The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1896-02-14
=%s% BRADFORD VERMONT, FEBRUARY II. 1896
CUBERNATORIAL.


We do not remember a gentleman
whose name has been mentioned TO
the honorable position of Governor o
our state, who was so generally accep
table as is Major Josiah Grout of Der
by, He is a man of large native abil
ity and his training and experienc,
have been of the kind TO best fl hin
for the office of chief executive OF Yer
mont. He is universally popular anC
highly esteemed wherever he is known
AS soldier, as lawy er, as a manu-
facturer as farmer, as a legislator
and as speaker of the House of Rep
resentattves he has been decided sue
cess He is self-made in the sense that
every poor boy in Vermont who sue
ceeds, is self made. He is man to be
relied upon everywhere and we can dc
no better justice to him than to quote
at length the truthful sketch prepared
by Editor Blake of the Barton Monitor.
For some time past the papers of this State
have been discussing the qualifications OF
those who are liable to become candidates
for governor on the Republican ticket to be
selected at the June convention. Among
those most prominently mentioned are Maj.
Josiah GrOut of Derby, Mr.. Stickney of Lud-
+.
Read of Bellows Falls. The list is good one
and the affairs of the State would be in safe
hands, with either of them in the guberna-
torial chair.
Without disparaging the merits of either,
we espouse the cause of Maj. Grout. We con-
slider him the best man for the place, all
qualifications considered. We have known
him intimately for more than thirty years.
We well remember the day, when, encamped
in Virginia, the word was received that Lieut..
Grout had fallen with mortal wound. We
I'm nf a ht1r, In, n
balance between life and death, and later
how for months and years he suffered most
seriously from the effects of the rebel lead in
his hip. We knew him in close relations as
a law student. He was industrious, dilligent
honest, faithful; devoid of ill habits and con-
scientious in all his thoughts and dealings
We noted his early career as a lawyer in this
county, saw his successes at the bar and his
steady and merited growth in his profession.
Later, when he removed to Chicago and en-
gagged in his profession, we learned of his
success in that larger and more difficult
sphere. We knew of his success in business
as well as law in the West.
And when he determined to come back to
his native Vermont, to settle on the home
stead where his wife was born, we saw the
old farm at once respond to practical as well
scientific systems which he adopted. We
know of no better demonstration of what the
average Vermont farm can do under intell-
gent management, than the old Hinman
farm in Derby; Fortunate that there are
that they Will put money, energy, Ilsssd work
and brains together and will show that not
tz0o, used to be supposed to be the ultimate,
butMree spires of grass can be IN ade to grow
where one had grown heretofore We have
known Maj. Grout as the plain, quiet, hard
working citizen in the rural village, where
men are best known, and where true esti-
mate is made of character. 1t is needless to
say, SO far as this section is concerned, that
he has been a helpful, generous, public
spirited man: and a very import MT factor in
all things that have had to do with the well
fare of his community and his town. His
worth has been recognized by the bestow-
ment of the most honored positions his
townsmen and the people of his county
could give him.
SO far as his more public career is concern
ed. the whole State has full knowledge. Few
men have more often been members of the
few men have been more promi-
nent while in that body. Really so well has
he been known, and so well has he filled
every position of honor or trust that it has
been felt for several years that he possessed
every qualification which fitted him for the
position of governor. Having refused at diff
ferent times, against the protest of many
friends, to become a candidate, the time now
seems to have come when the wish of a large
OF the people of the State can be
gratified and the nomination made.
To sum up the merits of Maj Grout as a
it can be justly said that he is a
typical Vermonter; he is a citizen whom in
Every worthy sense none is better; he is a
plain, practical farmer, the pattern example
n this sphere for his whole county; he is the
III 3cessful all-round business man, whose |
good sense and sagacity make him compe- |
ent to run farms In the East and manufac. |
ories in the West. Experienced in the |
hings of the law, he measures matters of |
public concern with a wisdom which the |
Lverage man does not possess; gifted and |
graceful as public speaker, he has the ad- |
'antage of most men on the stump, the plat
orm, or wherever men are controlled or in |
luenced by speech; most intimately ac- |
Iuainted with the men and conditions OF |
he would possess a knowledge in |
in the management of the affairs /
# deserving as any man |
an be who gave his own blood in the de- |
ense of his country, his elevation to the |
'osition OF governor will be as deserved as 1t |
gill be gratifying to every living soldier,
nd every patriot in the State.