Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-05-26

To Us there is more serious objection to
Mr.. Estey than simply the fsct-if it is 9
fact-that he is illiterate. We are informed
on authority that we do not question, that
Mr.. Estey is ''run'' by Mr.. Davenport, as
inscriptions demagogue as there is in
the Democratic party Of Vermont. To elect
MIR. Estey, is virtually To make Z. N. Da-
venp0rt G0vernOr-a thing that the Re
publicans of this State do not want to do.
A week. time does not change the aspect
OF the Governor question to our view. 1t
is evident Windbsm county cannot com bine
on suitable man for the place. and the
convention will not do better than to re-
nominate Gov. Peck-an unexceptIonable
manor put at the head of the ticket Hon.
L. p. Walton, of Montpelier II Gale ionidn.
We should be entirely suited with either
solution of the Governor problem. A return
to the good old practice of giving every
| worthy Governor a re-elec ton. would save
half the trouble of selecting Governors, and
would be gratifying evidence Of a return
of the people to reason, on the question Of
one or two terms. Mr. Walton. as we early
said, has every needed qualifcation-th
highest personal integrity the most in
innate fam iliarity with public affairs in
Vermont the warmest devotion to the in
terests of the State high ability; long ex-
perience well-deserved reputation a
clear and sound head and kind heart. lie
would be sure. it chosen Governor, to mark
his term Of office by some especially high
and worthy service of deed orwori to his
native State.
The selfSeeking" War on the Agricultural
College,.
The following remarks, which form part
Of an editorial essay on SelESeeking" in
the last number of the Vermont Farmer,
have an obvious reference to some recent
attacks on the management of our State
University and Agricultural College:
These Bedouins are aiming to pull down
many existing institutions and build better
ones of their own. Wholly unaequainted
with either the spirit or the scope of col
legiate course of instruction. they combine
into clique OF agltatOrs sowing dissatls-
faction according TO their individual influ-
ence-which. happily in some eases, has I'M
dergone almost total eclipse-and plying
tions designed tor wholly different and alto
gether worthler purposes. They also make
a cats paw OF politics, bearing pretty much
the same relation to the educational inter
ests of the State that the conspiracy OF Gaia
line did to ancient Rome. You will find
that In nearly every case these men are dis
affected and unappreciated aspirants for
POSITIONS class OF literary gypsies who
would ialn abduct some of our best instr
tutions and remodel them according to their
own homespun and pigmy ideas But
while these self-seeking Adventures are la
boring IN their way TO awaken prejudice
among the farmers against the present
state of affairs, the farmers themselves are
altogether too well informed to be duped or
deceived by them.
Let US not be misunderstood It is not
for the farmers nor for the farmers children
that these reformers are labOring what
they seek is the qualification of some per-
sonal Jealousy and selt-aggrandizement.
But there Is no man in this State. who is
a man, that docs not desire TO see his son or
sons literally educated. The idea OF far
mers' school away from railroads, off in
some corner. conducted after the manner
suggested now and then by these agitators,
is, to say 1t mildly, simply nOnscnsicsl. 1t
Of to construct man, our present lnstitu-
tons OF learning are better adapted than
ever to educate that SON. Once teach d
young man how to think and show him the
bOundlessuess of knSwledge, and more has
been done Tor him than a thousand agrleul-
tural schools could supply Education Is
not the mere accumulation of facts nor the |
mastery OF specially. Ii has larger |
meaning, embracing this culture OF the |
whole man, and not being confined to the |
acquisitions OF a few recipes by which to
Win the necessities Of lie. Any Influence |
that tends to dwarf or render unpopular
the idea that education signifies anything |
less than the full development Of every
talent. l. pernicIOus in the extreme.
1t Is a well-known fact that no Young man
OF the State, proposing scientific agrieul |
ture as vocation, has yet availed himself
OF the facilities already at hand in this
State. Let one candidate, AZ least, make
the trial before cOndemning at the instance
OF mere demagogue- whose rfhce Is TO throw
tirebrands and sow dissatisfaction. II fur
ther eyid, ne is asked by the farmers to
show with what spirit these agitatOrs are
aud what their real designs are,
it can be produced.