900
614
66,381
$116,440,265
1890
514
60,084
90,433,113
Increase, 1890 to 1900
......
100
6,297
26,007,152
Per cent. of increase
......
19.5
10.5
28.8
Per cent. of total of all industries in State
1900
14.7
68.8
63.3
1890
15.2
74.1
63.5
Foundry and machine shop products
1900
149
8,799
$13,269,086
1890
101
6,876
10,170,286
Gold and silver, reducing and refining,
not from the ore
1900
10
70
3,484,454
1890
10
70
1,419,653
Jewelry
1900
214
4,877
13,320,620
1890
179
4,092
8,011,067
Liquors, malt
1900
6
296
1,880,171
1890
3
82
436,846
Rubber and elastic goods
1900
9
1,039
2,518,268
1890
4
438
629,000
Silverware
1900
8
1,540
3,834,408
1890
4
969
2,509,869
Textiles—total
1900
218
49,760
78,133,258
1890
213
47,557
68,355,207
Cotton goods
(including cotton small-wares)
1900
87
24,032
26,435,675
1890
94
24,576
27,310,499
Dyeing and finishing textiles
1900
24
5,942
8,484,878
1890
22
3,619
4,743,561
Hosiery and knit goods
1900
15
1,594
2,713,850
1890
16
1,504
2,516,664
Shoddy
1900
9
131
515,643
1890
10
132
1,350,792
Silk and silk goods
1900
6
455
1,311,333
1890
3
186
229,062
Woolen goods
1900
26
2,710
5,330,550
1890
40
5,912
9,884,945
Worsted goods
1900
51
14,896
33,341,329
1890
28
11,628
22,319,684
Transportation and Commerce. The railroad
mileage increased from 108 in 1860 to 217 miles
in 1890 and decreased to 209 in 1900. All the
important lines are under the control of the New
York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. The
value of foreign imports at the port of Providence
for the year ending June 30, 1901, was $1,146,511.
The exports are altogether insignificant. Of greater
importance is the coastwise traffic, there being a
considerable trade with the important North
Atlantic ports. Newport and Bristol and Warren
are also customs districts, but the trade of both
is small.
Banks. The first bank of Rhode Island was
the Providence Bank, founded in 1791. The early
banking history of the State, however, centres
around the Providence Institution for Savings,
which dates from 1819. It has been the tendency
during the past few years for the national banks
and savings institutions either to liquidate or
become trust companies. The report of the
Comptroller of the Currency for the year ending
June 30, 1902, gives the following statistics:
Government. The State Constitution was
adopted in 1842, replacing the original charter
granted by King Charles II. An amendment
proposed in the General Assembly must receive the
votes of a majority of all the members elected to
each House at two consecutively elected
Assemblies, and then be approved by three-fifths of
the electors present and voting in the town and
ward meetings.
Since 1888 a residence and home in the State
for two years and in the town or city for six
months preceding an election have been required
for voting, with a small additional property
qualification for those voting for the city council of
any city or upon any proposition to impose a tax
or for the expenditure of money in any town or
city. The capital of Rhode Island is Providence.
Legislative. According to the amendment of
1900, the General Assembly meets on the first
Tuesday of January in each year at Providence.
Each town or city has one representative in the
Senate, and one or more in the House of
Representatives, but no town or city can have more
than one-sixth of the 72 members to which the
House is limited, and no town or city can be
divided for purposes of representation. Senators
and Representatives are paid according to time
of actual attendance, with a maximum limit of
60 days, plus mileage. The House impeaches
and the Senate tries all cases of impeachment.
Executive. The Governor, Lieutenant-Governor,
Secretary, Attorney-General, and Treasurer
are annually elected at the same time and place
as are Senators and Representatives, namely, at
the town, ward, and district meetings, on the
Tuesday next after the first Monday in November.
They hold office one year. The Lieutenant-Governor
succeeds to the Governorship in case
of a vacancy, and in case of further vacancy the
position is filled by appointment by the General
Assembly acting in grand committee. The
pardoning power is exercised by the Governor with
the advice and consent of the Senate.
Judicial. The judicial power is vested in one
Supreme Court and such inferior courts as the
General Assembly may establish, the powers of
the several courts being prescribed by law.
Judges of the Supreme Court are elected by the
General Assembly in grand committee, and their
term of office continues until their positions are
declared vacant by a resolution of the General
Assembly.
