Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1888-10-04

eral satisfaction. We speak in thi
way because in years past Legislation
touching matters that ought to be thor
oughly oyerhauled has been so unsatis
factory. If some changes called for
and contemplated, cannot be made rad
zeal better leave things as they are.
Our road laws need an entire revision.
/ II only some unimportant changes are
to be made better leave them as they
are. 1t is rue portion Of them are
comparatively useless but this fact does
not affect the course OF nature. We
have rain and sunshine and early frosts
and potato bugs with just as mvarying
regularity as though there were no
roads in existence. Our school law
needs revision, but if no more can be
done for ii than has been done at
more recent sessions, better let It alone.
Children will be born and grow up Wis
er than their fathers even if there is no
school law. But, really, something
ought to be done with the school law.
And this is looked forward to as an
important work Of the present session.
1t is confidently expected that the COM
mission appointed at the last session
will bring forward something in its re-
port that viii serve as basis upon
which to build up a school system as
fully advanced as any in the country.
We do not need to multiply our higher
institutions of learning, or legislate
very much in regard to them. Those
who desire, and whose circumstances
will permit them to obtain higher ed
ucation can take care Of themselves.
But as matter of self-protection the
state must give all its prospective citi-
zens certain amount OF education and
this it must do through the common
schools. How to effect the most with
the least outlay, is theproblem to solve.
Some are calling for more legislation
upon railroad matters, but we cannot
discover that there are any great wrongs
o be righted in connection with our
'ailroad system. The tendency of leg
station here as elsewhere is to multiply
,fiices, create commissions and thereby
Increase public burdens. This is a
arming state. Quite a proportion of
he public burdens are borne by farm
RS. The past season has not been a
rood one for the farming interest. We !
hink it safe to say that early frost dam
ged it to the extent of millions of I
ollars. Large sums of money must
o ont Of the state to pay for Western /
rain, that otherwise might have been ,
ept within the state. We hope the /
legislature will keep expenses down.
.et legislation be carried on on business /
rinciples and leave sentiment out Of
he reckoning. Nothing can be more
to the public than to have
hort speeches, close committee work,
Q log-rolling, an honest endeavor to !
o what is for the public good, as little
as possible, and an early re-
urn to home scenes. There are no
Xciting issues before the people, there !
no senator to be chosen, general af- :
airs are about in The same condition y
5 when the last legislature adjourned. :
here should be a sharp lookout kept
II private bills, for bills that seem to
c for the public good on the face of
lem, but conceal some personal inter- ,
st. We hope each member will act !
,r himself, avoiding combinations that =
lrther private schemes. The people
ill watch Legislative doings with in c
rest. e