Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-03-27
For the Age.
Spirit of tho Age.

Democratic camps to prepare for the
presidential campaign OF that year,
it was resolved by some of the faith
full to start democratic paper in
Woodstock. Ten years previous
similar plans had been made and pro-
posals issued for publishing in this
village Jackson paper, with the title
of "Ihe Horn of the Green Noun
tains." But just then the Woodstock
Observer, hitherto an Adams paper,
suddenly changed front and wheeled
into the democratic ranks, obliging
Purdy to retire with the "Horn" to
Manchester. Three years after this
change the Observer fell through, and
political anti-Masonry, now prevailing
in the State, all further thought of
establishing a democratic paper in
Woodstock was laid aside for the
present. But at length the times
seemed opportrne for carrying into
effect this long meditated plan. I'm
der the cry of "Smilie and Bank Re
form the party at the election in
1889 had made fearful ravages in the
Wing ranks. and it seemed as though
there needed but one more vigorous
effort for the Democracy to carry the
State. One Of the surest steps to gain
this end, good Democrats said, was to
90 for the Gibraltar of Whiggery.
On the 31st of March, 1910, G. G.
Eastman, Gilbert A. Grant, Titus
Hutchinson, Jr., and e. L. Sabin,
bought the store building on the north
side of the Common, standing be-
tween the brick school-house and
Russell Streeter's, and converted it
into a printing office. Eastman was
to be the editor. He had proved his
fitness for the place by the way he had
conducted for the last two years the
Vermont State Puper, printed in
johnson. Especially, his zeal as
partisan and the keenness of his pen
no one could doubt who had read
Tile Scorpion, q campaign sheet is
sued by him in the Summer of 1889,
and famous at the time for the relent-
less manner in which it pursued the
Wings. With an ambitious mind
thus backed by considerable expert
ence, and with the democratic blood
in his veins, braced TO the highest
pitch by long breathing the atmos-
phere Of "Spunky Lamoille," Eastman
was prepared to enter upon broader
field Of labors and higher plain of
duties as manager of the democratic
organ of Windsor County. He was
the best man in the State the party
could furnish for that position. Yet,
with all his qualifications for it, there
was one drawback to complete sue
cess. He intended indeed to live by
his paper, and to conduct that with
care and skill he made his primary
object. But while the first thought
was given to the business of earning
bread as editor Of a party journal, the
mans heart was elsewhere. The truth
is, Eastman hated politics. Necessity
might compel him to assist in direct
ing the machinery Of party tactics, to
attend the caucus and the primary
meetings, to wade through the trash
of partisan writer's, and if he desired
to lampoon his adversaries, even files
of old newspapers were eagerly studied
for material to that end. But from
such barren wastes he made all pos
sible haste to get away, that he might
betabe himself to the more congenial
walks of literature and refresh his
spirit 1T the fountain Of the Muses.
No one could have any doubts as to
his true character and tastes in this
respect, who observed him carefully
during the first year of his stay in
Woodstock. His Byron collar and
trim aspect, his pleasant smile or
hearty laugh as the occasion happen
ed to call forth, his ready response if
you passed him a joke Or quoted a
line from Coleridge, traits like these
indicated genial spirit in the man
and a culture of mind and nobility
of spirit strangely at variance with the
fierce and cruel nature of many Of his
political efforts.
On the 9Th day of May, 1910, after
long and painful delays, not unattend-
ed with mocks and jeering inquiries
from watchful enemy, appeased the
first number of the SPIRIT OF THE
AGE. Of this first number the chief
characteristic was a carefully written
Salutatory, covering the whole Of one
page, and closing with the declaration
that the editor would not be wanting
on his part ''to carry out what is en-
phatically the spirit Of the age
FREEDOM OF INQUIRY AND THE Power
OF TIE PEOPLE. "EHe did, indeed,
prove himself not wanting in skillful
and vigorous efforts to produce live
ly democratic organ, and his friends
called the AGE the best paper in the
State. But so far as concerned max
ing gains to the Democracy from the
ranks of his opponents, Eastman had
fallen on Evil Times. The tide of
Wing victory had set in, and it was
not to be turned back by ridiculing
"Hard Cider and Log Cabins" Or by
pouring out the walls of editorial wrath
at sight of the general delusion. But
he did his duty manfully through the
campaign, and when the returns for
the September election in this State
began to come in, making clear that