St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-02-25
The senate's Grand Old rlan.

Under the above caption the Boston
Transcript OF Feb 10, prints edtorially
a very handsome appreciation OF Senator
Morrill,. Vermonters will heartily en-
1orse every word ofit. 1t is as follows;
The executive session Of the senate, yes
terdav, was more than usually interest
ing. because the time was largely taken
by the venerable Senator Morrill, Of Yer
mont in speech in opposition tother rat
i6caton of the Hawaiian annexation
treaty. He is the only republican sena-
tor who has thus lar spoken IN opposl-
ton to the treaty. Perhaps he is the
only one who will dare to take that posi-
ton. That he was speaking the words
OF truth and soberness and sincere con-
yiction there can be little doubt. With
his weight OF years he is not making long
speeches tor the fun of it or TO advance
his personal or political prospects. His
only ambition now is TO round out very
distinguished and useful career in the
halls OF national legislation.
Senator Morrill, is doubtless the best
living representative oil the craftsmanship
OF the old school, which belonged to tue
better days OF the republic, at least better
in many respects, Tor in his opening pub
llc career he senate had not dritted so
tar away from the standards OF the iath-
ers as it seems to have done today. Those
who desire to rush or jam" the Haw-
allan business thr ough may say he is an
old lopy, but we have not yet reached a
point where we can afford to despise or
| ignore the counsel oil wise old men, one
of whom Senator Morrill, has over and
over again proved himself to be.
Vermont has honored herself even more
than sc honored him by her appreciat ion
oil his eminent services and by making
him her representative in the councils OF
the nation for more than lorty years.
Six terms in the lower house and now
upon his sixth, in The upper, he has stood
as one of the props of good government
through some of his country's most
stormy and critical experiences. He has
been close student OF the history and
traditional policy of the government
through all these years and it would be
hard TO find more reliable authority or
all questions arising rom them than hi
| IS. III less tutu lWO hOheuS III WIN w
lightweight years old; but his menta
vigor is undated and he can easily stano
today as the grand old man" OF the re
publican party and the senate OF thu
United States.
The reported parts of his speech on thu
treaty question are as yet very meagre
but the lines OF his opposition were tha
the acquisition OF the Hawaiian Islands
would be against good policy and tn
traditions Of this country. Some OF tn
younger men may be disposed to measur
swords with him on the question of pol
lev, but it would be a bold, almost an ar
rogant assumption foi any one to claiu
a greater familiarity with our nationa
traditions than that possessed by tn
Nestor of congress Few. it any, will ad
nit purpose to break away from thos
! traditions which have been our sale ar
chorage in many time OF stress bu
with their Interpretation by one VIII
now comes nearer than any OF his asst
, ciates to being their high priest it WI
not be so easy tor such doube.dealers t
: still wear successfully the mask of patr
otsm and fidelity to our past.