The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-10-22

sixty.-BoSton Herald.
THE school law is to be tempered
with by the present legislature. 1t
might be full as well to give the pres
ent law a fair trial before trying some-
thing else. The present one may need
some changing, but in the main it is all
right.-Bristol Herald.
The reelection of Senator Morrill, by
the Vermont legislature is a deserved
tribute to that venerable and honest
statesman, whose usefulness is unim-
paired by age, and whose long career
il public life reflects credit upon the
state which retains him in its SERVICE
Boston Journal.
AND now Vermont proposes to join
the list of states that vote in November.
1t is a good idea, and we hope to see
her persevere in the adoption of the
idea. One by one the states that voted
at other times have joined the Novem-
Der column, and it probably won't be
long before they will all get into line
Boston Herald.
THIS reorganization of the Vermont
judiciary proposed in the senate yester-
day includes no side Judge. The state
has had this unique bit of judicial furni-
ture so long that county court would
look odd without it, but still it was
created rather by accident and courts
elsewhere worry along without it.
Rutland Herald
IT was hardly necessary for Mr.. Ell
munds to deny the report that he is
about to retire from the senate Like
his venerable octogenarian colleague,
Mr.. Morrill,, who begins another term
of six years next March, he will doubt
less prefer to die in the senatorial bar-
mss. Vermont is justly proud of her
senators, and they seem to appreciate
this affection.-BoSton Herald.
DIR. JAMES bill for scientific super
vision of road-making in the state as
reported in our legislative news i,
step in the right direction. 1t ought to
save fearful amout of waste in road
construction and repair. But the sys-
TEN, necessarily involving some de-
parture from the healthy principle of
local responsibility, must be very care
fully guarded or it will defeat its own
purpose. -Brattleboro Rgormer.
THE ST. Adams Messenger is sure
that the agricultural college fund ought
to 90 to the Burlington university.
But before putting it there it would at
least be in order for the Burlington
folks to tell just what has been accom-
plished with the money they have
already had. A committee got some
! figures two years ago, but the informa-
ton ought to come as matter of course
and with a certain grace that is some
how wholly wanting.-RWland Herald.
IF the expenditures for schools were
greater last year than for the preceding
one, it is because there were more
schools, more teachers and better
schools and teachers in the same ratio.
There was but slight difference in
the expense of supervision that brought
these things about, and this expense
was borne by the state, to the relief of
the smaller towns and school districts.
What has been done has not been done
so much to the advantage of the larger
towns, which have come in for a greater
proportion of EXPENSE ST. Adams
Messenger.
THERE is no general feeling that a
change is necessary. AS matter OF
practical convenience the freemen's
meeting in September and the sitting
of the legislature two months later has
some advantages and no serious objec-
tons, and upon the whole the Green
Mountain state will most likely Jog
along doing all its biennial chores be-
Thanksgiving until the evil of puliti-
cal campaign opening in June becomes
more serious and apparent than it is
now. -Rutldnd Herald.
THE question arises as to whether
what has been done is to be thrown up
in hurry and relapse be invited.
This would be the evidence of lack of
stability not characteristic of the state.
Such turning upon our heels is not to
be expected. The state having once
started on the march of school improve
ment should push on, at least it should
give the present law fair trial. This
it has not had, and this could not have
been expected for the few months of
its existence. Wherever minor defects
have been discovered they may be re-
paired, but there should be no dispo
silion to change the law at this early
date.-St. Adams Messenger.
THE bill introduced in the house al
Montpelier by DR.. James of Waterbury
providing for the appointment of a
STATE engineer, WIN assistants, 10 super
intend highway building is in line with
action now being taken in several
other states, and needs no argument tC
Justify its purpose. Efficient super
vision of road work, which means
supervision by men especially trained
for it, saves money, first and last and
all the time, aud is of value in thous-
and indirect ways.-Rutland Herald. ID
THE fashion of choosing old gentle
men to the United States senate, so If.
fectively followed in the case of Sen,
ator Morrill, this week, may be extended
into Massachusetts before long. Sem
ator Dawes will at the end of his pres,
ent term be but seventy-six years OF
age, which is considerably younger than
, is Mr., Morrill,. He will have been con,