The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-02-10
Notes and Opinions.

garia for war indemnity from Servia.
THE President announces his inten-
ton of adhering to the views expressed
in his message to congress on the silver
question.
IT is apparent that the lower branch
of congress is more interested in presi-
dent-making than in making laws
Traveller.
THE Spanish cabinet has abolished
the privileges of Jesuits and religious
schools and restored state supervision
over education.
IT is estimated that the amount neces-
sary to pay the claims which would
arise under the bill to repeal the limi-
tation clause of the arrears of pensions
act would be $219, 1867 300.
THE bill for the admission of Dakota
passed the senate on Friday by vote
of thirty-two to twenty-five. The only
democrat voting in the affirmative was
Senator Voorhees, of Indiana.
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND is said to
have grown tired of hearing the Marine
Band play Hail to the Chief" Cheer
up, Mr.. President, you'll only have to
listen to it three years re.-Tribune.
IT is said that the President has de-
termined to stand by the attorney-gen-
eral in the telephone matter, and Mr.
Garland's withdrawal from the cabinet
will now depend upon his own wishes
A PROMINENT free-trade advocate
appeared before an audience, a few
days ago, in a suit of clothes which
cost him $3.50. Does this show a me-
cessity for immediate reduction of the
tariff ?-Providence Star.
THE Greek government replies to
the Powers in a bellicose mood, and
declines responsibility for an eventual
conflict if obstacles are offered to the
free disposal of the Hellenic forces in
compatible with Greek independence.
THE daily expenses of congress are
at present SIG, 900. A day in each house
occupied in eulogies on a deceased mem
Der costs the country $4,000. The
funeral expenses of deceased senator
or representative costs the country from
$4,000 to $4,000.
THE annual meeting of the National
Agricultural and Dairy Association, of
which Hon. N. T. Sprague of Brandon
is president, will be held in New York
February 1918. Among the topics to
be discussed are Bogus Butter, En-
silage, Fish Culture and the Silver
Question.
THE administration has been in eX-
istence one month less than a year,
during which time rascalities and scan
dals have come to light perpetrated by
the new occupants that quite equal the
sum of the whole charged against the
republicans in the entire term of their
occupancy.-Pittsburg Times.
Mr.. CIRCUIT of Vermont will speak
in opposition to the Fitz-J ohm Porter
bill. - One of the most noted re-
publicans of Vermont expresses the
opinion that B. B. Smalley will be con-
firmed as collector of Burlington and
that Mr.. Edmunds will not vote against
him.-Jourhal Washington Special.
THE statement that Russia, amid the
rigors of winter, is actually engaged in
the movement of army corps and bag
gage trains towards her frontiers does
not give an assurance of peace in the
spring. The question has to be settled,
before long, whether Russian or Aus
trian influence shall predominant in the
southeast of Europe.
THE fellow that could contrive
the story that DR.. Nichols and Warren
Gibbs of the republican state commit
tee had given affidavits against General
Wells for I" offensive partisanship is
capable of lying upon any subject,
poisoning his neighbours cattle, stealing
sheep or robbing hen-roosts. Warren
Gibbs has never been approached upon
the matter, much less has made afl-
davits against General Wells or any
body else.-St. Adams Messenger.
WHEN it is remembered that the war
of 1912 closed over seventy years ago,
surprise may be well excited that tn ere
should now be more than twenty thou
sand pensioners on the rolls, of whom
seventeen thousand two hundred and
twelve are widows. AT what age did
they marry, and are soldiers widows
exceptionally endowed with long lives ?
Exact answers to these questions would
furnish interesting information, and
might reduce the number of pension
ers.-Sun.
GENERAL DAVID HUNTER, who died
in Washington last week, aged fifty
eight years, presided over the court
martials in the two famous cases of Fitz-
John Porter and Mrs. Surratt. While in
command of the department of the
South, in 1862, he created sensation
by issuing proclamation freeing the
slaves in Georgia, South Carolina and
Florida, but President Lincoln was not
then prepared to proclaim emancipa-
ton and General Hunters action was
reDu1iated