Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-11-12
The Division of Rutland.


Gus "Third House" of citizens of Rutland
is on the ground at Montpelier. The resi-
dents of the main village not in favor of
division have raised fund of thousand
dollars and employed lawyers and agents
to oppose the project. It's friends are not
without resources and counsel The con-
test is sharp and interesting one. The
main facts Of the case are easily stated.
The town of Rutland with its three or
four thriving villages and centres of bust
ness has outgrown the stage where its
affairs can be wisely or well managed in
town meeting or under the town system.
Attempts to secure a city organization
have failed, and efforts to reduce friction
by division iuto wards and multiplying
voting places, have brought no adequate
relief, The villages of West Rutland and
Proctor, four and six miles away from
Rutland village, ask to be incorporated rs
separate towns in order that they may
manage their own affairs in their own
way. The main village objects because
the other villages pay more into the town
treasury than they take out, and because
its citizens fancy that its consequence will
be lessened by the reduction of population.
If the two villages are set off Rutland Will
have in round numbers IA population of
5000, West Rutland 5000 and Proctor 2OOO
Among the fairest and most fOrcible of
the communications on the subject which
fill the Rutland papers, are two by Gen.
w. Y. W. Ripley. Identified all his life
with Rutland, having large property inter
ests and thoroughly loyal to his town as
any man in it a long headcd and clear
sighted man of business, his views cannot
but carry great weight. He favorS the
division of the town, because the sections
which ask to be set off are fit and able to
manage their own affairs; because they will
be greatly benefited by the change; be-
cause their prosperity will still enure to
the benefit of tie remaining portion land
because no disadvantages will accrue to
the latter which will not be overbalanced
by the advantages. In sustaining these
points he shows that West Rutland and
Proctor are each compact, self sustaining
communities, homogeneous in their pop
ulation, largely isolated from each other
and the rest. Proctor depends upon Rut-
land for nothing but the town clerks
office, the banks and the tax gatherer. He
says
The division will make of those people
better men and better citizens than they
are to. day. They have their own churches
aud pastors their schools are ample and
as good as any the amount of school
money taken from the public treasury in
dcateS better average attendance of
scholars than in the village of Rutland
their stores are ample for their need, but
of this take little account for they are
| like other people and will buy where they
h1y .h "a nj.
flee and telegraph office and in fact all the
requisites of Il self-suppOrting town they
have had their full share of growth within
the past few years and it has not been at
the expense of any other portion of the
town, but a healthy growth within them
selves and due to their own thrift
1t seems to me that prestige does not &C
crue as acres grow in number and de
crease | should be sorry to think that,
in the State OF Vermont, prestige depends
upon wealth. No, 1t is men and not dol
| lars or acres that give towns prestige and
leadership. Have we of Rutland been
| able to send always our best and abiest
men to the Legislature We have sent
able and honest men, but they themselves
would admit That in the quality of leader
! ship, the quality of which makes prestige,
| there We're men who were their superiors
but whose candidacy would have been
| hopeless. We have been hOnorably and
| ably represented, but we have not furnish
ed the leaders of the lower house for many
| years.
We have As square miles of territory,
with diversified Industries. The marble
production is confined to the part seeking
separation the east side never had it and
never can but it will not be removed
fr m the place where the marble is found,
whether we divide or not. The people
engaged in its production Will still re-
main Just where they are now they will
. ! ont md n ~ pl nd la. plp al
their wants will be supplied from the
same farms, the same stores and shops as
now, provided the buyers can do as well
or better at those places than they can at
others, and not otherwise, whether we
divide or not. | see no danger to the
business of East Rutland rs IA result of
division that does not already exist. East
Rutland is amply able to take care of it
self and will do so, | am sure, whether
the town is divided or not. | said at the
outset that desired the prosperity of all
parts of the town, and every school dis
trict in it, and suppose that we all agree
in that, but will that general prosperity
be injurlously affected by division When
two partners disagree and quarrel, Is moi
loss of trade and profit the inevitable re
suit to those menf Is it not better that
they should dissolve their partnership
amcably and each go his own way Does
1t not result in increased activity and
vigor on the part of BOTH and does not
their separate endeavor produce larger
volume of business than when they were
yoked together against their will And
Is not that our condition
West Rutland and Proctor are and have
2 been for years growing FESTIVE and I'M
easy. If you give them their heads, vii
not their work be more heartily done If
perchance they should develop into more
important communities than they are
now, will they not remain in the same
e geographical relation To Rutland as now
T. and will not those dotted lines on the MAJ
which we call our town boundaries con
tain, on the whole II larger and happier
population as II result of that develop
2 ment
e Does the prestige of Rutland consist en-
! tirely in its larger population If the
/ town is divided the east side Will have
B., only POS less voters on its check list than
i its only rival, Burlington, and If we dc
e not overtake and again pass Burlington
t within two years, we are not the people
!, we think ourselves to be.
Division will not injure the east side
Z and if perchance some portion of the gen
i eral growth of the town should go t