The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-10-29


we are left Tree TO ally ourselves to that
party with whose patriotism, principles,
measures and men we can, on the whole,
most sincerely agree. | remember that
stephen A. Douglas, an hOnOred son of
Vermont, used to say that the democratic
party would 90 down the road to ruin If it.
were not for the wing party which now and
then would put ON the brake. So now,
though 1t may seem grievUus to republicans
for the moment, 'the democratic party i'm
Vermont are striving TO be useful by get
ting power enough to put on u brake If
they can teach MS more excellent way, let
us show that we are not too old to learn.
The constant friction OF parties is apt to
rub out shams, and, let me add il ali can
didateS for official stations were TO receive
an undivided vo'e, it could not fail TO in
flate their vanity. But democrats, though
in minority, have as much right as the most
radical republicans to demand that the
duties of public servants shall be so dis
charged as to bring no discredit upon the
state.
If l have made little history myself, at
least | have lived in historic times or
through the era OF border-rufan invasion of
Kansas; through the great anti-slavery de
bates and the emancipation of the whole
colored rae through the days of Lincoln,
Grant and the great captains in the war of
the rebelliOn through the dismay of Bull
Run aud the glorie- of Gettysburgh and
AppomattoX through the disasters of tariff
lbI ItNtuub OulN 10 lnt UTdCIlcdl ana I'M
Improbable prosperity of protective
tariff; through the great career Of Senators
Collamer, Foot, Seward, sumner Fessen-
den, Grimes, Chandler, Hale, Morton,
Conlling, Douglas, CasS and Cr.ttenden,
and final until the new birth of the nation
with its over sixty million of people in 1890,
instead of twenty-six million in 1854, and
with Union of forty four states instead #
thirty-one The labor and responsibility in
the conduct OF all branches of the public
service steadily grows and expands with the
marvellous annual growth of the country
and its territorial magnitude is far beyond
that r'udly described by Cyrus to
XenophOn when he said, NV fathers
empire is so large that people perish with
cold at one extremity, whilst they are suf-
located with heat at the other" To become
even tolerably familiar with the wants and
many requirements OF country So broad
OF a people so vast in numbers, and so ener-
getic ami busy with the worlds affairs, re-
quires public servant, if not 90 to scorn de-
lights " at least " 10 live laboriuus days"
In this epoch Vermont has had fair
part. She sometimes dominates presidents
and helps to elect them. She has one of
her distinguished men in the cabinet who
commands the army of the United States
with conceded honor to the whole country,
as well as the surgeon-general, and the com
nnander of the Grand Army of the Republic.
10 is unnecessary to speak of my colleagues.
They can speak for themselves, aud my
colleague in the senate has spoken more
than once so as to be heard even by the
church of the Latter-day saints. Vermont
is healthy state, and productive of Ion.
Eevity, of which your present speaker by
no means offers himself as the best example.
The soil is the best of New England and
yields the largest corn crop per acre and
the sweetest grass for butter-lnaking of any
state in the Mon. We have more live
stock than any state in New England 1t
is true that, compared with some of our
sister states, are lacking in manufac-
lures but they are sure to come in the sweet
| by-andby. as there is abundant water
power in almost every township and no
! high license asked for its consumption, al
though some cowardly capitalists NAV
now think the streams not worth a ddn,
| What's the matter with Vermont? She's
all right! Vermonters should have conf
dence in the state and in themselves.
Let me utter word of hope to our farm.
ers. Admitting that the prices of agricul-
tural products are unsatisfactory, it is true
| that in most foreign countries they are
worse, and besides bear the burden of pom
derous taxation for large standing armies
! In our country we now have home market
! for these products mot including cotton)
| to the amount of ninetytwo per cent These
! products are increasing, but at a rate much
smaller than the increase of population, and
! cities are absorbing large share of this in
crease, and they must be dependent upon
the farmers of the rural districts for their
supplies. We are likely, therefore, soon
to find satisfactory market for farming
! products at home.
Our young men for the past twenty-five
wears have been going West after free and
fertile honesteads of one hundred sixty
acres. There are more than one hundred
and fifty thousand NermOnters, including
their descendants, residing in other states
many of whom have prospered in the
West by raising wheat and corn for eastern
markets, though somewhat at the expense
of the old folks At home. Ch.ap mans
portation offers wide competition. But few
attractive free homesteads, however, now
remain to he offered. The draw backs of
the arid regions, and the western droughts,
| graSshOppers and cyclones more than Off
set the first cost of good hOmesteads in
Vermont. 1t is my strong conviction that
the general depression in farming has
touched its lowest point in the United
States, and thar we have many reasons to
expect that farming, within few years,
will be much more remunerative, or SO prof
table that our young men will find no at
fractions elsewhere, and even that some of
those who have gone West will return to
eat the fatted calf and all be merry.
Let me, in conclusion tender thanks to
the speaker and other gentlemen for this
opportunity of cordially greeting all those
who have honored me by their presence.
Friday, October "a.
sENATE-MORNING.