The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-11-06
VermOnters and Chicago.

An incident IN the WATCHMAN'S eX-
perience illustrates the completeness
of Chicago's employment of her re-
sources and the spirit with which her
people in all ranks and of all condi-
tions espouse her cause and defend her
pretensions. The Sons of Vermont"
an association of former Vermonters
resident in Chicago, recently prepared
an address, setting forth at consider
able length the reasons why, from their
point of view, the great exposition
should be held in that city and not in
New York. This address was couched
in the fervent vein that alone can ade-
quately express a Chicago mans feel
ings on any subject affecting that city's
interests or good fame. 1t contained
also an urgent appeal to the people of
the Green Mountain State to lift up
their voices in behalf of Chicago, and
eXhorted them by the love they bear
their absent sons to use their influence
to persuade the powers that be that the
choice of any city other than Chicago
would be a national calamity. This
document was scattered among "the
old folks at home" and the newspapers
of the parent state were further en-
treated to assist in giving the appeal
wider currency, and to enforce it edi-
torally. This was all right and proper
enough. 1t was business, but it was
presumptuous also, and because the
editors generally dsregarded this mod
est request in both particulars, and as
generally indicated preference for
New York, some too sensitive or too
Jealous " sons" have been moved to
complain of a want of courtesy and
fair play on the part of the home
matter by the WATCHMAN called forth
letter from one of the sons, an officer
of the Chicago association and mem
Der of the Sons exposition committee,
to the editor, in which the writer, after
referring to the pride the Sons of Yer
mont have in their native state, said
We never go back on Vermont and can
hardly believe she will go back on us. We
supposed the enterprising journalists of
Vermont would be glad OF something fresh
in their columns from the absent sons of
their state. | am rather forced to the CON
clusion that they do not want to hear but
one side. 1t would be very gratifying if the
papers in Vermont and especially the or
gan at the capital, could see the valid
arguments presented for this place and give
us their candid support"
These Sons of Vermont, self expa-
triated and long and intimately identi-
fed with the social, material and po-
litical affairs of another section of the
country, retain, it will hardly be gain
said, little more than sentimental in
terest in their native state. At their
annual banquets, in spiritual things,
and over their doughnuts and sweet
cider and maple sugar, they exalt "the
grand old state" and are themselves
exalted. When, however, it comes to
material rpolitical things, they are, and
must necessarily be, for themselves,
the city and region of their adoption
every time. If the Chicago dressed
beef monopoly hourishes and adds to
the wealth and greatness of the city,
it matters little, beyond perhaps pious
sigh, that cattle-raising in Vermont
has thereby been ruined, fresh inn
pulse given to the decadence of her
agriculture and the consequent aban-
donment of her farms. If Chicago's
temples of trade are multiplied and
pushed few stories nearer heaven,
her people wink at the violation of law
and equity that enables her shippers to
send western butter and all sorts of
farm produce right past the farms of
Vermont into the states own markets,
at lower rates of freight than the Yer
mont farmer can send his own butter
and produce to that market, to the lat
ter's injury and mpoverishment. Yer
mont has twice gone to Chicago with a
candidate for the presidency, the littest
one in all the nation for the office, but
the city has howled itself hoarse for
another man, and many of its patri-
otto Sons of Vermont have joined in
the refrain. Provided only that Chicago
and the great West are " booming" it
matters little how great the cost to Yer.
mont. Her sons may "never go back
on Vermont" but their client does con
tinually, and in this case clients and
attorneys interests are identical.
The " freshest " thing the enter
; prising journalists of Vermont " found
: in the address they were asked to pub