Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-08-23
AN & STATE JOURNAL, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST %, 1882
Press Comments.

ISLAND POM HERALD: "Why does Brother
Camp Ne,Cport EJpressl exhibit 80 much half
smothered dissatisfaction with the regular repub-
lican nominations, including state, district and
county nominees2 Have the legitimate results Of
conventions conducted with unquestioned regu-
larity, become odiOus and contemptible2 Is the
old adage that misery loves company the ex-
preston OF virtue, or an allusiop TO morbid
condition Of the mind?'
BRATTLFBoRo REFoRMER: "The efficacy Of
the law depends very largely on the public senti-
ment with which 1t il supported. Let Its viola
tons once begin to be tolerated, and IL will in
few years become absolutely dead letter. An
effort will certainly be made In the coming legs-
lature to emascuate II instead of strengthening II
and enlarging It's scope with amendments as hon
est citizenship requires What folly then to send
mtn to the legislature who have disobeyed the
law, been doubled and are dissatisfied"
BURLINGTON CLIPPER. "There are many
towns In this state who advertise mortgages and
shiftlessness by leaving their roads almost i'm
passable. The strangers passing through town
where the roads fences and buildings are kept
up, Mt once says to himself this is thrift, here is
prosperity; but when he trembles, believing his
life In danger ut every step OF his team, he at
once realizes that he has hit a lazy town. and the
quicker he gets out the better he feels II there
can be tax law or something like It, that will
bring these indolent towns TO time, let ii be done,
and effectually done"
CORRESPONDENT of the Rutland Herald
writes " No doubt the tax law will remain on
the. statute book, and the next legislature will
perfect II; but Mr. Editor. M you have said, yio-
lators Of the law should not be sent TO Montpelier
to tinker with this law or any other Now, when
you advise the republicans of Addison and BEN
nington counties to bolt a tax-dodger, we say
amen and your readers in Windsor county say
amen. Orange county took the initiative in this
matter, and Windsor county followed by dropping
one OF her assistant judges Of the county court,
very worthy, respectable gentleman, esteemed
by all but he failed to make out an inventory of
his DrOupTtV for taxation and the convention
dropped him. We trust you will further press
this matter upon the attention OF the voters, and
let no guilty man escape nor go to Montpelier
as representative Ofthe people"
A CORRESPONDENT writes in the Bradford Opin-
ion " On nearly all the bridges (ess than eight
feet SPAN plank are weak or broken, hills a I
quilted, stones are left where the frost heav{~
them out in the spring or are washed loose by
rains, trees blown across the roads, and rail-
ings are missing. Highway surveyors know moth
ing OF the condition of the roads, and care less.
There can be but one reason for such neglect,
towns are not liable and are careless whether the
surveyors do their duty or not. The only reason
given for the repeal of the old law was that some
towns had been made to suffer by false claims
brought by dishonest parties. It would be just
as good reasoning to close our church doors set
fire to our institutions of learning because some
few are still wicked and uneducated. Taxation
implies protection, but we are taxed to keep the
road In repair and are not protected. The princi-
pie OF the law Is wrong, and the effect Is plainly
setH luOst WHO travel, OF our
highways. 1t is hoped that this matter may be
agitated, and the present wrong righted at the
coming session"
RUTLAND HERALD; Concerning the vexed
question of annual rs biennial sessions, an intel
ligent correspondent from Wells writes us as
follows: Does the public good OF this small ag-
ricutural state require that we should establish
an annual training school $50 to speak, at Mont
pelier in order that we may have more able and
experienced legislature| We are inclined to be-
hnt fba ho t,ntn
step in reform II the people would always choose
the best, no matter II the best had already repre-
scented his town in dozen successive legislatures;
that Is, II the custom of seldom re-electng good
representative, which has obtained such general
approval since the change from annual to bien-
NAL sessions, would be unceremOniously dis
regarded by the people, the biennial session
would give us good practical results as well as
theoretical advantages. We share our cores
pondents contempt for the training school ar
gument for annual sessions; II the people in the
small towns will consent to drop the practice of
rotation in office biennial sessions will show
good results, and until the people do resume the
practice of sending their best men, no matter how
often they have been elected to the legislature,
the biennial session will be barren of its best pos
sible benefits-wil be practically inferior to the
old system. The people can make the biennial
session reform and real blessing instead OF a
public bane, as at present"
BosToN ADVERTISER: ave are somewhat at
loss to understand the object of the SPY and
other papers in their attitude toward journals
which conscientiously believe that the BILL in
spite OF Senator Hoar's defence was bad meas
ure, but which, nevertheless, refuse to withdraw
their confidence from the senator because OF his
vote Do they wish for discussion? Do they
really desire that the details Of the billits provi
sion for improving the channel to Nantasket so that
the pleasure steamboats, land nothing ese) can
run there, and its appropriation for Skagit and
other rivers for logging purposes-be examined?
Must those who knew what the bill was when
md hn nInt lnlt1 81.
confess that they were mistaken; or must they
admit, as the Boston journal does, that they
based very violent Trades against the bill upon
hearsay and knew nothing about the matter at
all? II Mr.. Hoars special friends and his home
organ insist upon continuing a controversy upon
the merits Of the bill, they, and not those who
do not agree with them, will be answerable for
results. 1t will not be our fault II some OF the
indiscreet friends OF Mr.. Hoar, forcing us to
make good our points against the bill, keep alive
controversy which may operate to his injury"