The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-06-20
Mihhlsburp Resistsl
FRIDAY. JUNE 90, 1879.
~Tbe Otter Greek News man has a

of Hon. Joseph Battell.
There Is in II a good deal of whole
souled and extremely gentlemanly per-
sonal notice of the editor of the Regis
ter, "idiot' being the mildest term he
has to bestow on that unfortunate being.
We hope, however, that we have
friends who will be pleased to learn that
we have survived. There are some Pc
culiarities about the mind of our alice
Tomato editorial brother which shine
brightly In his personal" among
which are his able acquaintance with
that part of the English language which
weaker intellects than his reject as in
consistent with purity and decency of
expression; his heroic and praisewor-
thy stand, alone and unaided, against
all the rest of mankind in holding
that the Otter Greek News and its
editor are important and desirable
institutions in the section which he
"represents;" and his honest convic-
ton that lie told in the Otter Greek
News is rather more authentic and
credible than the truth would be. We
regret that the radical differences be-
between the Register and the News in
these and some other respects impel us
to amend some of the statements III this
"personar' referred to according to the
Register standard. The News explains
that s'last fall it discussed Mr.. Battell
as man to mako laws for Vermont"
while in late issue it "mentioned him
in the character of public benefactor
as citizen of Middlebury." We see
the point, and can now admire the nice
discrimination which knows that to Mr..
Battell as "man to make laws for Yer
mont" the only proper terms to apply
are "numbskull," "idiot," corruption
ist," "fool," and other delicate phrases
such as naturally occur to q vivid and
Alphabetically stimulated imagination
like that of our brother when his inter-
ested conscience tells him to oppose any
one; while to the same man in the ca
pacity of "public benefactor"-in this
case euphemism for "possible patron
ofthe News"--a column or two of dou-
ble-distilled panegyric is not too much.
To ordinary men it would seem as if
such public benefactor, such splen-
did business man, a man of such large
views as the News man in his difficult
search for subscribers finds him to be,
ought at least to be spoken of with Or
binary civility when nominated for Of
tice by his fellow citizens-some might
even feel as if the laws of Vermont
would not suffer very seriously if he
took small share in voiing upon them.
But the News man is not an ordinary
man, and last fall he was trying to get
subscribers in Shoreham, and credited
the natives Of that fine town with SINH
lar ideas to his own as TO how an OBJ
jectionable candidate should be treated
even if he was public benefactor of
kind that Vermont should have more
Of. The News asks if 1t would not have
looked quite as we'll for us to have taken
the job of making "honorable mention
of Mr.. Battell instead of trying to "cast
reflection upon the Otter Greek News,
paper devoted" etc., etc. Well there
Is room for q little difference of opinion
as to whether it is the province of
journalism to be continually making
honorable mention" of men merely
because they are wealthy and success
full. We believe the Register has al.
ways given Mr.. Battell and all other
Addison county men who have done
any work that benefits the public, the
credit due them. 1t is true that the
Register, unlike the News, does not be-
slobber the objects ofits commendation
and does not clay it on" with dis
gusting thickness. 1t is good thing to
praise man who deserves it, but to
make business of toadying everybody
unfortunately, writing up columns
of clOying Weetness about farmers and
their dOings, in order to create a ground
for begging them to subscribe for our
paper, is thing we never do. Itmay
be exceedingly presumptuous for us to
offer suggestions to the News man, but
the fact is, that the humble agriculture
lists who have been astOnished at the
pile of pufiery which he can lay upon
them, value the same at very CHEAP
rate because it is so common and to be
obtained 30 easily. The News goes Oh
to say that "Mr. Battell paid for what
notices the Register gave him last fall
and It looks to us as though the Regis
ter was waiting for him to pay before
they give him true and just notice oil
what he has done as a private citizen"
1t is beautiful to see with what unctu
GUS ease our friend can insult a "publit
beDefactor," whom IL so admires. 1t il
overpoweriDg to reflect that the News
wishes "Vermont had more such mem
who have the little habit OF scattering
their money around in order TO ge
their horns blown. 1t seems TO be
another popularity of the News man t.
admire that kind of men. lie woult
no doubt worship them, and lick th,
very dust from their feet if only the,
would pay him for putting them. Blu
our brother is mistaken in supposins
that we ever meant to hint that Mr.
Battell hired his toadying powers whci
we said that CHS present toadyism il
for purpose" Mr.. Battell doubtless
appreciates the News mans pufis a
their true value, and is too good bus
mess man to give cent for them. w,
simply meant that the News mans eff
forts to "notice," like all his othe
notices." was intended to be used sim
ply as basis on which to beg for pat
ronage.
Perhaps 1t may not be out of plac,
for us to say, In view of the direc
charges of the News man, that Mr.
Battell never in any way, shape or man
ner inspired any of the articles in thu
Register last fall defending him from
the insulting attacks of the News man
or any other articles ever written il
his favor, never said word indicating
any desire for such defense, never sale
9 word indicating that he attached tn,
least consequence TO what was pub
ltaA.l l.