The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-02-27

BELLOWS FALLS TIMES: at appears
now that two candidates are to contend
for the governorship. We trust the mat
ter will be left to the people, and that
there is to be no hothouse campaign for
either of them, otherwise we would favor
the dropping of both. They are both
good men to-day, and every good citizen
will desire to have them remain So"
WOODSTOCK STANDARD: awe most
heartily second the nomination of Mr..
Porter for secretary of state. He has emf
nent qualifications and his experience I'M
der 80 good an officer as DR.. Nichols will
prove of very great service to the state.
But he is no politician, and will not ride
the state and importune people for their
support-another good reason why the
convention should select him."
| ST. JoHNsBURY INDEX: "There are
great many people who think that Fred
Billings would accept the nomination for
governor if asked to do so by the conven-
ton, notwithstanding his letter to Judge
Barrett. If the men who would like to
see Billings governor would organize and
do some work, the convention could be
made more interesting for the genial
Mortified doctor and politician"
BURLINGTON CLIPPER: frederick Bill.
lings should have been governor twelve
years ago, and there is no man on that
side of the state we would prefer to see as
chief magistrate of this commonwealth
for the next two years in preference to
that gentleman but since he has peremp.
torily declined any such honor, we are
of the opinion that the intelligent ele-
ment of the state should wake up and nomi-
nate and elect man of some stability.
whether he pays full fare on the railroad or
not, and we fail to note more acceptable
candidate than DR.. George Nichols of
Mortified"
WINDSOR JOURNAL "Thoughtful men
have inquired into the causes of the deca.
|
unanimous in the opinion that much is
due to the enfeebled district system.
Their testimony has had little or no
weight. Thus far, indifference has de.
clined to be aroused to an active interest,
prejudice has refused to be overcome, and
ignorance has preferred the paths of dark
ness. 1t is time that the question should
be candidly Investigated, and it is to be
hoped that wherever presented at the
March meeting it may be awarded that
serious, careful consideration so impor.
tant subject rightfully demands"
AN informal meeting of about three
hundred prominent republicans, inform
ally summoned, was held in Brooklyn, Sat-
urday evening, to discuss the principles
which should govern the party in the
coming presidential campaign. Speeches,
urging the duty of aiming at high ideal
of purity and patriotism, we're made by
Carl Schurz Professor Seelye and others.
The speeches were all purely impersonal.
There was no act or word, public or pri-
vate, that could possibly be twisted into
an expression of preference for any can.
didate. Indeed, so shy were they of this
topic, that even in conversation there was
little interchange of views upon it. Sem
ator Edmunds was mentioned, as were
also the Messrs Sherman, but there was
evidently a strong feeling that if the
declarations of the conference were to
have weight, they must be entirely disas-
sociated from any personal connections,
and based solely upon principles.
THE question of the Bible in the public
schools has arisen in a new shape in
Iowa. The complainant said that the
teachers of his two little girls turned the
school from its lawful design into place
of worship and religious instruction, and
made of themselves "ministers of religion
therein, in the presence and hearing of al
their pupils" The Bible was daily read
the teachers and pupils repeated tn
Lords Prayer, and religious hymns wer'
,, sung. He gave notice to the principal O
his objections to these religious exercises
and requested that they be discontinued
but all in vain. He then appealed to thu
law. Judge Burton refused an injunction
To say that school where the Bible il
read as part of the morning exercises
or where the Lords Prayer is repeated, O.
a hymn sung, is place of worship, o
that such teachers are ministers of re
ligion, seemed to his honor more speciou
than sound. He held, moreover, tina
i Iowa's constitutional provision granting
religious liberation, and prohibiting tn,
legislature from providing any religious
establishment, is not contravened by law
which recognize the Scriptures, or tn
Supreme Being, or Sunday as religion
day of rest, but that such laws are lega
and valid.
NEWPORT EXPRESS: "There is YER,
general feeling that constant changes in tn
executive department are not conducive
to the best good of the state. The trouble
c is, the great mass of the politicians arr
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