Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-07-13
OH %ree press.
BURLINGTON, FRIDAY, JULY a,iss3.
PUBLISHED BY
The Free Press .fssOCi0ft0n'
a.. q. BENEDICT, Editor,
Tcrms-s2.oo a year, always in adva
TIE TROUBLE AT VERSHIRE.

1Elfty-SlA years nave pdSseu away s'hN'
the militia of Vermont were called out 10
quell disturbance of the peace, and the
summoning of the military on Friday last
was therefore notable event in our history
In 1Sl7 the railroad was being built and
trouble arose in the town of Bolton among
the laboreIs upon 1t, which resulted in the
calling out of the militia, when the ringlead-
ers were arrested and the riot subsidized.
From that time to the present no similar
emergency has arisen, and we sincerely trust
that much longer period will elapse before
our soldicry will be called upon to arm them
selves against our own people.
or the affair at Nershire full report is
given elsewhere in this paper, but there are
some considerations connected with it which
we would like to bring to the attention of the
people of the State.
The people of Vermont do not as u rule
take very kindly to their citizen-solders
We are too apt to look upon them as
merely ornamental-as costing good
deal of money, and serving no useful
purpose. We turn out to look at their pa
rades, but is with an air half-patronizing, as
il we would say, They play at war very
nicely" or half -pitying,as if it were matter
of regret that the militia cost so much money
which was just the same as thrown away.
This sort of thing expresses in a general way
the feeling of great number OF our people.
But hast week an emergency arose which full
ly indicated the militia and their friends.
An armed conflict arose between mob and
the civil authorities and the latter found
themselves practically at the mercy of the
former. Then came the cal upon the mill
tia. How handsomely the soldiers respond
cd the record gives evidence. They were
scattered about the towns of their residence
pursuing their ordinary vacations. But on
notice ranging in length only from oneto two
hours nearly eightyGre per cent OF the mem
bers OF the companies summoned responded
to the call. More than this their conduct on
the way to Vershire and on the return was
such as to reflect honor on the regiment and
the Statc-quiet, dignifed, and orderly.
And when marching into the streets of Yer.
shire, expecting every moment TO be attack.
ed, not soldier showed the white feather.
All marched on with courage and intrepid.
ily tina, made the Governor and the veteran
officers proud of them. All the circumstances
plainly show not only how excellent militia
we have, but the Instability and the necessity
OF better support of it on the part of the
people Of the State.
As TO the number called out on Friday, it
seems 10 us that Governor Barstows idea was
entirely light-to call out force go large
that its very presence would completely
overawc the rioters and by overawing them,
deter them from any violence. Such al
effect had the presence of the troops on Sat.
urday morning and it would have been bet
ter TO call out the entire regiment rather than
that one of those poor ignorant miners should
be killed or a single soldier shot. AS to the
necessity of calling out the troops, we can
safely say, from what we learned at the
scene of action, that the State would have
been dsgraced, property destroyed aud lives
possibly lost, had the military not been call
ed out. Property-owners in the two villages
and the vicinity who knew the miners and
their disposition well, declared that it was
glad sight to them when they saw the soldiers
approach and that had they not come TIT
results we have indicated would have ensued
All those having any personal knowledge o
the circumstances of the case well know tina
the Governor did the best possible thing ant
did it in the best possible way.
As to the miners, everybody has a WORLD
Of sympathy for them in their wrongs bu
not in the course OF violence which the
adopted. Gov. Farnham, the present mana
ger of the company, was doing everything
that mortal man could do to pull the con
Germ through, and of course was not respon
sible for the sins of his predecessors in it
management. But the miners are so igno
rant and so easily controlled by bad ant
lawless advisers that they were too easil.
turned against their own iuterest-for it i
obvious that what is the company's interes
is their interest.