Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-04-19

| 10 the Editor OF the Free Press and Times.
The Democracy now have control of the
House. partial control OF the Senate, and
are well entertained at the White House.
And. the indica; ions are that in two years
they will have numerical majority in the
Senate; yet, the reaction of sentiment will !,
il properly managed. give the Republicans
q small majority in the next House. Hence
the utmost Importance attaches to the Sc
lection of candidates for the next Congress.
and Republicans should see to it that such
men are put in nomination as will impsrt
the most weight to their side in the hotly-
to-be-contested fight for control of the next
House.
The Third district should bear these
things in mind when casting about for a
successor to Gov. nendee. We may not be
'swimin river" exactly, stil We should
be pretty careful how we "swap bosses"
just at this particular time. OF course, it
is for the people to say whether there is to
be a change, and if they think it is best.
there are many men Of ability who would
make good Representatives. There is Gen
eral Grout, an earnest. industrious man.
with some experience in our State Legisla-
ture. There, TOO, are General Barstow and
Mr.. Ladd. with reasons that may be urged
in their favor. Also, Hon. f. A. Sowles,
and others that might be named. from all
of whom the people can choose And
it may be that the people may think
best to take one OF their own men, so to
speak. a practical. honest. business man
a man of the people. Perhaps it is not in
dispensab!e that q man must be lawyer or
a professional wire-puller in order to be fit
for Representative to Congress. If that is
so, then Do better man can be found than
the Hon. John l.. Mason. He has always
exhibited a Straightforward efficiency in
places OF public trust. Right here We should
remember that the greatest lawmakers are
not those who print the most buncombe at
Government expense. 1t Is not those who
are always crying 'Mr. Speaker" that do
the real work OF the Legislative department.
As in the building of Solomon S temple, the
principal part Of the labor was performed in
the forests VIII ere tho timber was felled and
prepared, and in the quarries where the
stones were squared and numbered, so it is
in law making; the greater part of the
work is done in the committee room, and in
the research and study preparatory thereto.
although thtrs is often mere noise on the
floors of Congress than was heard at Jeru
salem when the temple was set up without
the sound Of axe, hammer, or any tool of
iron"
Perhaps We need still more work in these
metaphoricsl forests and quarries of inves-
10 nd a m m ri n ~
and babbline in legislative halls. The mem
Der of Parliament, who was the author of
the present financial system Of the civilized
world, and who prepared the act that
founded tho Bank of Englsnd and made his
system the law of Great Britain. never made
a speech in his life. So it is now at WASH
ington. There is Senator Hamlin, whose
voice is rarely heard on the door, yet he ex-
erts such power that the State of Maine
would never think of putting q new man in
his place.
Gov. Hendee has been hard working |
man in tie committee room, and although |
a ready speaker he has taken no pains to |
thrust his name into the Congressional Rec |
ord to make a show. And now, taking in |
to consideration the peculiar circumstances |
before mentioned, has the district q man |
who can be as serviceable to the district. |
the State. the country at large as well as
the Republican party, As can Mr. Hendee?
Craftsmanship Is science which can be |
learned only by experience. and there is
nowhere such q school as the legislative
branch of our Government. We can see |
that those States have always had the
greatest influence in shaping legislation
that send their best men to Washington
and keep them there until they grow to the
front. Gov. Hendee has had six years ex-
perience in body where every man must
spend two to four years before he becomes
familiar with the law making power. The
importance Of this is apt to be underesti-
mated by the people at home. Mr.. Hendee
has the confidence Of both sides Of the
House, and has become the controlling ele-
ment OF q committee organized politically
against him. lie is the founder Of the
present system adopted bv tue committee
for the District Of Columbia. aud is the
author and leading supporter ct the bill for
q new system OF government for tho Dis
tricf, now before Congress. Now when we
note that the District of Columbia contains
more than haf the number OF inhabitants,
and twice the amount OF property there is in
the State Of Vermont, we shall see that the
District committees If Congress have more
labor to perform than the Legislature II
Vermont. Then again, he has recently
come into prominence as successful de-
batter. In his bout with Ben. Butler the
invinc,ble, and Blackburn the Kentucky
orator, Mr.. Hendee made his points.
carried the House with applause
and vaLquished his opponents in both
These things have given Mr..
Hcndee a position at Washington. decided
ly complimentary to Vermont, one which
it would take any new man years to &C.
quire, aud one which his constituents and
bis party cannot afford to lose just at this
particular time, especially as the ques
ton as to how many members We are to
have i, 30 soon to come up. We shall here
after have but two members from Vermont,
i we are not car, full. Yours, Y.