The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-05-30

ago, the missionaries had not made a
convert in the South Sea Islands.
When she died more than three hun
dred islands had been wholly evangel-
lied, and civilization is fast spreading
in all the islands of this part of the Pa
ci6c.
DURING the great March blizzard
Stage-driver Gage of Hopkinton, N.
H., started in on foot with the mailbag
strapped to his back. He had to crawl
a part of the way, it having been alb
solutely impossible to open the high
way for him. When he reached the
Concord line, however, he found the
road broken out and city team there,
which brought him and his burden
to the post-ofice in that city. The
sequel to this incident is given by the
Concord Monitor. 1t is in the form of
a communication from the post-oflice
department at Washington to Mr.. Gage,
notifying him that he has been fined
$40 for being late with the mail March
10 last. Grateful administration
GOVERNOR HILL of New York has
vetoed the high-license bill just en-
acted. This is the second time he has
defeated legislative restraint of the
liquor traffic. He has shown a sub
serviency to the saloon power that
weakens respect for his moral principle
and Judgment High-license is the
best thing attainable at present in New
York. 1t was asked for by the better
elements of the state, irrespective of
party. 1t was carefully drawn up and
deserved fair trial. 1t was not up to
the. high-water mark of the best tenn
perance sentiment, but it was move
in the direction of temperance legisla-
ton and of legal restraint and was in
harmony with popular Demand
Presbyterian Observer.
THE first act passed by the first
congress and signed by President
Washington imposed duties, as its
preamble expressly declares, for the
encouragement and protection of
manufactures" Mr.. Jefferson's hearty
support of that and other measures of
the same character can not be disputed.
His official messages might be quoted
at great length to show how fully he
Endorsed the principles of protection.
Thus, in his message of 1906, discussing
surplus revenue, he asked: Shall
we suppress the imposts and give that
advantage to foreign over domestic
manufacturers" His manner of stat
ing the question sufficiently indicates
the answer which Mr.. Jefferson gives,
and in other messages he even went so
far as to justify absolute prohibition of
imports in aid of manufactures. Thus,
in his message of 1909, he congratulated
the country upon the development of
manufactures "under the auspices of
protecting duties and prohibitions. -
Tribune.
SOMETHING quite new in the way of
railroads is the invention of E. Moody
Boynton of Newburyport, Mass, which
is expected to revolutionize the railway
system of the world. The cardinal
principle of this railroad is that the
tracks are not both laid on the ground,
as we commonly see them. One is laid
on the ground and the other is laid on
the underside of framework which is
above and directly over the lower
track. The engine and cars have
wheels on the bottom and double
trucks above. In this way the whole
is steadied on the rail and can not fall
over nor off the track. 1t is expected
that great speed will be attained on ac-
count of the comparative lightness of
the train and also because of the loss
of friction. The idea is patented in
every country in Europe, as well as in
the United States and other nations of
the Western hemisphere. A very
short line of this system of railway To-
comotion is in operation between two
stations in Ireland, and with complete
satisfaction.
IT has been left for Mr.. Matson of
Indiana, chairman of the house COM
mittee on invalid pensions and demo-
cratic candidate for the governorship
of his state, to distance all competitors
in the magnitude of the scheme he
proposes for pensioning the Union
soldiers. His bill proposes pensions
and arrears of pensions which, ac-
cording to his own estimate, would
cost the country not less than $780,
100000, but which others estimate
would cost at least $3.50, 100000. If
Mr.. Matson was only crank this pro-
posal of his might be excused as
freak, but he has passed heretofore for
being tolerably level-headed politician.
Mr.. Matson has recently been NOM
mated by the democrats for the Indiana
governorship and he evidently wants
to be elected. He makes his bid for
the soldier vote. His position as chair
man of the invalid pensions committee
gives him his opportunity and he i'm
proves it. He can not for moment
believe that his bill has the least pros
pect of passing, but he proves himself
thorough-going demagogue. Boston
! Traveller.