Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-05-28
THE GovERNoRsHlP.
SOUND AND SENSIBLE LETTER.


Editor Register Within few weeks the
freemen will be called upon to select a
candidate for chief magistrate of the
State of Vermont. There are at least
two prominent candidates spoken Of
Hon. +. j. Ormsbee of Brandon and
Hon. j. X. Batchelder of Arlington.
Bennington county complains that it has
not held a high Office for some time past.
The speakership of the House of Repre-
sentatives is very high and honorable
office. | think | can safely say that there
is not another county in Vermont tina
has been as highly honored as Benning
ton county. In years gone by it was
called the Z" land of governors, from the
fact that it had the governor p years,
which is nearly one-third of the time
from the first organization of our govern
ment down to the present time.
Rutland county is the largest and
wealthiest county in the state. 1t pays
annually nearly three times the amount
of cash into the State treasury for the
support of government that Bennington
county does hence it is very remarka-
BILE coincidence that Bennington county
should have monopolized and have had
the governor q years and Rutland coun-
ty only eight years all told.
Unless there are other candidates in the
field, the freemen will be called upon to
decide whether Rutland county is enti-
tied to the governorship 10 years, or
whether they will give it to Bennington
county % years. apprehend that it will
require very shrewd politicians to
convince the freemen that all the eXecu-
tive qualifications, talents and statesman
ship are concentrated in Bennington
county
In a republican government, where the
elective franchise is vested in the hands
of the people, where the high, the low,
the rich and poor are all alike eligible to
any Office in the gift of the people, other
things being equal, there should be some
thing like an equal distributioni of the
posts of honor and profit Aristocracy
has had its day in Vermont. The day
has passed by when any man Will be
governor 10 years as Thomas Chittenden
was, or | years as Isaac Tichenor was, or
9 years as James Galusha was. For
more than Il quarter of century the
Green Mountains have been the line of
demarkation in an official point of view.
Custom has made law that the nlted
States Senators must reside on each side
of the Green Mountains. Custom has
made law that the governor can hold
his office but two years instead of 10
years.. Custom has made Il law that the
governor shall reside on one side of the
Green Mountains and the lieutenant-gOv-
ernor on the other side. and these laws
are lived up to to the letter.
There are only four towns in Western
Vermont that excel Brandon in popula-
ton and wealth and Il less number that
excel it in patriotism. | think | can
safely say that there is not town in this
section of the State that approaches
Brandon in population, intelligence and
public spirit but what has been hOnored
to Il creator or less extent in an official
point of view. Two years ago f. j.
Ormsbee of Brandon was elected lieuten-
ant-governOr. The freemen of the State
honored Brandon and Mr.. Ormsbee did
honor to the Senate chamber.
Mr.. Ormsbee was born and brought up
on a farm in Shoreham. lie followed the
example of his townsman Gov. Jenison
and cultivated the soil and his intellect at
the same time: he perused page after
page in the great book of Nature. which
is the foundation of all literature. and
acquired sound practical education.
He quit the farm. became IA law student
and qualified himself for the bar and be-
came partner of Hon. +. y. Briggs of
Brandon. Mr.. OrmSbee is self-made
man. as nearly all others are who are
worth the making. He possesses an
even. well-balanced mind. mind as pure
and elevated as the air he breathes; Il
Il sound, discriminating judgment and
sterling integrity. His intelligence and
social qualities render him the life and
animation of the circle in which he
moves. He is equally at home in his
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