Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-08-27
MR.. EDMUNDS AND THE FARMERS
ONCE MORE.
A Letter from senator SIorrIII

MAINLY DEFENDING MR. EDMUNDs AGAINST THE
ATTACKS OF HIS ENEMIES ON THE oUE'rIoN
OF THE oLEoMABGABINE BILL AND MS RELA.
T1oNs TO THE LAND GRANT RAILROADS.
from the Burlington Free Press.l
In view OF the extraordinary attempts
which have been made to poison the minds
of the Vermont farmers against Senator Ed
munds Vermont farmer addressed q letter
Of inquiry to Senator NJ drill. the other day.
and has sent us the latter's reply, which we
print below. MIR. Morrill, of course bears
willing testimony TO the fact which has been
plain to readers OF the Free Press from first
to last, that Mr.. Edmunds was firm and ef-
fective supporter Of the oleomargarine bill.
incidentally he alludes to a fact Of some In.
terest. II will be remembered that great
cutlery was made because Mr.. Edmunds sup
ported proposal to refer the bill to the FL
nance committee Of the Senate, Of which
Mr. Morrill, is chairman. We said at the
time that the simple fact that both our sena
tors voted to refer the bill to that committee,
showed that Mr. Morrilps committee was not
hostile to the bill and that the chances Of the
passage OF the bill would not be prejudioed
by such reference. Mr.. Morrill, now men
tons the fact that the Republican members
Of the committee, constituting q majority
thereof, voted for the bill and 1t is also
fact that one Democratic member Of the
committee voted with them. The commit.
tee on finance In other words was friendly
to the bill and there can be little doubt that
the bill would have passed more promptly,
and perhaps without any modification, II IL
could have gone to that committee, and been
placed, AZ it would have been, in charge Of
the veterans Morrill, and Sherman OF that
committee. On this matter OF the reference,
as on other matters connected with the bill
Mr.. Edmunds knew just what he was about,
and took the wisest course to promote the
passage Of the bill.
In regard to Mr.. Edmunds's relations 10
the land -graut railroads, most intelligent Yer
monters cannot need Mr.. Morrill's evidence,
un, quivocal as it in. They know already
| that throughout all his career as q legislator,
Mr.. Edmunds has taken the eide OF the in
terests OF the treasury and Of the people
against the great corporations and monopo-
lies more persistently and effectively than
any other member of either House Of Con-
| RTthh. Ills TtCOIu IL clthTt uuIOFuut uulul-
pesched throughout, az the most watchiul
and sturdy opponent OF jobs and AZ always
insisting on keeping the charters under con-
troll OF Congress. and on holding the Pacific
and other land grant railroads TO their obi
cations to the government. To this fact ev-
every member OF the United States Senate
would bear prompt and strong testimony IL
called upon. To suppose that the Vermont
ers as a body do not understand this, would
be to doubt their intelligence or possession OF
the faculty of memory. For the sake Of
some new corners or young voters, however,
it is we'll to keep the facts before the people
and 10 we are glad to print Mr.. Morrills let
ter. 1t may be we'll enough to add that it
was not written to any citiz, Of Burlington,
nor was it procured with any knowledge or
consent, direct or indirect, of Mr.. Edmunds.
1t will be read with general interest, as ia ev-
erythng which comes from the pen Of its
honored and venerable author.