Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-09-14
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Rodheld Pccctors seat in the Senate has
had but II occupants in the los years since
Ncrmonts representation in the federal
Legislature began. cue man, however
had two seasons of service not in ccnsec-
utive terms The other Vermont seat i'm
the Senate has had IA occupants, counting
Jonathan Ross. Two mon in this list had
separated terms of service. In the House
of Representatives vermont has had no
less than 50 persons serve IT, although
some Of them have more than single
sons of service. Nearly 80 OF the number
had but n srgle term Of two years. Only
seven served ten years or motc- -Grout
leading with 10 years, although his whole
service has not been in consecutive terms.
Horace Everett served IA years William
Slade and Justin Morrill, each - years and
Martin Chttenden, Eland Hall and Luke
J., Poland each 10 years. Poland's service
was not all in Consecutive tens.
In the House of Represent9 tivcs, lCng
service has been the exception. The rec
ord is necessarily different with respect
to the Senate, where the term Of service
is three times as long as in the other case
to start vita, but as a rule our senator's
failed to get a recollection until compare
lively recent times Solomon Foot,
George f. Edmunds, Jacob Collamer and
Justin S Morrill, served in the Senate alto
gether no less than 50 years, and it is at
least true that the prestige of the State
lid not fall at Washington during their
terms. In regard to representatives. in the
House there has a sogt of notion grown
up that a man who gave fair satisfactio
should have two reductions. or six years
in all, to equal a term in the senate, but
the record fails to show preccdents for
anything of tho sort to make q "ule.
1t requires no argument to show that
any man will naturally gain in effective
ness in Congress by experience, and in
1No cot hot
comparatively helpless, but 1t is certainly
true that the people of the State, by Gus
tom no less clearly than by right have
perfect liberty to re-elect an old repre-
sentative to Washington or a new one,
just as they choose.
/ Vermont is coming to an extraordinary
situation with respect to changes in its
Congressional delegation OF the four
men VIC send to Washington, Senator
Proctor is the only one sure to take his
seat again. Senator Morrll's seat t.
which Judge Ross was appointed temper
arly, must be flled-or at any rate sup.
plea by the Legislature next fall. Con
gresham Grout has experienced ambition
and will not run for reelection, and Con
gresham Powers has apparently a fgh-
on his hands.
There are apparently four or five cand
dates for each of the three places alread
in the field, with more counties to hea
from. All this means active and compli,
Gated contests, with wire pulling an
trade and diCker and brass bands an
every conceivable device that the contest
ants dare try. There can hardly be a ma
in the State who has not felt some c.
them. They may be seen and heard--an
guessed everywhere.
Now, we make these suggestions. not t
. urge people to favor this or that ambition
patriot, but to urge them to use their ow;
Judgment about favoring any of them. l.
is of not the slightest consequence tha
Tom or Dick or Harry is sent to Wash
ineton. but it is of consequence that som
proper representative be sent. Abilit
and Character-fitness for place shout
= be the only requisites, and it Is no breaci
of confidence to say that some OF the can
= didates have neither.
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