davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28

high grounds of public right and JUS
tice. We are human and share in the
human tendency to do unto others as
one isdone by--and a little better, If
one is able. And in this matter of the
Grand Isle bridge appropriation, we
have no pride of opinion. We can
bow gracefully to defeat in an arbitra-
ment of cause by fair and honorable
means; but share fully in the natural
wrath one feels, who, believing he is
right, and, conscious of rectitude of
purpose, finds himself overborne by
abhorrent and forbidden forces"
The moral aspects of this bridge con-
test aside, overlooking well-grounded
charges of corrupt means employed, of
deals and combines, to secure the
paltry majority of one, the state has
been committed to a policy of public
expenditure the end of which no man
can foretell. In every county of the
state probably, except Grand Isle,
towns have been bonded to aid in build
ing railways. The duty and obligation
of the state to reimburse these towns in
part, if not in whole, has long been dis
cussed and measure embodying
this proposition is now before the legis-
lature. Selfshness is inherent in the
human heart If the communities
which have incurred heavy debts to
aid in building railways which have
been, it is undeniable, of great benefit
to adjacent communities and the state
at large, believe they can persuade the
state to assume part or all of this
debt, it was consistent with human ma
ture that they should make the attempt.
Apowerful precedent, an unanswerable
precedent, has been established in the
passage of the Grand Isle bridge bill
unanswerable unless the facts al
legged in the history of the passage
of the bill by the house shall be
found to be true and attaint the prece-
dent The argument in favor of the
Grand Isle appropriation holds good
and has even greater force in the mat
ter of reimbursing these railway towns.
They can plead strong precedent,
and presidents are apt to be conclusive
in questions of justice.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28
Cabinet Making.

Suppose Mr.. Harrison - no great
stretch of the Imagination either
should inform the leaders of his party
that he has a proper regard for the
army of broken-down political hacks
the machine men, place hunters who
want to get call four feet in the
trough" artful dodgers and vote-buy-
ers-and will always be glad to receive
them in social way at the White
House, but that they can have no
official position in the government of
the country. OF course there would be
CONFUSION and profanity immeasur-
able and deep-mouthed execrations,
but sixty millions of people-not count
ing the aforementioned politicians
would feel as though they had been
struck in the face by long and joyful
thanksgiving day. No important Of
fees, no cabinet positions in payment
of services rendered irrespective of the
ability to fill them; business men to
conduct a business administration;
sound Judge with national reputation
for the attorney-generalship; a man of
affairs-to be easily had in any section
of the country - for the treasury;
lopg-headed, clean-handcd gentleman
for the state epartment-not a politi-
clan who would make the interests of
the country dance like a pea on hot
shovel in order to show how brilliant
and dashing and devil may care he can
be; and for the other chairs worthy
citizens who do not drip with the slush
and slime of political corruption.-N
York Herald.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28

E. F. PALMER, Esq, of Waterbury
is chosen state superintendent of edu-
cation under the new school law. Mr..
Palmer is graduate of Dartmouth
College. A lawyer by profession and a
man of scholarly tastes and habits, he
is nevertheless ready and effective
speaker and has the power of impress
ing himself upon an audience. He
has been reporter of supreme court
proceedings for eight years and has
twice represented Waterbury in the
general assembly. We have had occa-
sion to commend him for his manlness,
independence and ability in the per-
Torrance of his legislative duties and
we expect to be able to say as much or
more of his discharge of the RESPONSE
BILE duties of the office to which he
has now been elected. His fellow
members have signally rewarded worth
and merit And we heartily congratu-
late him upon this flattering recogni-
ton of his ability and character.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28
The Bridge Issue.

1t is very evident that Vermont is
not yet packed away in the pigeon
hole of a Montpelier newspaper office,
and that it may be depended upon to
do what is right" How brightly the
moon does shine when the Messenger
ring is in the ascendant. 1t is very
true that Vermont is not "packed
away in the pigeon-hole of Mont
pelier newspaper office" The state of
Vermont cannot be in two pigeon-holes
at the same time, and the Messenger is
only too good and swift witness as to
where the state of Vermont is not.
When the people of Vermont are left
to their own convictions of justice, we
believe they may be 4" depended upon
to do what is right y; but the particular
instance which inspires the MesSenger'S
dangerous praise is one of which, in
the light of later developments and ac-
cumulating testimony, Vermont will
hardly feel exceeding proud.
The ground of the WATCHNIAN's oppo-
sition to the Grand Isle bridge appro-
priation has been freely disclosed. We
have had no personal interest to serve.
Personal interest was on the other side.
Pecuniary consideration was offered for
the WATCHMAN's support. We have
opposed the appropriation on public
grounds. The answer to such reasons
as were given in the JOURNAL was
the circulation of report, by the prime
manager of the bill in the legislature,
that the editor was opposing the APP
preparation covertly, in the disguise of
correspondent, and that he was
influenced by unworthy considerations.
The answer of the measures chief
newspaper supporter was sneers and
inuendoes of a personal characteristic
customary reply of the railways to ar
guments in cases where the rights of
the people and the freedom of the rail-
ways from state control or interference
are concerned. In this sort of warfare
there were blows to give as well as re-
ceive, and possibly we owe the WATCH
MAN readers apology for being betrayed
by annoying and bitter personal attacks
from the straight line of opposition on
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28
Thanksgiving Day.

By the proclamation of the president
of the United States and of our state
governor we are called upon to observe
the Goth day of November as day of
Thanksgiving to God for his mercies
and blessings during another year.
This observance, which has come down
to us from our fathers, was first insti-
tuted in recognition of Gods providence
in saving the suffering colonists from
starvation. 1t was an expression of
their deep religious sentiment, of their
belief in the government of loving
Heavenly Father who takes knowledge
of and ministers to the wants of his
children. The day has come, besides
its public religious character, to be
especially sacred to the home and to
the cultivation of family social ties. 1t
is day of the reunion of divided fami
lies, when sons and daughters return to
the old homestead, perchance bringing
their children with them, to revive the
scenes of early life, to quicken and give
expression to their fiial affection to
their parents which grows more sacred
as the years pass away. Or, perhaps,
father and mother, whose locks are
silvered with age, are joyfully welcomed
to the homes of their children and made
glad at the festive board by the sweet
voices and reverent love of grandchil-
dren. Thanksgiving day, of all the
days in the year, is sacred to remem-
brance of providential mercies, of the
good hand of God in leading us in the
untried path of life and in ordaining
those sweet ties that bind US together
in families and as kindred. Its coming
is greatly needed in many families,
where the pressure of necessary or
assumed business separates the father
from his family during the daytime of
all the secular days of the week so that
he hardly has any opportunity to be-
come acquainted with his children. He
seldom sits with them except at meals
or on Sunday. To such families it
would be well if Thanksgiving, with its
social cheer and exalting of the home,
could come more than once a year.
While Christianity has done wonders
in exalting the family, modern civiiza-
ton, with its competition, unrest,
devotion to wealth and fashion and
individualizing tendencies has done
much to prevent the formation of new
homes and TO lead to the disintegration
of those already formed. There is
greatly needed higher cultivation of
conjugal, parental and filial love, that
every home may be the dearest place
on earth-a type of the home above.
Thanksgiving day should light up these
homes with new love, efface all differ
ences between kindred, and knit in
closer bands those who are of one blood
and should be of one heart.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28
Political Notes.

OUR hearty congratulations to Mr..
Daniel Lamont. How would BENJAMIN
Harrison Morton Lamont do for a
name? 1t would be regarded as an act
of great courtesy, bringing the outgo-
ing and the incoming administrations
into very tender and pleasant relations
You southern democrats who are
now leading the " forlorn hope" of
the second Z" lost cause, you may
possibly succeed in monkeying with
the votes for congressman and give
your side an apparent majority, and so
organize the house. You may do So
but so sure as you had Fredericks-
burg, just so sure will you have an APP
pomattoX.
THE democratic majority in the Old
Dominion is dropping down to the
vanishing point In the late election
Cleveland's vote was 15l ,977; Harri-
sons, l50,442; Cleveland's plurality,
! .535 In 1884, Cleveland had 49,
497; Blaine, 139 ,356. Cleveand's pu-
rality, GAL; democratic loss in four
years, 4,606. Unquestonably an cleo
ton as fair as is held in the North gen
orally would give the republicans a
large majority in Virginia.
KANSAS is getting to be called the
banner republican state, and so she is
if we only regard the magnitude of her
majority; but it should not be forgotten
that the vote of Kansas is three or four
times that of Vermont. If one stops to
consider that the percentage of the re-
publican vote of Vermont, as compared
with her total vote, is larger than that
of any other state, he should concede
that Vermont, and not Kansas, is the
true banner republican state.
THE complete returns of the vote of
Vermont for president give Harrison
1912 Cleveland, 16,7S9 Fisk, ,497,
Making Harrison's plurality 2S,404.
Four wears ago Blaine's vote was 80 ,5l4,
Cleveland, II 1881, st. John, 1852, But
Ter, 7S5. Cleveand's vote in 1888 is
543 smaller than four years ago, not
withstanding the fact that there was no
Butler diversion, and Fisk's is 293
smaller. Democracy and its consort,
political prohibition, can mingle their
tears.
DOES it seem strange that in Indiana
ten democrats were elected to congress
and only three republicans? This is
the way it happened. The same legis-
lature which gave Turpie the seat in
the United States senate to which Ben.
Harrison was clearly entitled so gerry
wandered the congressional districts of
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28
5aattbman & Journal.
To Our Subscribers.

During the summer months national poll
tics monopolized newspaper space and ed
itorial attention. During the fall the legis-
lative session and subjects of discussion in
cident to this biennial event have had the
right of way almost to the exclusion of the
domestic and agricultural, local and miscel-
laneous departments of the paper. We re-
joice at the opportunity, which will come
with our next issue, of resuming the even
tenor of the journalistic way We assure
our readers that renewed efforts will be
made to give fresh interest, variety and at
Effectiveness to every department of the
paper. We thank our friends for the pa
thence they have shown during this long
departure from the accustomed paths of
newspaper work. We shall try to repay
them by making the WATCHMAN in all re-
spects more acceptable and more welcome
TO their homes.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28

IN 1882 the appropriation bill re-
ported by the ways and means COM
mittee called for $685. 900 for the sue
ceeding biennial term; in 1884, 1886 900;
in 1886, 1886, 900; IN 1883, 81 $50, 900.
Here in nutshell is the story of the
evolution of what the st. Adams Mes
Senger with more truth than irony
is pleased to characterize as "the
profigacy inaugurated by the legisla-
ture of 1884, followed up in 1885," and
against the repetition " of which the re-
viled WATCHMAN uttered its warning.
Here are "the sawdust scarecrow and
fallacious figures " for exposing
which" our guileless contemporary
"was turned upon and suggested as a
fit subject for kindergarten school,"
How do the " fallacy" and the scare
crow" appear in the light of the ways
and means committees report? And
the further fact that the twenty-cent
tax and the corporation tax will still
leave deficit of S350,000 to be sup
piled by borrowing? In addition to
the corporation tax, state tax of forty
cents-equivalent to seventy cents on
the list of 1SS0-would be required to
raise the money called for by the ways
and means committee for the current
biennial term. These will be found to
be rather matter-of-fact spooks.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28

THE Messenger returns to the subject
of the Grand Isle bridge in long and
windy article which is from beginning
to end, when the editor lights long
enough on this terrestrial ball to sight
a fact, tissue of misstatement and
misrepresentation. One thing at a
time, Mr.. Gibbs. When you put up
facts to verify your statement that
S437 900 is "nearly fifty per cent in ex-
cess of the whole expenses of the state
annually, for all purposes, and even in
the most expensive years. we may
ask you to verify some other statements.
Till then we have no time to spend on
your Authorizations. You won the
bridge fight by a majority of one,
through deals and combines, and we
leave you alone in your glory.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28

CHILD of Weybridge, Carpenter of
Waterford and Wheelock of Milton were
the authors, or reputed authors, of
bills pending before the legislature
for relieving the holders of mortgaged
real estate from taxation to the extent
of the amount of the mortgage debt
In the minor key of deepest distress
they have bewailed the burdens of tax
alton that are grinding the farmers into
the dust of the earth. But every one
of these apostles of impossible meas
ures for relieving their class at the
expense of some other class was found
voting Thursday to give some five dol
lars to every man, woman and child of
Grand Isle county, the garden land of
the state, and to put this additional
burden upon the backs of their groan-
ing comrades. Verify, Consistency,
thou art a jewel" To a person of
common sense, one way to help an over
burdened man would be to cease add
ing to his burdens.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28
of the legislature to act upon his very
wholesome suggestions.

THE Rutland Herald says: "The in
terstate commerce commission Colonel
Walker giving the opinion) has decided
in the case of Slater against the North
ern Pacific that free transportation
issued in the form of an annual pass to
a person not in the regular and stated
service of the carrier, nor receiving any
wages, or salary under a contract of
employment, but requested by him as
compensation for throwing in its way
what business he conveniently could, is
illegal" Governor Ormsbee and Gov
ernor Dillingham; recommended incor-
poratng into the law of the state the
provisions of this interstate act, but the
railway committees blocked the progress
of this measure of reform. And now
the st. Adams Messenger SCOTS, but the
supporters of a just measure are in
good company-and it will be more
numerous some time.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28

indhO hohiIJ acknowledgements VI ohO
very favorable reception the WATCH
MAN has received at the hands of the
members of the general assembly. 1t has
not always been able to agree with the
assembled wisdom and virtue," col
lectively or individually; but that is not
saying that they were wrong or we were
right, and we should be unwilling, with
the light now at hand, to admit that
the converse of this statement is true.
We have endeavored to be candid
in the presentation of facts and
in the expression of opinions on
such public matters as we have deemed
it our right and duty to discuss,
and which we have felt justified in
discussing. Unless a public journal
shall espouse neither side to public
question, shall become a nonentity, it
must inevitably sometimes antagonize
individual or associated interests; and
the antagonism may become exceeding
sharp without necessarily possessing
the element of personal unfriendliness.
We have put all personal considera-
tons under foot and sought to pursue
the course demanded by just regard
for the best welfare of all the people of
the state, and the many expressions of
approval which have come to us leave
no room to doubt that the WATCHMAN
has won, as it has tried to deserve,
popular confidence.
This legislature has appropriated
larger sum of money in time of pro-
found peace than any of its predeces-
sors. The season has been one of I'M
usual Universities to the farmers of the
state, and it is q cause of regret that
under these unfavorable circumstances
"the burdens of taxation" always
onerous, should be materially increased.
The people had right to expect that
the resolutions of the republican state
convention and the recommendation
of the retiring and the incoming gov
errors in respect of certain railway mat
tiers would receive the affirmative ac-
ton of the legislature. The neglect
of the general assembly to meet this
issue will be a serious disappointment
to the public. In this respect and in
the amount of the appropriations made
there is likely to be some dissatisfaction
Al. A l.
In respect of public measures that
have become laws, the school bill takes
the first rank. 1t makes very radical
change in certain conspicuous features
of school administration. Knowing
the conservative disposition of Yer
mont people, one feels surprised that
the state could be induced to take what
we believe is a very important step
forward. In the matter of temperance,
the law leaving it discretionary with
the court to make Imprisonment the
penalty for the first offense for unlaw-
full sale of liquor is in the line of Gov
ernor Dillingham's recommendation
If enforced and the court does its duty,
the prohibitory law will become terror
to rumsellers. The appropriation of
81 900 annually for the dairyman's as
ISOLATION and the creation of a COM
mission to look after the states in
dustrial interests are important steps
in the right direction. The project to
erect state asylum for the insane has
long been considered and the necessity
for its adoption overrode the financial
objections to the measure at this time.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28

as to tempt democratic fraud to under
take the task of wiping it out. The
conspiracy will not succeed. Chairman
Quay's vigiant eye and resolute spirit
will guard and defend the fruits of vic
tory. In his significant challenge to
the democratic governors and the clerk
of the house he says: They are not
dealing with children or old women.
The republican party will hold with
mailed hand all that it fairly won on
November 6.n
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28

WATERBURY's representative, f. F.
Palmer, Esq, contested single-handed
and alone the passage of the Grand
Isle bridge appropriation against
the talking members of the house, and
was beaten at last by one vote. He
made an unanswerable argument
against the bill, but deals aud combines
are deaf to reason. Mr.. Palmer, how
ever, carries off the honors of the fight.
Vanquished, he is still the victor in the
highest sense, and has well earned the
respect and gratitude of his immediate
constituents and the people of the state
at LARGE.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28

GOVERNOR ORMsBEE said in his
valedictory, speaking of the act Great
ing the railway commission, " am
moved to suggest that if the act should
be so amended as to make it more in
accord with the provisions of the inter-
state commerce law of congress, includ-
ing some or all of the provisions of the
pending proposals of amendments
thereto; and so as to give further
power, authority and direction to the
commission to initiate and carry out
inquiries, examinations and proceed
ings in its discretion or otherwise,
upon its oDn motion, as to matters
which it may now investigate upon
complaint or petition,-the hands
of the commission would be strength
ened and its opportunities for correcting
real abuses or grievances, and demon
strating the want of actually as to sup
posed or imaginary ones, would be
thereby greatly enlarged" We are
sincerely glad to see the man who
wrote these words made a member Of
the railway commission. 1t may tC
some extent compensate for the failure
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28

The work of the session of 1888 was
practically completed Tuesday evening
The course of proceedings, with their
varying phases, has been fully re-
ported in this paper and there is little
that need be added at this time. AT
the outset, the publishers desire to
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-28

The Messenger having got $4,000 of
state aid for its corner of the state, at
tempts to kick down the ladder by which
confederate interests would ascend to
the fruition of their hopes--and their
rights, under the precedent the legis-
lature has established.
Wichita eagle., 1888-07-22

4 woman weighing about 215 pounds
plunged wildly around in frightfully dan
gerous manner on crowded street the 9th
er day. She was evidently looking for some
one, for she breathlessly gasped out:
Charles, Oh. Charles! Where has he
gone! Oh, CAarlesi"
Charles had been carried forward by the
crowd, and when he stopped a lamp post had
hidden him from view. When the big woman
saw him she plunged forward, fell heavily
on his thirteen-inch chest, crushing him
against the lamp post, and sobbed out:
"Oh-Charley my own - dear - hus-
band, ] lost sight Of you and ] was so
frightened at finding mysely alone in this
crowd You mustn't let yourself be car
ried away from your little girly again. You
know how timid l am, I'm so easily fright
ened-foolsh child that an r'-DStroit Free
Wichita eagle., 1888-07-22
4 Mistake Somewhere.

There has evidently been a mistake some
where. Mr.. Clevel2nd's free-trade policy
does not meet that enthusiastic popular ap-
proval which was expected. Take Oregon
by way of Illustration. In that State the
Democrats committed themselves TO a
square Endorsement of the President S
policy, and were confident of success, es-
pecially as they were literally supplied
with money raised from public officials in
the East and backed by all the power of
the Administration. The Republicans de-
clared for protection. and made straight
forward canvass ON that line. The election
came OH and the returns show remark
able Republican victory that party elect
ing their Congressman by 1000 majority,
and securing over seventy out of ninety
members Of the Legislature. So far as ap-
pears, the Democrats did not elect their
ticket in q single county Of the State Tho
defeat of the Democrats is all the more
annoying to the managers, because they
had hoped, by carrying the Legislature, to
secure control of the United States Senate
by the election of Democratic successor to
Senator Dolph. \ few more uIscaculations
of this sort Will leave Mr.. Cleveland and his
admirers IN any thing but good shape for
the coming National contest. Frank LeSlie's.