The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-05-06

to the opponents of your bill" That
was certainly high aud patriotic view
of the office of lawmakerl Sent to the
legislature and under oath to act for the
public interest, but disposing OF his
legislative services to the earliest appli-
cant, as lawyer might sell his profess
sional services. The anonymous edi-
torial buffoon of the Enterprise will I'M
dertake to make light of this char
acteristic dereliction of public duty, but
William Chaplin is in evidence. He is
of age and can speak for himself. In
1892, when the five per cent tax was in
corporated into the legislation Of that
year, some of the "high bloods' had
taken hold of the subject of road re-
form and it had become popular" Il is
barely possible that Candidate Circuit
trained in their company, but at time,
in 1884, when the reform was in its in
fancy and needed friends and support,
and farmer Scion was calling for re-
cruits, Representative Grout was en-
listed in the ranks of the enemy; and
after Senator Chapin's bill had passed
the house with amendments, this hostile
representative was the maker of motion
to recall the bill from the custody of
the sen ate. The senate had, however,
concurred in the amendments and the
bill was safe in the custody of the exec
utive, beyond the reach of its enemies.
We are obliged to the Enterprise cam
paign editor for bringing out these
facts and circumstances.
Candidate Grout was not member
of the legislature when the FIVE per
cent school tax law was enacted. AS
we have shown, he was member of
the senate of 1892, and bill for the re-
peal of this law was before that
body. The bill passed the senate, and
Senator CIRCUITS voice, by vote or other
wise, was not heard in opposition. His
silence gave consent to the repeal. He
was playing the part of Pontius PLATE.
But storm of indignation arose among
the true friends of popular education,
and among the representatives of the
smaller towns, for whose amelioration
the law had been made. The capitol
hummed with the notes of protest and
the senate made haste to reconsider its
action repeating the law. Candidates
for office, immediate and prospec-
tive, tumbled over each other in their
eagerness to get on record against the
repeal. Prospective Candidate Grout
was close second to Immediate Candi-
date Foster, who nevertheless went
down in the joint assembly, on the
same day, for the election of superin-
tendent of education, as Candidate
Grout will go down in the state conven-
ton for the nomination of candidate
for governor.
These things are important as show
ing the quality of the man as public
servant. His legislative career is tat
tooed with such acts. Again his sup
porters might be summoned to specify
what measure of reform or progress
Candidate Grout has supported during
his long legislative career, and again
echo would answer, What? What
measure of real reform or progress has
he opposed, or betrayed, or been indif-
ferent to? Every one that has come
before the legislature when he has
been member of that body, whether
pertaining to the schools, the highways
or the general welfare.
Is this the kind of stuff Vermont
seeks in a candidate for governor in
the year when independence of boss.
| ism is in the air?