Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-09-03


the eXtcmporancous speech which he had
delivered on the OCCASION TO be printed
and made public in the Rccoru.
Mr. Edmunds introduced and has sun
ported the postal telegraph bill (Which in
spite of corporate opposition viii yet be-
come u law designed to give the people
cheap telegraph facilities i'm connection
with the postal service This effort has
won for Mr.. Edmunds the hatred and OPP
position Of Jay Could aud the Western
Union monopoly.
He framed and introduced the bill
which has twice or three times passed the
Senate and is again pending, the electoral
count bill, providing for counting the
votes and ascertainng the result of presi.
dental elections. No more important
measure is before Congress.
He framed and introduced the bill
which has, though strongly opposed by
claimants of vast grants, twice passed the
Senate and is again pending. providing
for settling all questions concerning all
Mexican and Spanish land grants, in Il
safe and judicial way, SO as to make the
small settlers under the public land laws
safe in their possessions.
Mr. Elmunds brought forward and pro-
cured the passage of the well known Nor
mon polygamy laws, known as the Ed
munds Laws under which at last, real
progress has for the first time been made
toward the suppression of polygamy in
this country.
lie reported the bill which has twice
passed the Senate and is still pending in
the House OF Representatives for inspect
ing and facilitating the expectation of the
meat products of the United States, con
tanning the important provision enabling
the president TO defend our people against
unjust action toward our products by
other countries If this bill becomes a
law it will be Of immense value to the
farmers of the whole country.
1t has been stated in reputable public
newspapers and doubtless with truth,
that Mr.. Edmunds was the leading sup
porter OF the treaty negotiated by Pres-
dent Arthur with the Republic of Near
augua by which the United States would
get the control Of the only practicable
ship canal between the two great oceans,
and so really dominate the commerce of
the world.
Mr. Edmund>, as such papers say. has
again brought the subject to the atten-
ton of the Senate 10y resolution report
ed by him from the committee of foreign
relations. And also proposition looking
to the obtaining naval and maritime
station in the Sandwich Islands, making
"A half way habor for our flag in the mid
die Of the Pacific ocean.
lie was an active supporter Of the bill
which passed the Senate regulating inter
state railway transportation and bringing
these great corporations under the control
of law, and he offered and the Senate
adopted the provision securing summary
relief to shippers Of freight against unjust
treatment by the railways, and authoriz-
ing the judges to compel immediate obed-
fence whether the corporation appealed or
not.
MIR. Edmunds was forward and earnest
in the recent effort to secure an investiga-
ton by the Senate of the corrupt means,
through which Mr.. Payne, OF Standard
oil odor, bought his way to "a seat in the
Senate.
Our limits of space do not permit Us to
comment on this partial record Of Il
bdlctI, upl YET flOStt, vi IcllIdI N
able industry, wisdom and useful
ness. IT we have reader who does not
see that in this senator Vermont has
son who has earned his distinction by
patriotic, bold, important and uuseltish
service, we can only pity him for the
prejudice which thus blinds him our
readers can also see from this record how
Mr. Edmuuds by caring for the rights Of
the people, has earned the opposition of
the great monopolies and corporations,
whose money is now being flung out free
ly in Vermont, to scatter lies and ISLANDERS,
and to pay workers. and plan plots
with democrats, in an attempt to strike
down so sturdy an opponent Of their
schemes of unjust gain.
If the republicans of Vermont were to
permit themselves to be the tools of such
conspiracy it would be a blot on the
fair fame OF our State which long years of
repentance could not efface.
There are enough honest and Intelligent
voters in Vermont to make the success OF
such scheme impossible. But they must
be everywhere alert and active, from this
time till the votes are counted.