Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-06-18
essrS county &frala.
ISLAND PoxD, VT, JUNE is
The fountain Line and Town
Demonstration.

Several Of our state papers are suggest
ing that the mountain line" IN politics
: r;d;cuInus. IL is not little interest
ing Il, see the JTess of Vermont inspired
with a holy horror when this subject Is
discussed in the abstract. then when oe-
.casion requires all urging with might
and main that;this and that man shou'u
be put in place because of his situation
with reference 80 the mountains. East
rrp Vermont resembles and is IN touch
with a New England sentiment, while
Western Vermaut is more in sentiment
like New York or the Middle States IL
is natural that the people in the two sec
tions of the State should wish each to re-
feet or represent in the typical man III
the State its peculiar sentiments or III
terests, and that each sentiment shouid
share alike in the ENJOYMENT OF tha'
privilege. Besides it would disturb an
arrangement by which man is gong
alternately on the east and west sue
through an organized and preparatory
process for the enjoyment OF the privilege
of Rejecting first, sentiments OF his own
side of the State, then that OF the other,
and finally that of the whole State.
These gentlemen talk as though othces
were not property, and as though they
did not belong to localities or individu-
ais. and as though the rule was to take
the best man for office irrespective OF his
locality. Now to take single matter
of political practice and separate it from
the rest its kind and discuss its treat
.ment as though it could be managed in
the abstract is entirely impractical. The
office of governor las alternated for
great many years. II the governors
have been capable the capacity of
the one side has been equal to that OF
the other; il the candidates have been
cheap men each side of the mountains
has successfully Wed with the other in
producing them. Now what more or
less will be accomplished when gentlemen
succeed in removing the mountains! II
under this theory the government has
produced prosperity and happiness to
the people, and the people have been
pleased and content to let this office al
ternate from one side to the other of the
State, what great harm has been done
Why it is like great many other OF the
customs and associations of the State.
Men affect to say too of our system OF
representation that it is a "rotten Dor
ou9h system, representation OF dirt
instead of intelligence. Such men don't
stop to think that they are attacking a
system that is the strongest safeguard
against an oligarchy which a kindred
system of politics in Vermont is ready tC
confirm by legislation. They assert the
necessity for opportunity for wealth
intelligence and power, and deprecate al
fusion to tie terrible condition of Their
possession by the weak. Nobody ha:
ever pointed out any instance of injury
wrong. oppression or injustice resulting
from the system of representation which
the fathers created and which is now
called ridiculous by their very intelligen
and wealthy children. Theoretically tn,
small town is equal iii strength to thu
larger one; practically and in fact tn
large one has an influence correspondent!
and too often exceeding it's proportion
in population. Association and tn
practical working of conditions do gov
ever ridiculous it may seem to some
The whole State probably in every prir
ciple and subordinate political divisio
could be readjusted upon theory whic
would look more reasonable than it doe
now. Are the associations out of whic
grow a contentment in present cond
tons to be treated as ridiculous? Their
was once fond desire to put Easter
Vermont with New Hampshire and othe
territory to make the Connecticut rive
as it was by nature the natural centre {
State. Events that do not bend to tn
within or caprice ofindividuals bore tn
country TO a different organization
And now the Connecticut river separate
A people living in the same valley, wit
the same ancestry, with common socia
and religious intercourse, and a peopl
made one by nature in every respect, We
with each side of the valley not eve
touching the other politically or jud
.cially. Why are they not torn from Vel
mont to the capital of which they hav
to go out of their own valley and owe
or around immense mountains as if to
foreign land -? In the abstract this prob;
bly, looks ridiculous to some gentleme,
And because great number of towns O
the eastern side OF the Connecticut ono
was represented in common council wit
tie representatives of the other side VIII
should not the Vermont towns be tor
away and put where by nature the
belong? Is the sentiment which wou
rise up in even armed resistance to
proposition to slough off a portion
the State simply because it would be
little better accommodated materially
connection with another people, to
ridiculed, despised or condemned? VIII
matter of complaint is it if they are
bound by State pride. and so content,
that they in fact might be better adjus
ed to meet the views of some mo
wealthy. powerful or populous localit,
There is nothing more ridiculous than