Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-06-26
From the Brattleboro Phoenix.
Congressman.


Congressman
We observe in several newspapers,
city as we'll as country, the rather obtru
sive announcement that Col. John b.
Mead, of Randolph, is to be Judge Po-
lands chief. and probably successful COM
petitor for Congressional honors in this
district. Somebody is evidently taking
time by the the forelock, as well as con-
siderable trouble, to educate the public
into this belief; and if iteration and re-
iteration will produce conviction, the
effort may be rewarded with success.
But while Col. Mead is very respecta-
BILE gentleman, no doubt, with COM
mendable ambition to rise in the world,
so far as has yet appeared to the public
he is hardly man of sufficient calibre
to assume, without dispute, the broad
mantle of the late Judge Steele, or to
contend successfully, on his own merits,
with a full grown man like Judge Po-
land. Besides, when the time comes to
select new man for the place now so
ably filled by Judge Poland, whether it
be this year or some time in the future,
Windham county ought to have, and
probably will have, something to say on
the subject. Having had no Congress
man since Hon. William Henry, of Bel
lows Falls, represented the old district
composed of Windham, Bennington and
Rutland counties, quarter of century
ago, but local claims cannot be gain
sayed and nothing but the confessedly
superior qualifications of candidates pre-
sented by other portions of the dis
trict would afford any justification for
ignoring these claims. Our alliance
with the present district has been useful
to others, rather than beneficial to our
selves. 1t will hardly be pretended, we
presume, that Windham county cannot
furnish a man whose qualifications in all
respects will compare favorably, at the
least, with those OF any new candidates
named, or likely to be named. When
the time for action arrives, therefore, we
hope and predict that this county will
atnitedly present suitable man, and
that, when SO presented, the whole dis
trict will cheerfully acknowledge our in
disputable claims. Judge Poland's sue
cessor, whenever chosen, should be a
| Windham county man and he may be
| if we so will it, Republicans of old
Windham, we earnestly ask you to think
this matter over carefully and coolly.
| If, through local and personal jealousy
and rivalry, we repeat the criminal folly
of which we have not been guiltless
heretofore, and 90 into the convention
with divided forces, we shall deserve the
defeat that will surely await us, and am
ply justify the slight esteem in which we
seem to be held by the other counties
composing the district. The people of
Windham county should promptly take
this matter in hand, and sternly frown
down all selfmade candidates, with in
lated pretensions and puny merits, and
concentrate their entire strength and
support upon some trustworthy man,
possessing character, stability and brains
NOT because he wants the place, but
because the place wants him-and so put
themselves in position to merit and
achieve success. But if they are too in
different or too weak to do this, and do
it in dead earnest, to; resolutely ignor-
ing all personal and local considerations
the more quietly and hastily this coun-
ty drops out of the contest the better.
We shall neither have, nor deserve to
have any appreciable influence in the
final decision.