davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-17
Farmers Meeting at Bradford.

The meeting Of the Board OF Agriculture for
Orange county was held at this place on the 18th
and 18th insts. at village hall. L. S. Celley OF
Fairlee was elected chairman. Ex-Governor Farm
ham gave an address OF welcome, saying he was
glad to welcome the same board here again.
Their report just published was q creditable re-
port, and all liked 1t. In fine, 1t was board OF
agriculture Of which Vermont was proud. While
they had done much the welcome was no more
for what they had done than for what they will
do, as he believed their mission not yet &C
complished. f. r. Towle then gave an address
upon the fertilization Of pastures, which was well
received and an interesting and profitable dis
cusson followed. II. A. Cutting then gave some
interesting results Of experiments which went to
show that judicious use of less amounts Of fer
tilizing materials was better than more used In a
hazardous manner by guess work
In the evening, Dr. Cutting, secretary OF the
of foreteing storms" This was fertile SUBJ
ject and held the audience closely to the end.
On Friday the meeting came to order at the
usual time and the chairman, L. o. Celey, gave
an interesting address on the :" Relation of agri-
culture to other industries" He thought the leg
stature should do more, and among their doings
should control railroad traffic. DR.. Cutting
made some remarks about railroad transporta-
ton, showing clearly that legislation about such
matters was usually, II not always, bad legisla-
tion. That the benefits which resulted from
railroads were always underestimated and he
would not advise inimcal legislation towards
them any more than towards farmers that
hold produce higher than their neighbors.
1t was their business, and II they did not
do right, competition would right 1t better
than law. Col. A. M. Dickey did not fully agree
with DR.. Cutting, but would admit that the legs-
tive power Of states too limited, but the con-
gress Of the United States might do something.
L. X. Towle gave a lecture on Winter care OF
stock" which was fully discussed.
In the afternoon Hon. J. o. Adams, secretary
OF the New Hampshire Board, was present and
took up the subject Of the forenoon and discussed
1t very fully. DR.. J. II. Jones then gave lecture
on Hygiene" which was in turn discussed. w.
H. Hills Of New Hampshire then gave a talk on
foul seeds, which was very instructive
In the evening II. G. Day OF Bradford gave an
address upon "Relations Of chemistry to agricul-
ture," which was followed by NJ. w. Davis OF
Westminster upon "Grass cultivation" The
attendance was good and the meetings very en-.
joyable
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-17
Not a School for GreenhOrns.

The New York Sun, under the above cap
ton, is very frank in its criticism upon the
new democratic governor. 1t says: Our
esteemed contemporary, the Evening Post,
seems to think that the Office of governor of
New York may be suitable school for an
inexperienced and uneducated young fellow
to learn the trade of statesman. Governor
Cleveland, it says, lacks familiarity with
public questions he is imperfectly in
formed; his ideas are crude and, if he
should undertake to offer specific advice to
the legislature, it would bs marked by the
emptiness and rawness of views crammed
for the OCCASION Yet his frankness and
modesty are entitled to respect, and his
ability to advise the legislature may be
shown hereafter. The Post is quite right
in the opinion that the governor may i'm.
prove as he goes on but this amiable hope
cannot justify the presence of an unqualified
person in the executive chamber at Albany.
The office of governor was not established
in this state to serve as school for the ed.
ucation of the ignorant. 1t was not pro
vided as an apprenticeship to train up a
public officer in the qualifications necessary
for the discharge of a great trust which he
has already assumed. The governor of New
York ought to be man fit for his duties al
the outset The experiment of trying tc
develop greenhorn into competent ruler
by making him governor is a new thing il
the history of this country"
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-17
Fitz-JOhn Porter.

The bill for the relief of Fitz-John Por-
ter passed the senate Thursday by vote of
thirty-three to twenty-seven. The aifirma-
tive votes of the republican Senators Cam.
eron, Hoar and Sewell, with the solid demo.
cratic vote, were sufficient, 80 far as the sen.
ate is concerned, to give Porter the long
sought vindication. With the above excep.
tions, the republicans voted against the
bill, and it must count for something on
that side of the question that the old sol.
diers in the senate who wore the blue, like
Logan, Hawley and Miller, with such civil
ians as Edmunds, Davis of Illinois, Dawes
and Anthony, loyal veterans in the public
service, could not be persuaded to consent
to the restoration TO the army Of general
whom court-martial had dismissed in dis
grace, and whom the common sentiment OF
the loyal north long since had branded
as traitor. The bill as passed authorizes
the president, with the advice and consent
of the senate, to appoint Porter to the posi-
ton of colonel in the army, of the SAME
grade and rank held by him at the time Of
his dismissal, and at his discretion to place
him on the retired list, but the restored off
Ger is not to be given back pay OF any al
lowsnee whatever for the period which ha,
passed since his dismissal.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-17
Liquors In Bond.

Attached to every distillery is a ware
house of which the government, through a
United States storekeeper, takes exclusive
charge. On every door is patent "gov-
eminent lock-" and the storekeeper keeps
the keys. At the end of the warehouse,
nearest the distillery proper, is partitioned
off the oistern-room that contains tanks,
into which the whiskey runs direct from
the still. From these tanks it is drawn off
into barrels in the presence of the store
keeper and United States gauger. The bar
rels 80 filled are rolled into the other portion
of the warehouse, and warehouse stamp
bearing the date of the distillation, is af-
fixed to each. The whiskey thus barreled
can remain in this warehouse under govern
ment lock and key for three years. Then
the whiskey is said to be ain bond" AT
the expiration of three years the tax of
ninety cents per gallon must be paid on the
original quantity of whiskey in the barrels
as shown by the gauge when it was barreled,
less two and one-half gallons per barrel per
annum allowed for evaporation and shrink.
age. Then tax-paid stamp is put on each
barrel and brand with the name of the
district and the date of the payment of the
tax is burned in the head. Now the distiller
for the first time can do as he pleases with
his whiskey aud it is said to be taken out
of bond"
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-17
Corporate Taxation In New Jersey

The most interesting part of Governor
Ludlow's message to the legislature of New
Jersey relates to the question of taxation.
He favors the taxation of corporations do.
ing business in that state, which have here.
tofore escaped, as he says, through fear of
driving capital from the state. The ques-
ton of railroad taxation is vigorously han
died. The governor thinks the rate of tax
alton of railroad property is disproportion-
stely small, and points out that while the
wealth of the railroads has greatly Increased
since 1877, the taxes they have to pay have
increased comparatively little. He recon-
mends legislation under which estimates Of
the value of railroad property for purposes
of taxation shall be based on its full worth
to the companies owning it. The question
of railroad taxation has for a long time
greatly exercised the people Of New Jersey,
and Governor Ludlow's views will doubt
less prove interesting reading to the people
of Vermont in view of the recent agitation
of the question here. Pointing out the
enormous amount of the railroad interests
conferred in New Jersey, the governor adds
The law provides for the taxation of railroad
property at its "true value" AS to what ele-
ments shall enter into the estimate Of that " true
value" how far the cost Of the enterprise, the
money expended on it, the productive capacity of
the investment and the appreciation OF the value
of its property shall be considered 1t does not
say but it would seem that all OF these consid-
erations are essential attributes Of the true value
of an enterprise. At the beginning Of 1877, when
the board Of railroad commissioners first estab-
lished the value of the property on which the
railroads of this state to pay tax, there were
1575 miles of railroad which had cost over
S146 900, 900. At that time the business OF rail-
roads was at the lowest point reached in many
years; the market value of several Of them had
shrunk to exceedingly small figures; some had
confessed insolvency and had passed into the
the hands of receivers, and others were about To
do so. Since that time an era OF prosperity and
solid improvement has set in. . and at
the close of 1881 there 1863 miles OF railroad
in the state which had cost over $167 600 000 an
increase OF 294 miles and nearly S21 900, 600 OF
cost over that of 1877 This increase Of mileage
and cost, and this marked improvement of every
element which would seem to go toward forming
the true value of the railroads, have resulted In
an increase In the assessed value Of 1000 OOt
and in the taxes Of SIC, 000
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-17
The Presidential Succession.

The senate has passed the bill making
cabinet officers successors to the presiden-
tial Office in the event of the removal, death,
resignation or inability of both the president
and vice president. The order oil success
sion is first the secretary Of state, or IL there
be none and in the case of his subsection TO
either branch of the fourfold contingency,
then the secretary of the treasury. For sim
liar causes that official yields the reins to the
the secretary of war, then comes the attorney
general, postmaster general, the secretary OF
the navy, and the secretary Of the interior
brings up the rear. The law of 1892, max
ing the president pro tenn OF the senate and
after him the speaker of the house the sue
cessor in the contingencies specified, is re-
pealed. Whenever the powers and duties
of president devolve upon any OF the per-
sons named in this act, If congress is not in
session, or if it would not meet regularly
within twenty days, it is made the duty OF
the acting president to call an extra session
of congress, giving twenty days notice OF
the time of meeting. The bill as passed is
quite different in its essential provision
from the original, which made the cabinet
officer on whom the powers and duties OF
the Office descended president till the end
of an existing presidential term. Now it
is merely an expedient to provide in certain
cases an executive head till congress can be
convened and provide by legislation for an
existing emergency. 1t does not define the
disability" which shall be regarded as
creating vacancy in the office of president,
or provide method of ascertaining that
disability" or, if temporary, when it shall
be considered at an end and when the dis
abled |" official shall be again the response
BILE chief executive. The bill provides for
a contingency which has never occurred
since the government was organized, but
neglects to make provision for an emergency
which has presented itself during the pres
emit term and one to which human life is
momentarily exposed. For nearly three
months in the summer of 1881 President
Garfield was utterly disabled and the gov
eminent was practically without an exec
utive head Another president may at any
moment be the victim of any one Of long
list of disabling calamities, and it would
seem to have been the part of wisdom for
congress to have spent the brief hours of
this short session in legislating with refer
ence to the ills we have experienced rather
than "Ay to others we know not Of"
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-17
Another Hotel Horror.

The Planters Hotel. one of the largest in St.
Louis. took FIRE Sunday morning, shortly before
five o'clock. Nearly all the guests escaped in
their night-clothes. The weather was intensely
cold. The fire broke out in the kitchen, and ex-
tended to the pantry storeroom and servants
quarters. These are all In building In the rear
Of the hotel and detached from it, One servant
was suffocated and two burned to death, and two
others have broken limbs. Great excitement
prevailed among the occupants Of the hotel The
engineer first discovered the fire and at once
gave the alarm. In three minutes the hotel was
bedlam. Nearly three hundred people, filled
with the horrible recollections of the Milwaukee
holocaust, were dashing hither and thither
through the main corridors and down the several
stairways into the office and street. Very few
waited to dress, as the smoke had already invaded
the corridors and was making its way slowly into
the rooms. Few wore shoes and great many
were In their bare feet. Some OF the scenes incl
dent to this hegira were quite thrilling, their
effect being intensified by the rattle, clang and
shrieks of engines and the shouts OF fremen.
Soon the main body Of the hotel was cleared of
guests, and the building was In possession Of the
firemen Meantime the scenes In the rear OF the
building, where the servants slept and where
the fire was first discovered, were OF a far more
ugly character. Here the fire cut off escape by
the two stairways, and also formed a barricade
which prevented the men sleeping in the south
ern half of the building from reaching another
stairway at the north end. Hence these unfortu-
mates, almost smothered by smoke, were COM
PEELED to climb out Of their rooms on to the frame
structure which abutted over the alley, and thence
either to jump or lower themselves by means of a
pulley rugged there for hosting supplies. One
poor fellow was seen to start down the stairway
before the fire reached the third floor and an
hour later his crushed corpse was found in the
kitchen near the foot OF the stairs. Another en-
ploye was found dead In his bed when the FIRE
was extinguished, having been suifocated by
smoke The female help all escaped by the stair
way at the north end, save one, who broke her
ankle in jumping The fremen succeeded In
preventing the fire from extending more than
twenty feet from the point of its origin, but in
that space 1t burned clear through to the roof,
destroying about ten rooms. The hotel proper did
not suffer to the extent of dollar. 1t was for a
quarter of Il century the best known hotel In the
west and Its fame was extended by Charles
Dickens American Notes" The origin Of the
fire is unknown
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-17
Absurd Fashions.

Mr. Editor IL received letter from woman
l never saw, and she signed II with that good old
name Katharine. ! felt respect and admiration
for her at once. Had she signed II Katy or Kittie
or Caddie should have set her down with the
common herd, but a woman who In these days
boldly owns the whole regal name Of Katharine
must be above the common level, and knows 1t,
too detest the fashion OF cutting down the
names OF Caroline and Elizabeth TO Carrie and
Lizzie or may be Cad and Liz. The Lulus and
Myrtes and Sadies OF our school registers are alb
surd and remind me Of woman knew whose hus-
band was named Luther. When she was angry
she called him Luke, and at other times 1t was
Lutte, which she said sounded more loving Peo-
pie who knew her in all her moods said they
preferred her in the Luke mood to the other.
Another fashion, not only absurd but injurious,
is the abbreviated skirt worn by small girls. A
long legged lean girl OF six or eight years, with
skirts that do not reach the knees, and thin
stockings that hardly meet them, is not dressed
as health or decency require. The stockings are
not the good old homemade ones our mothers
used to knit for us. Every physician will say
the demands Of health, In our cold climate, are
very inadequately met in the matter of dress
The city boarders who flock into country towns
do us harm, because we are weak enough TO fol-
low them, forgetting the difference In our sur
roundings. Every Vermont woman should have
independence enough to dress herself and chill
dren sensibly, which she can do without beinl
conspicuous or Questionable, and the good TASTE
to give them such Christian names as she can cal
them nv
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-17
The Yellowstone Park.

Rufus Hatch's Yellowstone Park scheme
has received set back at the hands of the
senate. Hatch desired exclusive privileges
for hotel company in that region. The in
terror department had granted him and his
associates exclusive privileges over large
tract of land in the park, including the re-
gion of great natural curiosities. By the
exclusive right to run stages, build and con-
duct hotels, tourists had been placed by this
grant in the hands of an incipient monopoly.
The senate committee reported that the in.
terror department transcribed its authority
in its agreement with Mr.. Hatch. 1t re-
ported bill extending the park to the east,
so as to add 1914 square miles to it, making
its total area 6,644 square miles. The whole
tract is to he withdrawn from settlement or
sale and set apart as pleasure ground for
the people. The game is to be undisturbed,
but fishing with hook and line will be allowed.
The secretary of war will expel intruders,
and penalties will be inflicted for violating
the park regulations. Small lots of ground,
not larger than are needed for hotels, may be
leased by the interior department for a
period not exceeding ten years. No exclu-
sive privileges will be granted. A superin-
tendent and ten assistants will have charge
of the park. The report says Nothing
but absolute necessity should permit the
great national park to be used for money
making by private persons, and in our judg-
ment no such necessity exists. If congress
shall do its duty and perfect the legislation
contained in the act of 1872, it will be no
longer necessary for Americans to visit the
Alps in order to enjoy mountain scenery.
No other region can rival in wonders and at.
fractions the Yellowstone Park" The ex-
tension of the limits of the park was recon-
mended by the committee on the suggestion
Of General Sheridan, who has made care
full study of the country, and thinks the
reservation should include the proposed ex.
tension,
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-17
The Shipping Bill.

The house of representatives has passed
bill designed to relieve American shipping
from some of the in6rmities which have
hindered its growth and which have con-
tributed to the carrying of the great bulk
of the commerce of the country by foreign
vessels. In addition TO many amendments
of the navigation laws of the country af-
fecting the rights and privileges of seamen
and ship owners, certain taxes and duties
are removed or lightened. All materials of
foreign production to be used in this coun-
try in ship building are duty free, and in
the case of materials so used on which the
duty has been paid, the same is refunded to
the owner of the vessel using them. When
vessels are built for foreign account wholly
or in part of foreign materials, for the du-
ties paid on such material drawback is al
lowed. Importation of iron ships free of
duty was very properly refused, since the
foreign builder wonld have fatal advan-
tage over the domestic. The formers ships
built in the yards of Scotland, for example,
would not only receive an American regis
ter without paying duty, but would enter
this country without freight charges on
the materials Of which ships are built. The
vessels would come laden with a cargo so
that their voyage to this country would be
a source of profit to the buyers. The do
nestle builder on the other hand, though
importing his materials free of duty,
would still have the freight to pay an adj
verse difference of fifty per cent in the
price of labor here would add its insur-
mountable barrier, so that to admit ships
free of duty would be, substantially, giving
bounty to the foreign builder. The pol
icy of the country is to encourage ship
building here. 1t is evident that free ships
means the utter destruction of this desirable
industry
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-17
An Old Measure.

The measure pending in congress to attach
the presidential Office in certain cases to the
office of secretary of state, or to some other
cabinet office, is not q new project. The
question whether the succession should be by
the president of the senate and the speaker
of the house, or by the secretary of state and
other high officials in the executive depart
ment of the government, was debated at great
length in the second congress in 1892. The
senate passed the bill which is the law at
present time. The house of representatives
amended it by making the secretary of state
the provisional successor of the president
and vice president. The senate refused to
concur in this amendment and the house re-
coded. Hamilton was then secretary of the
treasury, and Jefferson secretary of state.
There was rivalry between these men.
Hamilton and his friends espoused the sem
ate bill and Jefferson the house amendment.
To this jealousy and to the personal efforts
of Hamilton the success of the senate bill
is attributed. The law has lain dormant
ioi hihouy yooir' ~ hao hc'oi pooh oohcu
into action and the probabilities that it ever
will be are very remote. With an amend
ment providing for the contingency of the
non-existence of president pro tenn Of the
senate or speaker of the house, 1t is be-
lieved to be better law than the elaborate
measure naming half-a-dczen provisional
successors, appointees of dead, impeached
or disabled executive and in the choice of
whom the people, either directly or indi-
rectly by their senators or representatives,
have had no choice. With additional legis-
lation defining and providing for disabil-
ity the matter of presidential succession
and the continuity of the chief executive
office would then seem to be amply guarded.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-17
How Governor Andrew Did 1t.

The Boston Herald thus tells How Gov
ernor Andrew did it :" Late one after
noon, after busy day, when the executive
office people were getting ready to go home,
poor old Irish woman was announced the
messenger remarking: It's only an old
woman, governor, who wants to get her hus-
band pardoned out of the house of correc-
ton. I'll get rid of her for you No, you
won't, said Andrew; | am here to see Just
such people, and the poorer they are the
more necessary it is that they should see me-
The discounted official of the ante-chamber
ushered the old woman into Andrews pres
ence. She told her story quickly, inspired
the sympathy of the governor. Her hus-
band had been injured on the railway, and,
to support himself in his disabled condi-
ton had begun selling a little rum in his
shanty out at Revere. He had been arrested
and sentenced to the house of correction.
When Andrew had heard Bridget through,
he said Don't worry, my good woman IN
pardon your husband tomorrow She left
the room, showering blessings on the gov
ernors head. When she had gone down
stairs, Andrew said I'm pardon out every
such case as long as I'm governor Of this
state, and they continue to imprison poor
men for doing what rich hotel.keepers do
every day unmolested. There shall not be
one sort of justice for the poor and another
! for the rich"