The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-18
Vermont Centennials.

There are some good suggestions in the
following, from the Montpelier Freeman :.
We cannot mourn bic ,use the state has
not made an appropriations for the Phila-
delphia Centennial. Vermont's wealth of
aoobr and herds would have ~ proper
place in the great show, Her manufac-
lures are few, and such excellence has been
attained in them III nearly all cases that
they have brought reward and placed their
owners in positiOB, where il they choose
to exhibit, they need not ask the aid of
the public purse. The manufacturers of
Fairbanks scales, of Howe's scales, of the
Estey organ, of the Lane mills, can 20 to
Philadelphia the same way that Vermont
had to act for years after the Declaration
Of tlndependence--ou their own hook and
it they do, there is no more danger of dis
grace to the state than there was that the
actors at Ticonderoga and Bennington
would make poor history.
There is a duty, however, which Yer
monters owe to their state and themselves,
and that is, not only to 20 on doing their
daily work, but 10 celebrate duly the es-
tablishment Of the little republic, which
from 1877 to 1901 was nation of itself,
though as loyal to the American Union as
that Union would permit it to be-
This should be done in at least two ways.
The events that marked the progress of our
state toward becoming an independent gov
eminent should be commemoraied in the
localities where they occurred, and we
know OF no better way than to have the
executive committee of the Vermont histor-
ical society make arrangements for such
gatherings
The battle of Bennington will, no doubt,
be the central figure of Vermont cclebra-
tons. This should be provided for by the
state Itself, in connection with the soldiers
reunion, which is to be held there year
from next August. Before that celebration,
however. should come others, less general
but leading up 10 it. Especially should the
historical society see to it that the ami
yersalies of the meetings of the various
conventions are observed. If there is to be
winter meeting of the society, how could
It be better managed than to take the hun
dredth anniversary of the time when the
first Dorset convention, January 16, 1776,
said that they would do all they could in
the war,bu asked to be called out as sin
hahitanls of the New Hampshire grants"
aud not as New Workers.
The various meetings of the convention
which met at Dorset, July "a, 1916, and
which the following winter declared the
Grants independent, are events whose hun
dredth anniversary would afford excellent
opportunity for exercises that would excite
in the people an interest in our early his
tory, and Il care for its preservation. The
adoption of the constitution the first DAYS
of July, lit, should be commemorate at
Windsor, by worthy centennial gather
ing. This the historical society should
have the management of, and it would be
an excellent stepping stOne to the Benning-
ton celebration, which will follow six
weeks after, and which, as has been said.
the state should make provision for.
But besides the duty of honoring the
fathers by these gatherings, there Is the
further one of having some care and some
intelligence about relics of the past that
may throw light on the early history of the
state. Many an old Vermont hook, pam
phlet or bundle of newspapers has gone
into the waste paper bundles that would
now be of great value. There are still
many old things of this kind that would he
just In place in the collections of the his
torical society, If their owners would take
the thought to send them.
The rooms of the society have been
fitted up in such way as to enable the
librarian 10 put all rare and curious docu-
ments where the public can see them, and
we hope that during the next year those
who have things worthy of place In the
collections of the society will put them
where they will do most good