The Bennington daily banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1877-1877, 1877-08-20
The Art of Celebrating.

The Springfield Republican editorial upon
our centennial celebration is as follows:
THE Bennington celebration has passed
off with great eclat this week. It was q
grand affair. Vermont has never seen any
thing like it. and may not again for hun
dred years to come. She has not for more
than half q century had President of the
United States in her borders on fete Occa-
sion General Grant must have touched the
State in his much travelling, if not crossed it,
but the labt occasion we recall of Presiden-
tial pomp was on Monroe's famous tour,
about 1890, when the new capital town of
Montpelier boosted of but a single carpet to
grace the mansion that sheltered the nation
al executive. The State militia before the
last war had been utterly abandoned, The
military tastes inspired by that struggle, the
exingencies of centennial Domp, and not lit
tie the 'camaraderie' of soldier politics have
cOnspired to support qnite body of Prmed
and disciplined militia. When there is COM
bined with the sober gray and blue of these
companies the troops of display, with elegant
appointments of more or less historic design,
the sensuous spectacle becomes brilliant in
may go further and commend highly the
more permanent features of the celebration.
and the deep popular spirit of patriotism and
historic pride which has been evoked.
IF we were pushed, however, to the conclu-
sion that these thousands of people had high
ly enjoyed the occasion, we should have TO
make some large observations. A crowd of
even 5000 people pretty thoroughly breaks
down the lodging and feeding capacity of a
town Of the size, wealth and historical assO-
Citations Of Bennington, The managers of
this celebration very happily put the militia
and large attendance Of loosely organized
veterans into camp In large field, thus not
only making so much fewer 70 shelter under
roof, but simplifying the ration question and
very deity solving the question of public or
der by closing the saloons under military
care This scheme was the happiest feature
of the organization of the festival The null
titude outside of it have shifted for them
selves, and met with shifts of the native pub,
lie; hosts had comparatively little organ
ical bringing together, and the result was
that food and lodgings were more difficult to
NbbdAh ~ yuan lLb llOSI
crowded season Of the Philadelphia centen-
NAL, and cost more for the same quality.
There was lack of careful attention to de-
tails oil the public accommodation. The re-
sponsible managers neglected many matters
till too late in the day to settle them, al
though the exertions Of the men with whom
the public came most in contact were indie
fatigable. We distribute no blame, and
speak Of tins failure as likely to be a conspic,
Gus shortcoming public celebration until
they are organized more seasOpably and
completely, 1t is too much the American
habit to leave everything to the last min
ute there is a chance tn make aud repair
in a six months celebrations. but an affair Of
a day, or a week, gives short shift for exper.
mentinR.
Popular tastes being as they are, it were
vain to quarrel with the present wearing
model Of fcelebratiOns.' especially as the IA
tigue is involved in the very fact of crowd
aud Of the general participation of tbe pub
lie, but 1t is to be. hoped that one hundred
years from now Bennington will celebrate
the glories Of Stark and Warner with even
more success and increasing pride.