Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-05-10
Qualifications Four Men Who Are Announced Candidates for the Senate Presented Alphabetical Order Neal
Friends Of Eh Selected the Service by the Candidates Themselves

ing smaller in proportion to the great
whole of the United States, and the in
fiuence of New England in Congress is
on the wane. The West is outstripping
it in commercial and political develop
ment, and is sending TO Congress its
strongest and most aggressive men,
who are fast wrestling from the East its
former leadership,
| believe we should send as the sue
cessor of Senator Morrill, a man who
will be a positive and dominant factor
in Congress. What a man will do in
the future can only be determined by
what he has done in the past. and
what qualities he exhibited in the do
ingof it. Tested by this rule the
friends of Mr.. Prouty claim Tor him
that he will fully meet the require
ments in question.
In 1882, after graduating from Dart
mouth college ut the head Of his class,
he began in earnest the practice Of law
and devoted all his time TO that pro-
iession until the fall Of 1896 At the
end of this fifteen years he was general
counsel of the Rutland railroad, the
active trial attorney of the Central
Vermont railroad. had an extensive
general practice, and was know
throughout New England as one Of its
leading lawyers. He began the prac-
tice OF law like all Vermont lawyers,
at the bottom. His first clients were
mostly from the ranks OF the poor and
humble. and he was always at his best
with poor client, against a iormid-
able corporation. His methods in the
management of cases were original,
and often times unique. He was very
successful before iuries, and his ability
was very soon recognized by all who
came in contact with him. In 1888 he
was member of the Vermont House.
II is generally admitted that no mem
her Of that body ever came to WELD in
a single term greater influence than he
did, or acquire greater distinction IN
the same length OF service.
Three years ago he was appointed TO
his present position upon the Inter
state Commerce Commission. The
duties of that place were entirely new
to him. The subjects there discussed
are intricate and OF the highest inn
portance to the interests affected. The
position had been filled by some Of the
most distinguished men. Mr. Prouty
had not been upon the Commission "a
year before he was esteemed, by those
familiar with his work, as an equal Of
any man who had ever acted upon that
board.
When he went onto the Commission
the act under which that body worked
was practically imperative for the rea-
son that under the decisions OF the
courts its provisions could not be en-
forced Everybody familiar with the
subject knew and said this. Mr..
PrOuty presented and drafted a scheme
10 correct the evil. He drafted a bill
which his associates unanimously ap-
proved and recommended TO Congress.
That bill provoked storm Of dissent
from railroad interests and many I'M
fair and bitter attacks Mr.. Prouty
has defended its principles in the pub
TIC press anu ci-eNhtIts Last NoNtll
Der meeting Of the business men
from an parts Of the country was held
in Chicago % consider amendments to
the Interstate Commerce act. The
Chicago papers announced that the
money interests represented there ag-
gregated more than the value Of all
the railroads in the United States.
Commissioner Prouty appeared for his
associates upon that occasion. and the
meeting approved, and its members
are now actively pressing upon Con-
gress, the adoption OF the amendments
which he originally suggested
Probably no one man has done more
in creating and directing public opin-
ion in the last three years upon this
most important subject, than Mr.
PrOuty. The articles written by him in
the Forum OF December, 1897. upon
Railway Pooling; the North American
Review Of November, 1895 the Annals
VI the American Academy Of Political