Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-10-12
VALUE AND CUSTOM,
OFrom the Rarre Times.O


The Rutland News, as the most ardent
advocate of the promotion of Ge,. Grout
10 the Senate has been several times ask
I'd by the Times and other State papers
10 give a few reasons for the warmth of
he support. The News was silent for a
time but finally said it declined to give
any reasons though declaring that thy
we're plenty as blackbcrries" and wound
up its remarks with the following para
graph:
"l'or the present the Evening News
stands on the ground that Gen. CIRCUITS
satisfactory service in the House for more
than sixteen years, on the whole more sat-
iSiactory than that of any representative
fl IN this State since Justin S. Morrill,.
naturally suggests him as the dead scng-
tors successor. This makes what lawyers
call prima facic case in favor of Grout
and it is believed the people of the state
Will SO accept it and say to DILLINGHAM;
and his friends, the burden is on you TO
show why in accordance with the custom
of the state the able and faithful member
Of the House should not be promoted TO
the Senate
This paragraph disclOses what we have
suspected for some time that the News
is raising it, house before the foundation
is built Stripped of meaningless words
the News statements amounts to dec
laration that Gen. Grout is the most sat
istactory representative the State has
ldh SING lN"i, Wltn MOrfllI ltit the House
for the Seuate-and, seCo0dly, that it is
the custom for Vermont to promote is
representatives. when there is a vacancy
in the senatorships
Ncrmonts representatives in the House
since 1867 have been Frederick +. Wood
bridge, Worthington c. Smith, Luke p.
Poland, Charles W. Willard George w
Hendee, Dudley c. Denison, Charles II.
Joyce Bradley Barlow. James NJ Tyler
John w. Stewart, II. Henry Powers and
w w Grout
Gen. Grout has tried hard and faithful
ly to represent the people of his district
while he has been in Congress and it. Is
only foolish spite that tries to belittle him
now at the end of his political career. but
Circuit has more to fear from the absurd
and random claims Of friends like the
News than from the most persistent at
tacks Of his opponents.
SO much for the News first contention
It's second. that relating to custom, Is even
more ridiculous. During the past 0fty
years Vermont has had ten senator's in
Congress. Their names are: Samuel S
Phelps, Solomon Foot, William Upha M
Lawrence Brainard, Jacob Collamer, Luke
p Poland, George f. Edmunds, Justin s.
morrill, Redheld Proctor and Jonathan
Ross, OF this group of distinguished men
lust one and only one, Justin S. Morrill,
was promoted directly from the House to
the Senate. Is this what the News cail.
custom?
Solomon Foot and Jacob Collamer were
ian the House before they were in the Sen,
ate but in each case a term Of yea rs
elapsed after they left the House before
they entered the Senate but in each case a
term Of years elapsed after they left the
House before they entered the Senate, SO
there was no promotion in their cases.
Luke i. Poland was in the House after
he was In the Senate but not before. If
the News has some more arguments OF
this kind and wants to do its candidate
favor 1t should suppress them.