Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-03-19
BOSTON LETTER.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS. /

Gamaliel bradford. before the Com
mitiee ON Metropolitan Affairs. de-
nounced as visionary" the present
scheme for su-called Greater BoS-
ton. In its original form this ambi-
li9nS project had some logic and CO.
herenrN. II was then plan for the
union of BOSTON and the nearest of its
suburban cities and towns in one
great homogeneous municipality. but
II very soon appeared that suburban
sentiment was overwhelmingly OPP
posed 10 such union. that most of
the nearby cities and towns were
proud of their civic individuality and
deSirouS of maintaining it, and that
they were not attracted by the
methods or the men that were con-
SpicuOus in BoStOn's municipal gov
ernment. Thereupon the project was
amended to provide for the formation
net of new municipality, but of a
new county, comprising Boston and
some - or 80 of the neighboring
towns. This is the project which is
now under consideration AT the State
House. The scheme is complicated
one. 1t cuts recklessly across existing
county lines and establishes an i'm
perium in imperio which is new to
American traditions. and contrary to
the simplicity of method and direct
ness of responsibility which are more
and more sought in American public
administration. II is urged that the
scheme, or something like it, has
worked satisfactorily abroad. but
European conditions are not American
conditions. Foreign examples may be
good or they may be bad. The mere
fact that they are foreign does not
impress enlightened American citi-
ZcnS, and it cannot be expected to i'm
press the legislature of state which
long ago emerged from the colonial
stage of its development.
::
"If were seeking to point out the
place where debuuching of Massachu-
setts politics began" writes Temple
ton in his Boston letter. II should find
il in the CharleStown Navy Yard"
This is written apropOS of the effort
of Congressman Barrett and the rest
to boom lbOSton'S navy yard. as well
as the prediction that eN-Gov. Long,
as head of the navy department, will
.aa that much ynyarnment ,vorl, is
dana thare rv;deptIv TanuIaton and
.otbnrs fear that tbe old yirus of noIi-
tio, ,vouId normeota tba Chorlestn,,u
NAVY. Nard todov -. II use1 tn in the
old times. That need not be, and in
fact would be entirely contrary to the
civil service rules formulated and an
piled by Gen. Tracy when he was at
The head of the navy departmrnt
under President Harrison. The old
order of things has passed away to
such n degree as makes any revival of
such political debauchery impossible
now. And were this less true we
should look to see Secretary Long do
at least as well as Gen. Tracy did in
lieepinr the government navy wards
ont of politics. The Boston papers
are Iavinp great stress on the Ger
tointy that their navy ward will be
taken care of under the Massachusetts
secretary that is TO be. There are
higher grounds than this for rejoicing
in John ID. Longs return to public
life
Already the politicians are making
the rp-entrance of eX-Gov. Long into
political life a text for speculation as
to his prominence in connection with
the next vacancy in the United States
Senate from Massachusetts. MIR. lioar
has alluded rather pathetlcaliN TO the
fact that he is 10 years OLD, ana mas
not been quite well during the last
year. His present term does not eN-
pire until March 1. 1901, so il is II
trifc early to speculate about his sue
cpsSor. even ON paper. Whether John
u. Long will be in the lists again as
the junior senator time alone can
show. That must depend on many
things. The coming secretary of the
navy has Il peace-loving streak in his
nature that has already, if rumor
speaks truly, led to the genial over
looking of some recent episideS con-
nectcd with his call to the cabinet
The man who is going to stand up
against Mr.. Lodge must be ready
for Il rough-and-tumble encounter
whether it comes soon or late. IN
GOV. Long might be driven 10 that
with sufficient provocation--he never
would seek it in cold BLOOD
Il :: :: &
\ notable death the past week mas
been that of Mrs. Robert Treat Paine
She was a daughter OF George Will
Jams Lyman and granddaughter Of
Theodore Lyman, Il distinguished Bos-
ton merchant at the beginning OF the