The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-09-01

Press consistent in this thing. 1t
realizes that the advocacy of temper
ance principles is not compatible with
its support of Mr.. Edmunds.
THE Rural Humbug continues to ride
its hobby of railroad commission, coupled
most absurdly with the Edmunds issue,
but inasmuch as the people of the state
have determined to have the commits
sion and give it fair trial and the rail-
way managers of the state, with the
exception of three or four prominent
Edmunds men, will not oppose it, the
Rural Hunlb,g would seem to be wasting
good deal of space to little purpose.
THE Tribune says of Mr.. Blaine's
active campaign work: "This is not
unusual for him, as he has always
given such assistance as he could to
the party in its campaigns in this state.
Now that he is private citizen, he feels
it as incumbent upon him to do what he
can to promote republican principles as
when he was an oflice-holder. In do
ing this he sets an example that some
other men who have been prominent
in public life might perhaps follow with
advantage"
A SHORT time since we made the re-
mark that the anti-Edmunds movement
in Vermont was about dead, but since
that time we have seen and heard sew
eral things which tend to convince us
that it is rather lively corpse. Anti
Edmunds republicans are growing more
plenty every day in this section, and
this seems to be the case all over the
state. They are beginning to think
that the safety of the country does not
depend entirely on the reelection of
Edmunds.- North Star.
ONE of the great reasons why Camp,
AM, of the Cypress bolted the head of
the republican county ticket four years
ago was because the partner of the
first named gentleman on the ticket
was an alleged taX-dodger that year.
Probably Camp in his admirable con-
sistency would not for moment sup
port Senator Edmunds if he realized
the fact that the senator refused to
make out his list in Burlington that
same year, and in consequence was
doubled by the assessOrs.-NOrth Troy
Palladium.
THE Free Press has this headline:
"Mr. Edmunds cannot be spared"
This is the principal reason given by
his supporters why he should be re-
elected. But the country has managed
to get along somehow without Webster,
Clay, Lincoln, Garfield, Conkling and
scores of other men who were eminent
political leaders in their time, and Ed
munds' retirement would not be an
| irreparable disaster. If Mr.. Edmunds
should die would Vermont 90 unrepre-
sented in the senate? The fact is that
no man is absolutely indispensable.
THE st. Johnsbury Republican has
the extreme hardihood to deny that
Edmunds is an Incorporate mana
fact that is well known to its editor, to
every public man in the state and to
thousands of people all over the coun-
try. Not many weeks ago a promi-
nent republican in another county
(who is now candidate for the state
senate) remarked that if the temper
ance people of the state were consist
ent with their professions Senator Ed
munds could not be reelected. What
did he mean by that remark? The Re
publican cannot dispose of the disgrace
full fact by denouncing it as false and
absurd.
EDMUNDs has deservedly lost infu-
ence by his needless, clumsy contro-
versy with the President about the ap-
pointments; by his impracticable re-
form bill, which would make it impos-
sible for president to get rid of a
worthless otfice-holder without an APP
peal to the courts. Mr.. Edmunds does
not seem to comprehend that /" there is
no more reason to invoke the courts to
remove postmaster or an Indian agent
than to remove messenger of the
senate" Senator Edmunds made
worse blunder, which has Justly cost
him the confidence of the people, when
he smothered Beck's bill against corpo-
ration lawyers practicing in the senate.
Senator Edmunds is rapidly declining
in popular and public esteem.
Portland Oregonian.
THE editor of the Rural Humbug has
been writing to the editor of the Nashua
On. H. Telegraph in regard to the cor
rectness of the information recently
given to the WATCHMAN by New Hamp-
shire gentlemen concerning the work
ings of the railway commission in that
state. The editor of the Telegraph
makes much better showing for the
value of the commission than we have
had from other sources, but as he is one
of the salaried commissioners his views
may not be wholly destitute of bias.
He says the expense has been less
than $4,000 annually, exclusive of
printing the annual report. He admits
that though the commissioners have
made some forty decisions and investi-
cations " they have not worked any
extraordinary results" still he says
their work has been measurably sue
cessful.