The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-02-24

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the grasp of such statesmen as Mr..
Morrison.
IT is difficult to tell which suffers
the most-Senator Edmunds from the
garrulity and overzeal of the Free
Press, or the opposition to him from
the garrulity and assumptions of Mr..
Atkins. 1t does not follow that be-
cause some democrats desire Mr. Ed
munds' reelection and other democrats
desire his defeat that this should have
any influence upon the action of re-
publicans.
Mr.. HIRAM ATKINS, in an interview
with correspondent in Washington,
processes to know what the Blaine
republicans in Vermont have resolved
to do in the next state campaign. 1t is
safe to say that he knows very little
about it, and that when the " Blaine re-
publicans" get ready to announce their
programme Gf they have one) they will
not make it public through democratic
sources. What Mr.. Atkins don't know
about the plans of the republicans is
probably of greater importance than
what he does know.
REPRESENTATIVE CIRCUIT of YER
mont spoke last week in opposition to
the Fitz John Porter bill. He took the
ground that the action of the court-mar-
tial of President Lincoln was final !;
that congress had no right to reopen it :
that the Presidents pardon made Por-
ter eligible to any Office except to the
| io,t1or aNtna xxhinh he Oh
He said that in the forty-eighth con-
gress only one democrat in either house
voted for Porter, and that the demo-
cratic party can now vindicate him by
sending in his name to the senate for
any Office except the one from which
he was dismissed.
THE Burlington Independent repre-
sents that, in an interview last summer,
"the administrator of the excellent
schools in Brattleboro " " in few words
ably stated the excellencies of the dis
trict system, and the evil results that
must follow the adoption of the town
system" A large number of prominent
educators and friends of education hold
that the change from the district to the
town system would be generally bene-
fetal to the educational interests of the
state, but they are probably willing to
be convinced of their error at any time.
, Perhaps the Brattleboro teacher is Just
the person to assume this task.
THE Boston Journal of Saturday con-
tains over three columns of opinions of
r leading republicans and democrats in
Vermont on the comparative merits
!, and advantages of both the annual and
biennial systems of elections and legis-
lative sessions. The diversity of views
: is fairly bewildering. While a good
many express the opinion that the BIZ
, ennial system is best for the people, q
good many others believe that annual
, legislative sessions will best conserve
: the interests of the state. There are
u but few who favor a return to annua
e elections. The Journal is a strong adj
It advocate of the biennial system, and i
is not unreasonable to suppose that i
would make the best showing for its
: side of the question that could be OBJ
II tanned in Vermont. However, thu
e sentiment of the state seems to have
G been fairly tested brNits correspondent
but we do not agree with his conclusion
: that the biennial question will neve
Il become live issue again in Vermont
1t may be that biennial elections hav
l. come to stay, but we are confident tina
Il the question of having annual legisla
- tive sessions will be strongly agitate'
20 within the next four years.
AT the request of several repub
Il lican readers of the WATCHMAN, W
give space in this issue to a com
r munication relating to Senator Ed
>, munds' course in the last presidential
i campaign. While we disclaim respon
), sibility for the tone of the communica
= ton and the sentiments espresso,
V therein, we admit that the facts canno
n be ignored. We have no desire t.
s. evade discussion of the matter when
seems needful; but the discussion o
the subject at this time may be prema
u ture and of little purpose, for we d
l. not understand that any candidate ha
yet appeared in the field against Mr.
:. Edmunds. In the absence of posi-
tive information, we have inferred tina
y Mr.. Edmunds would be a candidate TO
T. reelection if the circumstances wer
i propitious, but that he would not car
to risk the chances of defeat. We hav
4 abundant evidence that the republican
" opposition to his reelection is nue.
!. stronger than his particular friends ar
+ willing to concede. This opposition i
of not yet very demonstrative; it has no
1T assumed definite shape, and may not
ID so all sides must be content to avail
n developments. 1t will perhaps, be tim
enough to discuss the contingencie
- when they arise; for the people evi
'o IDENTITY do not want perpetual cam
he paign on this question unless it appear
D, that some definite purpose is to b
Is served by the discussion.
IS PROFESSOR l.. w. SPRING of the Stat
W University of Kansas has accepted a
~ election to the Professorship of Englis
Literature in Williams College. Thi
ID will probably enable the college to ava
10 itself of the services of Professor Griffin
,r formerly of Burlington, in the depart
NJ ment of philosophy, for which he
~ well qualified. Professor Spring is
u graduate of Williams in the class c
re 1868, native of Grafton, Vermont, &C
Or ing to college from Manchester. II
y preached year in Castleton and MID
dlebury. Professor Spring is the autho
" of the volume on Kansas, in the Con