The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-02-03
Note and Comment.

SECRETARY BLAINE was sixty-two
years old last Sunday.
Mrs. HARRISON is quoted as saying
that four years is enough of it,"
ACCORDING to the Boston Herald,
Secretary Blaine is as happy as a tom
tit on a pump-handle.
KATE FIELD is profound philoso-
pher. The brotherhood of man, says
she, is slowly but surely embracing the
women.
ANY of our gentle readers who come
across silver half-dolar of 1858 with
an 60" over the date should bear in
mind that it is worth Sl2.
ACCORDING to all the indications,
Boss Cleveland is beaten, so badly that
he will hardly peep again except in the
wild gaspings of adipose despair. --Ne,o
York Sun.
THE NeU York Herald is wasting a
lot of editorial space nowadays in ask
ing what is the matter with Henry
Watterson for Watterson,
of "star-eyed goddess of reform fame.
The New York saloon keepers have
got their excise bill introduced into the
loSioIdCulo' IL pIONlueo lOI dll-ulguJ
saloons and dance halls, and virtually
gives the excise machinery into the
hands of the liquor interests.
AN interesting lawsuit now pending
in Hamilton, H., hinges upon the ques-
ton, " Has iackass the right to bray
ut will?" Certain citizens contend that
it should be suppressed, for at least a
few hours in the early morning.
THE alliance party in the national
house of representatives has split on
the question of uniting with the dem.
ocrats, or maintaining an independent
position. Three-Simpson, Wallace
and Otis-stood out for independence.
Elk SENATOR GEORGE F. EDMUNDs
and Hon. Edward j. Phelps, ex-minis-
ter to the court of st. James, contribute
valuable articles to the February Forum
on the methods of choosing presiden-
tial electors. The Michigan method !"
is the one most in controversy, and it
is needless to say that the celebrated
debaters are hopelessly divided in
opinion.
HERE is bit of gospel truth from an
Illinois esteemed contemporary, which
the Middlebury Register reproduces and
the WATCHMAN endorses: "The first
duty of every republican is to take his
home paper, both for its local news and
for the local politics of the county.
There is no man who cannot afford to
invest three cents week in his home
paper"
PRESIDENT HARRIsoN's message is
destined to rank with the declaration of
policy which made Monroe's name fam
Gus. 1t will be read with deep feel
ing and patriotic approval throughout
the country. Among all the republican
nations of this continent it will be in
terpreted as the earnest of a more Wig
orous and resolute diplomacy than has
been known at Washington during re-
cent years.-New York Tribune.
WHITELAw REID, minister to France,
is seriously thinking of resigning in Or
der to resume his journalistic work, and
it is said that the state department has
been advised to this effect. As Mr..
Reid, who is editor of the NeU York
Tribune, never did enough work on that
paper to hurt him, his resumption of
labor will probably net injure his health.
His reason for firing of the French cap
ital probably is that he has had to spend
about three times as much as his salary
nets him.
PURE Vermont cider was a good
enough drink for most of the guests Cat
the Chicago Sons of Vermont banQuet)
although wine lists adorned the tables
and each banqueter could order to suit
him or herself Governor Page set
good example by declining the sau-
| nla nd 81,
to him. The seductive juice of old
Yankee apples, however, could not be
resisted, and deep draughts of that bev-
erage passed down the gubernatorial
throat.-Chicdg0 Herald.
THERE Is always one sure and I'M
failing indication that the sapent oracle
of the West Randolph Herald and NeUS
has been away from home. Whenever
an editorial paragraph having an air of
freshness is found in our contempo-
rary's columns, then you may know
that he has been out on the line, rubbed
against some one and carried away
something having the semblance of
originality, but having acquired an ele-
ment of grotesqueness from the medium
of its evolution. Whenever you see
Thayer on the train, look for an erup-
ton or a prophecy in the next issue of
his paper.
CHILL has exercised her option, and
she has chosen peace. Our sister re-
public has learned lesson which she is
not likely to forget for years. The
event justifies every measure of prep
aration for war that has been taken by
the navy department under Secretary
Tracy's energetic and far-seeing man
agement. 1t is solely because we were
ready for war that war was averted.
OF the patriotism, wisdom, and iirmness
of General Harrison's policy through.
out the affair there is no more doubt
than of the patriotic readiness of the
democratic house to support the adj
ministration. The president, his dis
tinguished secretary of state, and the
democratic congressman who have
looked first to the honor of the flag,
deserve the gratitude of the nation. 1t
is worth a hundred million dollars to
| this pOuntrv IN haUa tho world undar