The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-07-04
Notes and Comments.

GENERAL BUTLER scored triumph at
Harvard last week, far more grateful to
the doughty governors heart than the
courtesy the overseers withheld. His
speech was in good taste, and he was
greeted at its close with an ovation such
as is rarely accorded to Fair Harvards "
favorite sons.
LANDMARKS: ave have range of
mountains that splits the state from north
to south through its entire length, and
the fiat of that range is that the nomina-
ton shall cross it every two years with
out regard to sense, fitness or justice. If
the east side has the honor one term the
west side must have it when the political
wheel revolves and vice versa. The same
with the lieutenant. What if
broken prairie Our brain fairly reels at
the sore distress in which the republican
party would have been placed in an ex-
tremity like that"
If the stories of the plantations in the
heart of Brazil are true, that empire is an
inviting field for abolitionists. 1t is told
that Indians in Bolivian territory, among
the tributaries of the upper Amazon, are
seized and sold for servitude in Brazil;
that families are broken up by kidnappers,
who openly carry off their victims in
droves and that this trade of man-steal-
ing thrives in some parts of South Amer
lea as it has done in Africa among the
negro race. 1t would be well, if the close
watch now kept on the slave trade in
some other parts of the world was ex-
tended to Brazil and Bolivia.
THE new high license laws in the West
differ widely. In Illinois all licenses
hereafter for the sale of spirits and wines
are to be granted upon the payment of
$500 a year, and for beer at $3.50. The
Nebraska law puts the fee in cities of
certain grade at $1,000, and at $500 for
all other places. The law of Iowa per-
mits towns to fix the amount, and there
is no uniform rule on the subject. In
some places it is as low as SIS, and in
others as high as $1,000, while there has
been large increase in the average
amount throughout the state, and con-
siderable reduction in the number of
liquor sellers.
A WESTERN correspondent, who says
that Robert T. Lincoln is Secretary Chan
dler's supposed candidate for the presi-
dency, writes of the former as follows
"Do you want to know his leading char
acteristics 1t is sturdy love of JUS
tice; the desire to know and to do that
which is right. This and plenty of COM
mon sense in forming judgments of the
course to be pursued make Robert Lin
coin an admirable administrator. To do
the very best things for the army and for
every officer and man in it, to maintain a
high order of efficiency and of personal
honor, and to protect the rights of the
people is his idea"
THE edict of the Chinese government
that the telegraph lines from Annoy to
Hoihon and from Shanghai to Woosung
shall be built by Chinese alone, is perhaps
another indication that the harvests
which some foreign contractors have
hoped to reap by the opening of the Ce-
lestal Empire to modern inventions may
be disappointing. While China is obliged
to buy many things, like war ships, out.
right, she begins to manufacture cannon
and ammunition for herself; and while
she may welcome foreign mechanics and
men of science to teach her how to dc
things, she apparently desires to have hel
: own people learn as much as possible Of
the way to do themselves.
The father of James Fenimore Cooper
, owned tract of land about Cooperstowr
. more than equaling the largest dukedom
had fallen heir to the title of Lord of the
r Manor. ain no way could he have made
himself more offensive to his townsmen,
says historian. "They had contempt
for any such pretensions, and his literary
, ability was as little appreciated by them
, From the year 1887 until his death, he wa,
involved in lawsuits. He began by de
r Tending point of land which they tool
for picnics upon the lake. They would
, have been made welcome to its use hao
D they asked for it; but as they claimed il
. by right, Cooper successfully appealed t.
3 the courts, and then took further venge
\ ance upon them by writing the move
3 Home as Found with no other apparent
r object than that Of making them appeal