The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-09-27


A very impertinent inquiry.
THE national feeling comes to the
front in The impending contest between
the American yacht, the Vigilant, and
the English Valkyrie for the continued
possession of the Americas cup, won
from the English long ago and kept on
this side of the waters by the victories
of the Puritan and her feet-winged
compeers. One need not be sailor or
a yachtsman, he need be merely good
American, TO feel an intense interest
in the approaching contest and an ar
dent desire that the Vigilant shall
prove to be the better boat. The ar
rival of the Valkyrie from England dur
ing the past week quickens the rising
interest in the strife OF the one to re-
tain, the other TO recover, much
coveted prize.
OUR news columns contain the &C
COunl VI plOOuy ilOI az i'pAhONOj
Va, growing out of an attempt to take
from Jail negro who had brutally at
tackled and robbed a farmers wife.
The mayor of Roanoke called out a
company of militia to defend the Jail.
A mob of several thousand assembled,
and when the jail was assailed the
militia fired, killing about dozen and
wounding large number. The negro
was finally captured, lynched, and his
body burned. The mayor and the cap
tain of the militia company who so
fearlessly did their duty were obliged
to hide themselves from the violence Of
the populace. 1t is a matter of regret
that the law could not have been main
tanned to the end, even at the sacrifice
of the lives of larger number Of the
violators of law. The example of
Mayor Trout is a wholesome one, but
its healthfulness is somewhat impaired
by his retreat and the subsequent
success Of the mob. A few more ex-
amples of the Roanoke kind, sternly
enforced, would make an end of these
exhibitions of barbaric violence. The
Roanoke affair is only one of an ap-
palling number occurring in various
parts of the South during the current
year. -
CERTAIN of the state contemporaries
are bewailing the neglect of Vermont
to hold an official dress parade at the
Worlds Fair. Untold misfortunes are
TO befall the state because the public
treasury was not preached and few
thousand dollars drawn out TO pay the
cost of a spectacular demonstration
with an accompanying flow of oratory.
We do not share in this pessimstc
view. We have never rated buncombe
very high as a means of promoting the
prosperity Of the state. If buncombe
were prosperity promoter, Vermont
would already be the richest and most
prosperous state in the Union. Enough
of the article was expended at three
legislative sessions to triple-plate Yer
mont, if speech be, indeed, silvern
But buncombe can not make two blades
of grass thrive where only one grew
before. Vermont appropriated money
enough for an adequate representation
at Chicago. 1t was rather matter OF
judcious expenditure than of more
cash. More money and costlier state
buildings would have meant, not an
increase Of prestige to Vermont, but
an added layer of fat on the bank &C
count of some Chicago contractor. Ii
is fortunate for Vermont that her more
judicious citizens were able to keer
the appropriation down to $4,000
Even this sum was too large by many
thousand dollars. Two-fifths of it al
least have been squandered or utterly
wasted, bringing the state not only nc
advantage but infinite rdicule aud un.
limited modification. The WATCHAIAN
has always favored the most liberia
scale of expenditure for the advance.
ment of her material interests, but it is
very much in favor Of making the ex
penditure at home. A farmer can gen.
orally get larger harvest by using his
fertilizers on his own fields than or
the acres of his neighbor. So Vernon
will derive The greater benefit from lib
eral outlay at home rather than from
large and wasteful expenditures thou
sand miles from home.
Congress.