davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-01-29

Miss Aggie and Arthur Watts of Bran
on visited friends in town this week.
Rev. Joseph Cook is engaged to speak
here on the evening of Friday, February
10.
Miss Daisy Edgerton, who has been i'll
for two months with fever, if able to
ride out.
Perry II. Fletcher of the Institute of
Technology, Boston, is spending hi. va
cation in town.
Milton A. Brooks has been sick since
Friday with pneumonia. 1t is hoped the
crisis of the disease is past.
Fire-Wardens Benedict, Calhoun and
duties of their Office on Friday and Sat
urday.
Dugald Stewart has gone South to
spend the rest of the winter. He was ac-
c0mpanied by his mother, who will re-
main with him.
The horse which c. F. Goodrich dispos-
ed.of by ticket was drawn by Chas. Evarts
of East Middlebury, who held one of the
last two in the box.
Mr.. j. w. Pitts of Chapman d Co. has
sold his interest to the firm and retire,
Feb. /. Chapman & Co. will continue
the business at the old stand.
The teamsters have finally begun theil
winters work of drawing logs to the
pulp-mills. Many teams from the noun
tains pass through the village daily.
Mrs. c. S. Murkland of Chicopee, Mass.
has been visiting her parents, Mr.. ant
Mrs. A. p. Upper, for week past
She returns to Chicopee in few days.
G.. ID. Miner, who has been visiting hi
his sister, Mrs. A. n. Hamilton, at Ger
mantown, Pa, returned home Saturday
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-01-29
FARM FOR SALT:

The subscriber offers for sale the we'll
known farm of the late \. II. Treadway, stu
atcd in Shoreham. said farm contains $40
acres; about 100 acres covered with good hard
wood timber, has a good variety of soil for
meadow, pasturing and tllinR purposes; is
well supplied with good running water at
house and barns; has large commodious
two-story dwelling house in good repair; -four
barns, milk house and grainery. Is -, miles
from railroad station, miles from postotlicc,
store, saw-mills, grist-mil and blacksmith
shop, 30 rods from school house Any person
desiring to purchase II good stock farm will
find it to their advantage to call upon me, H.
the above described property must be sold.
j. r. STICkNEN, Admr.
ShOrcham, VT, Jan. 26 lSS jn2
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-01-29

or homely lady can make moneyselling "Treas-
ury of Thought (Mother, Home, Heaven, JUS
published. No competition; good pay to earnt
cot workers. Address quickly, MART IN GAR
RIsON & Co. BOSTON.
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-01-29
Farm for Sale

THE Farm in the southeast part
of the town of Shoreham, of late
the home place of William G. Will
son, deceased, is offered for sale.
This farm is supposed to contain
147 acres, consisting of meadow,
pasturage and woodland, in desira-
BILE proportion. The dwelling
house has lately been thoroughly
repaired and modernized; and is
neat, convenient, comfortable and
commodious. The out-buildings,
though not new, are in fair condi-
ton, and entirely ample for the
wants of the farm. The farm is
we'll fenced, and has upon it a
young, thrifty and bearing orchar |.
This is a fine opportunity for any
one desiring a good home and a
farm with more desirable and fewer
Objectionable features, than the av-
erage of farms. If desired, easy
terms of payment will be granted.
For price and other particulars, in
quire on the premises, of
Mrs. ELIZA WILSON,
Or of f. J. ORMSBEE, Brandon.
Shnrnh ham lam
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-01-29
Social Ntdtters.
Thermometer.

Sc The - before figures means below zero.
Evening, northeast.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-11-17
The Railroad Question.

We have heard desire expressed by
several unprecedented persons, that the
railroad committees of the two houses,
in reporting upon the several railroad
commission bills, might present state
ment of the facts they may have gath
cred upon which the demand for such
legislation is based; the nature of the
abuses complained of; and any specific
instances of wrong-doing on the part
of the railroads in their dealings with
shippers or the general public. A rail-
road commission law should have but
two objects: to provide for the correc-
ton of any abuses that have actual ex-
istence, and to prevent unfair discrim-
nations, if there be any, so far as may
be practicable. But it is due alike to
the people and the railroads that the
necessity for the proposed commission
should be demonstrated; and when
the necessity is made clearly apparent,
then proper and judicious remedies
should be provided to meet the ext
gencies of the situation. 1t is matter
that demands impartial and unselfsh
consideration, and no person with rank
prejudices on the subject is well quail
fled to deal with it in a manner that
will regard and respect equally the rights
of both the public and the railroads.
In view of the failure of few per-
sons who have made the railroad COM
mission scheme their pet hobby to state
the specific grounds of their complaints
against the railroads and to furnish
names, facts, etc, in any particular in
stance, the impression is gaining ground
that the most radical of the advocates
of the scheme are less concerned about
the material welfare of the public in
this connection than with the success
of their purpose to make political capt.
tai out of it for future use. However
this may be, and while we think the
railroads should not antagonize any
reasonable and just measure of the
kind, it is true that the demand for a
more extended state supervision of
railroads is based too much upon vague
generalities which reveal nothing tan
gible and prove nothing. The people
have largely endorsed what appeared a
reasonable demand, without any very
definite idea of its supposed necessity
or of the character and magnitude of
the wrongs and abuses which have
been alleged against the management
of railroads.
Now we hold that while the people
have a right to ask and demand that
there shall be no unjust discrimination
on the part of the railroads and that
the rights of the public shall be pro-
tected by law as far as this is possible,
yet the railroads have right to ask
that there shall be no injurious and OPP
pressive legislation on the part of the
representatives of the people. The OBJ
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-11-17
Hearing on the License Bill.

A public hearing on the Currier and Laird
license bills was held Monday evening. Rep
resentative Knapp of Middlebury said that
prohibition had been the states policy for
thirty-four years. Though considerable
friction has attended the execution of the
law, yet it has driven the liquor traffic I'M
der the sidewalks and into holes. There is
less drunkenness here than in the license
states 1t is generally conceded that with our
law, the temperance cause has made great
progress. 1t is not perfect success; but in
our small towns there is little or no sale of
liquor. If we have a license law it will
then be sold openly and freely, and every
man who exposes liquor for sale in its at
tractive forms is a corrupter of youth. The
same trouble would exist in the small towns
under a license law as now exists in the
larger towns under the prohibtory law. In
the latter there would be fewer to sell but
they will sell the more. We have no right
to license a wrong; and the people are not
prepared to say that you have right to
make criminals and paupers. The republic
can party is under obligation to sustain the
prohibition principle, which is right in the
sight of God.
Mr.. Laird said he did not intend local
option in his bill; it would work badly for
small towns. The people from these towns
come to Montpelier where there are plenty
of places where liquor is sold. A stringent
license law would shut up thirty or forty of
the places which are now selling. He
thought there was more illegal selling than
is generally supposed, and that the present
law is dead letter The question was now
free rum as it is or have il sold under some
restriction. He did not think the boys
would be so apt to form habits of drinking
if the liquor was sold openly rather than
secretly.
Mr., Currier said as to the licensing of the
liquor traffic, Vermont had been in the bust
mess over thirty years-furnishing the capt.
tai and the rum and 241 agents to do the
business. There were 100000 dozen bottles
of lager beer brought into the state last
year. If the prohbitory law had been
success, as claimed, why was it tinkered
every session? why has Michigan changed
from prohibition to license? No state had
ever returned to prohibition from license,
We have tried prohibition thirty years and
it has failed of its purpose; now let MS try
something else and if il does not work we
can return to the present system. He wanted
liquor to be put under such restrictions as
to make its sale Improbable, BY the con-
fessions of its friends prohibition has not
been success, and there has not been
legislature for the past twenty years that
has not tried TO make the law more effective.
After some further remarks by Mr.. Knapp
the hearing was adjourned.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-11-17

legations are reciprocal. The railroads
are bound to deal equitably and fairly by
all classes of their patrons, but the law
should leave the railroads free to apply
the same broad business principles to
their management which govern other
kinds of enterprise. Al best there are
inherent difficulties in the problem.
How to provide an adequate remedy
for the protection of the general public
interests, without doing injury by arbi-
trary interference with the vast and
complex mechanism through which
transportation and interchange of pro-
ducts is effected, is a problem with
which the railroad committees of the
legislature now have to deal. 1t is of
the greatest importance to all the in
terests involved that the proposed legis-
lation should be carefully considered,
and we trust that the conclusions of the
committees will be such as to merit the
approval of all fair-minded people
throughout the state.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-11-17
Railroad Commission Bill Hearing.

The continued hearing on the railroad
commission bills before the joint committee
was held in the senate chamber November
10Th Judge Poland appeared in behalf of
the house bill presented by him, but no OPP
position was developed against it. Notice
was given that the bill presented by Mr..
Knapp of Middlebury would be opposed.
Mr. Higbee then read defense of his bill,
directing his remarks somewhat sharply to
Mr.. Writers. Read present law at length to
prove that it was about the same thing as is
embraced in section three of his bill.
Chairman Marsh then called upon Gov
ernor j. Gregory Smith. Governor Smith
said he did not think any railroad manager
in the state objected to the main features of
any of the bills under consideration The
only disagreement and the only question is
one of method. Had not yet heard of any
reason for the enactment of any different
law than that now in force, 1t has been for
many years the practice of the Legislature to
leave the questions involving the rights of
the people and the roads to the supreme
court There was a remedy for every pos
sible question that might arise. Whatever
complaint you have to make, go to the SUI
preme court, make it, obtain an order and it
will be Immediately enforced. No COM
plants come from any one who has any di-
rect interest in the proper operation of a
railroad; whatever complaints there are,
come from parties who are not in IA position
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-11-17
Laws and their Enforcement.

The report of the special senate COM
mittee on the license bill certainly furn-
ishes much food for thought. 1t is
found that, after a trial of thirty-four
years, the prohibitory liquor laws of the
state are as yet but partially enforced,
and in some towns and villages not at
all. Now law in the abstract is not
an effectual barrier against the acts of
evil-doers. Even with the most strin-
gent laws and the most perfect means
of executing them that human inge-
nuity can devise, there will continue to
be violations of the law by great num-
Der of evil-disposed persons. But in
fractions of the law can be diminished, if
not altogether prevented, by its strcter
enforcement. The means provided for
enforcement are as Intellectual as an I'M
enforced law unless there is power
behind this means against which it is
unsafe to rebel. That power is the
moral sense of the community. Off
GERS of the law will become Indifferent
to the discharge of the responsible duty
laid upon them if they see that their
acts and their lack of action are alike
disregarded by the people whom they
serve. The people suffer this thing to
go on until ii becomes unbearable; then,
without rejecting that they are prima-
rily responsible for it, and that the
remedy is in their own hands, they APP
peal to the legislature for relief. In the
case of the prohibitory law, it has been
repeatedly strengthened by more strin-
gent provisions and new methods of
execution. But no law ever enforces
itself, nor will an officer of the law be
Jealous in regard to its enforcement
unless he finds there is watchful and
active public sentiment in favor of
strctness. The common excuse for in
difference to the violations of certain
statutes is that everybody is too busy
with his private affairs to devote special
attention to public matters. 1t is
pleaded that what is everybody's bust
ness is nobody's business, and so a
large proportion of people resolutely
shut their eyes to what is going on
about'them. 1t is found that a large
number of citizens prefer to pay an ex-
cessive tax for the support of crimi-
nails and paupers rather than to devote
any time to the enforcement of laws
that are designed to prevent the growth
of these burdensome classes. All forms
of vice can be made odious when the
community in which they exist will
make unsparing use of the means which
have been placed in their hands for
this purpose. AS public sentiment
makes the laws, so public sentiment
must be relied upon to enforce them.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-11-17
Hearing on Wire Fences.

The hearing before the agricultural COM
mittee Thursday evening was an interesting
one, the question of wire fence being con-
sidered. One bill before the committee pro-
vided that all wire fence on the highway and
between owners, should be four strands and
have a pole or board on the top of the fence.
The other bill, that legal wire fence should
be four and one-half feet high, of five wires
stretched at not more than eleven inches
from the ground, or from each other. Gen
eral Ripley of Mendon spoke against wire
fence-of its damage to fine stock, its fail
ure to restrain stock, as ordinarily built, es-
pecially sheep, and suggested some meas
ure to regulate the distance of wires from
each other and the ground. Senator Baker
of Rutland spoke of the fence law. A fence,
to answer the law now in force, must be at
least four and one-half feet high, and of such
character as to restrain the stock sought to
be restrained under ordinary circumstances.
A fence against cattle only, would be a suf-
ficent fence if it answered its purpose, but
would not be lawful fence if sheep were
to run next to and be restrained by such
fence. Mr.. Peck of Brookfield thought
wire fence had come to stay, but thought
some measure of protection to stock neces-
sary. Mr.. Hammond of Middlebury had
used wire fence and never sustained dam
age from its use: would prefer wire fence
to a picket fence; had a colt killed
on picket fence last year Senator Cha
pin said he had about a thousand acres
of land in the adjoining town of Mid
dleseX, so poor that it would not bear a
mortgage even, and it would be hardship
to compel the owners of such lands to build
and maintain such fences as the bill re-
quired, and which We're not required in
many places: thought the farmers could
manage their fences without any legislation.
Several other gentlemen spoke on the ques-
ton, some relating instances where death or
severe injury resulted from wire fence, some
advocating its use from experience. The
committee did not consider the question
after the testimony was in, but will consider
and report at some later day.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-11-17
The General Result.

After several days of suspense, the
country is beginning to get more def
mite information concerning the re-
suits of the recent elections, though in
a few cases the official count will be re-
quired to settle disputed claims. The
states in which the republicans were
successful in electing their state tickets
were Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsyl-
vania, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas,
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Mich
igan and Nevada. The democrats
elected state officers in New York, New
Jersey, Colorado, Delaware, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ten
nessee, Texas and West Virginia.
In New Hampshire and Connecticut
there was no choice of state officers
by the people, but the republican can
didates will be elected by the legis-
latures, in both of which the repub-
licans have a decided majority. In
California the election is so close that
only the official returns will determine
the result. In the other states of the
Union Except Maine, Vermont and
Oregon) the elections were for men,
bers of congress and members of the
legislature only.
The political complexion of the
United States senate in the next con-
gress is still in doubt. In the present
senate there are forty-two republicans
and thirtv-fOur democrats. The latter
have gained the senatorship in Indiana,
and the republicans one in Nevada.
Both parties are still claiming the con-
troll of the legislatures in New Jersey
and California, and according to the
latest reports the chances are slightly
in favor of the republicans. But if
both should be conceded to the demo-
Gratis the republicans would still have
two majority in the new senate, count
ing Rddleberger of Virginia with
them.
The general result of the elections
for the house of representatives were
decidedly favorable to the republicans.
There is the prospect of half a dozen
or more contested seats, but the re-
turns, official and unofficial, indicate
the election of one hundred sixty-eight
democrats, one hundred fifty-four re-
publicans and two labor men. This is
conceding all to the democrats that
they claim, but it is probable that in
two or three districts where the result
is still in dispute the official count may
elect the republican candidates. In'any
case the democrats will not have over
twelve majority, and it may be less than
ten. In the present house the demo-
cratic majority is forty-one. In one
respect the republicans will have large
advantage in the next congress. Nearly
all of their leading members in the
present congress have been returned,
while the democrats lose seriously in
prominent members, either through
their voluntary retirement or their de-
feat in conventions and at the polls.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-11-17
The Two Sides.

The claims made in behalf of high
license as temperance agency are that
it gives to the licensing towns and
municipalities more revenue; that it
decreases the number of saloons: that
it improves their character; that it
checks and decreases the drinking evil;
and that it marks progress in the d.
rection of prohibition as an ultimate
end. These claims are founded upon
the workings of the high license laws
of Illinois and Nebraska. On the other
hand, in recent issue of the Indepen-
dent, DIR. Herrck johnson, while adj
hitting that the first of the claims as
to revenue is well founded, does not
admit this of the others:
AS to the claim that the character of the
saloons has been bettered, the reverse is
true. DR.. Johnson finds that "t the saloons
closed were the most orderly the least
patronized, and the least Objectionable in
the city, being those commonly attached to
groceries in sparsely settled sections, or
where bar was kept for the convenience
of local customers; that the gilded saloons
are all running as usual every low dive has
been kept in full blast, Chicago's Black
Hole is as black as ever, and all along the
main arteries and thronged ways of the
city not saloon has been closed" He
finds from the statistics also that high
license has resulted in no perceptible de-
crease in drinking or drunkenness, while it
is "a hindrance to, rather than a step toward
prohibition. The larger the revenue to the
state from the saloon the more the saloon
becomes a power in politics and legislation,
Under high license Illinois derives nearly
five millions of dollars revenue from the
saloon. A vote for prohibition is a vote to
throw this away. This fact operates against
prohibition sentiment. This increase of
revenue is the only claim that holds good
| --------s~S
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-11-17
Notes and Opinions.

THE Montpelier argus shows its
great qualification in not being COM
pletely annihilated in the late elections
by exhibiting its biennial roosters and
chickens. -Messenger
The valued policy bill is doomed to
defeat, unless we are very much mis-
taken. The law has not proved bene-
fetal, on the whole, in New Hamp-
shire.-Monchester Journal.
OUR idea is that the present prohib-
tory law is good enough if there were
some better facilities for its enforce
ment. The trouble with much of our
criminal legislation is that in our desire
to protect the innocent we make it diff
fcult to punish the guilty.-West Ran
doph Herald and NerS.
PROFESSOR PETER COLLIER, the sor-
ghum sugar advocate, after another
years observation, adheres to his
former prediction that good merchant
able sugar from sorghum can be pro-
duced at cost of not over a cent a
pound, and says that the prediction has
been more than realized this year.
ACCORDING to the reports of railroad
construction published in the Roil,coy
Age, the year 1856 bids fair to be one
of the most marked in our history for
railroad building and will probably sur
pass every other for sound progress.
The number of miles will be exceeded
by those of few years in which ac-
tivity was greatly stimulated by specu-
latiOn.
WHAT will become of the labor par
TVS vote in 1886 cannot, of course, be
predicted with any certainty; but it is
certain that if most or much of the
Democratic part of it is withheld from
the democratic candidate in 1888, it
will much more than offset the prohi-
bition republican vote withheld from
the republican candidate. -Ne,o York
San.
! CONTRARY to sentiment which
seems to be gaining ground in the
minds of some people, it requires high
degree of ability to be a successful ras-
cal. Few men, whatever estimate
they may have of themselves, have any
reason to expect success in that direc-
ton. rockingham, the Adams express
robber, furnishes case in point. He
thought himself smart enough to steal
S125,000 and charge the crime to Jim
Cummings" or somebody else. He
tried it and is now on the road to the
penitentiary to join good-sized COM
pany of other smart men who have GOT
there before him. Manchester Union.
THE Boston Evening Record advises
the Vermont legislature to enact the
Massachusetts railroad commission sys-
tenn and try it for two years and then
if it is found that something more after
the ron-clad style is wanted new
general assembly can supply it. We
are bound TO think this is good advice
because the Standard two or three
weeks ago advised the railroad commit
tees to edit the bills referred to them
down to the Massachusetts statue.
which has worked admirably there and
ought to be as salutary for us. 1t is
less Objectionable to the railroads than
the system now in force in some states
and it is said they will be content with
it. There is provision in one of the
bills before the Joint committee that
the commission shall prescribe system
of bookkeeping for the railroads, but
this is going too far and would prove