Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-07-10
what DId she Legislature Iu,.ndt

The Brattleboro Phoenix charges the Free Press with
treating with cold dsdain suggestion on it's part that
Joint canvass be made to find out what the leRis-
ature meant to have done with the money it voted for
u library building II would not be much like us 10
treat WIN dsdaln or dscourtesy any proposition made
guilty to having done so in this matter. Through
some mishap the number Of The Phoenix containing
the suggestion did not reach the eye Of the editor Of
this paper, and first learn that 1t was made from
the last number Of The Phoenix From this wa nlso
learn that the editor of The Phoenix has been AT The
pains to Inquire of the members what each under
stood to have been the intention OF the bill appropri-
ating $36OOO for library building. The Phoenix had
received responses from about a third Of the MEM
bers quarter of whom 1t says either supposed that
an annex was intended that the location was left
discretionary with the commissioners. Now to al
ths we are obliged to say that think the Phnnix's
canvass waste of time, trouble and and that
would nave been our reply to its suggestion had we
received It, There is an old adage still true-that &C.
tions speak louder than words. The actions in This
case were that the legislature distinctly left the oca-
tion TO me missioners, and that by the amount
apprOprlatedit limited them to annex That is
enough for We have no desire to see any consid
cradle number OF the legislature now Htultify them
selves by saying that they did not intend do what
they did do. The majority could do whatever they
chose II they did not intend to leave the location 10
we eommissioners why, pray did they leave 1t
II they wanted separate building, why did they not
appropriate money enough to build one There can
be no satisfactory answer to these quesons and dis
cussons OF these matters in part now useless The
commissioners duly weighed all these points They
exercised the discretion imposed upon them They
are doing the best thing they can with the money.
Aud the people, we are sure, will approve their ac-
ton. That Ia enough for u.s. and we are sorry that Il
does not suit The Phenix.-Burhngt0n Free Press
eth inst. '
The reply of the Free Press is courteous,
but we are compelled to say that we think
Mr. Benedict lodges the main point and beRs
the real question at issue. The fact is that
two weeks ago the Free Press said, some
what oracularly, that its editor was in Mont
pelier when tho state library building was I'M
der discussion, and that he was positive an
annex was intended and that a bill contem.
plating separate building could not have
been passed. Our own information was di-
rectly the reverse of this, and 30 confident
were we of our position that we suggested
canvass of the members of the legislature to
settle the question. That we were right the
figures which we publish to day establish be-
yond any question.
How it happened that the bill was so loose
ly drawn as to permit the erection of a sub
annex we do not now attempt to say in de-
tail. In brief terms, however, the fact is
that all those members who took leading
part in favor of the bill were so filed with the
idea that separate building was alone in.
tended that they took no notice of the exact
wording of the statute on this point.