The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-01-28

nominal. HE PUBLISHERS
THE expectation that the Mckinley
tariff bill would set American manufac-
turers to making tin plate is being
realized. AT Pittsburg steps have been
taken to this end, and Chicago firm,
the Norton Brothers, is now making
its own plate. The present price of
English plate is about $3.50 but the
Norton Brothers think the price of
American plate will get down to S4, or
even lower, in five years at the most.
The experiment is morally certain of
success. -
THE miners of the country, it is said,
will make demand for working days
of eight hours length after May l.
They will be backed by the American
Federation of Labor, and will have
fund of 100000 to rely on. The
movement will undoubtedly have wide
spread public sympathy, and its success
is not improbable. If there is any
class of workers that deserves a short
working day it is these men, who not
only do harder work than falls to most
men but encounter greater dangers
from accident, day by day, and are ex
posed to the most unhealthful condi-
tions of life while in the mines.
MR.. MILLS Of Texas is a hot
headed, impulsive man-iu fact, a man
as little fitted for the leadership of a
party in the house as could possibly be
found. Last week he showed his want
of self-control by flying into furious
rage and denouncing Speaker Reed as
a traitor to the constitution and the
laws because the speaker would not
allow him to discuss the question of
approving the journal while the vote
was being taken. 1t was an exhibition
of impotent anger tn It was highly un-
becoming to him as a member of con-
gress and as a man. Unfortunately,
such exhibitions have been rather
numerous this session, but there is no
reason to believe that the character of
congressman is deteriorating. 1t will
be long time before that body will be
composed exclusively of gentlemen.
IT is said that there is no doubt but
that th3 Bennett school law. requiring
instruction in the English language,
will be repealed by the Wisconsin leg
islature. AS it was over this law that
the bitter campaign of last fall was
fought, and the democratic opponents
of it won, the movement for repeal
was to be expected. Thus Wisconsin,
like Vermont. takes backward step
in school legislation. 1t is especially
to be regretted that the state has not
yet reached the point at which it is
struction in the English language, for
until that is done it is practically ad.
mitted that a majority of its voters are
not qualified for American citizenship
The state is hardly likely to remain
long in this position. The spirit of the
country is against it, and whatever op.
poses that spirit will in the end go tc
the wall.
GOVERNOR DAVID B. HILL of New
York will succeed Senator Evarts al
Washington. If the democrats of the
Empire state are satisfied, the republic
cans need not mourn much. The con
trast between the scholarly and eloquent
Evarts and the whiskey governor
of New York is so striking that the
effect on the independent voter should
be in the interest of the republican
party. 1t was entirely in keeping with
the record of New York democracy
that one of the votes for the successful
candidate was cast by man under
indictment for forgery. This vote wa,
not really needed, but the governor
probably thought it would be better t.
make a sure thing of the election
regardless of the scandal of receiving .
tainted vote. Now the question is
Will the governor resign by the 4th o
next March, or will he hold on to hi
state Office until another congress as
sembles7 Nobody but Mr.. Hill cal
say, and he is not communicative.
The desperate fight which the demo
Gratis of the senate, assisted by squa'
of republicans, are waging against tn
closure rule can be explained by tn
sincerity of their opposition to the cleo
ton bill, to which the rule is meant t.
apply principally. On the ground of
general principle, it is indefensible
These men are now illustrating bette
than it was ever illustrated before tn
need of permanent closure rule-on
that CON ha apnliad IN anu d;oonsa;a,