St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-08-15
A Clearly Defined Record.

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during that period, and Gen. CIRCUITS
supporters have certainly nothing to
fear from fair and unprejudiced in
vestigation of his work as a member
of the house.
The CALIFORNIAN has just issued a
pamphlet giving the record of the
representative from the Second dis
trict, compiled from the official pro-
ceedings of the house, and a brief
review of this document is in order.
1t will be read with interest and the
facts it gives cannot be gainsaid.
If the Burlington Free Press and
some other journals which oppose
Gen. CIRCUITS candidacy had looked
over this record in a spirit of ordi-
nary fairness, they would not be
vexing their souls over the question,
What has Grout ever done for the
farmer? 7" The indisputable and easily
discerned facts in the case answer
that question to the satisfaction of
the farmer, anyway, if not to that
of our nervous contemporaries.
Gen. CIRCUITS very first speech in
the house, during the Forty-seventh
congress, was directly in the interest
of the farmers-in support of bill
making the head of the department
of agriculture a cabinet officer; and
he had the satisfaction of seeing the
leading industry of the country thus
honored at the succeeding session.
His activity and speeches on the
American shipping bill and the meas
ure making two states of the terri
tory of Dakota also proved him to
be progressive representative.
In the Forty-ninth congress Gen.
Grout appears as the foe of oleo-
margarine, and among the ffty-eight
bills introduced by him was one
taxing this plague of the honest
dairyman. For this bill and the one
to establish agricultural experiment
stations he spoke and labored en-
ergetically, and deserves, in common
with Others who supported it, a
share of credit for the passage of the
latter measure.
In the sessions Of the Fitch con-
gress.. he is the champion of the
peoples right to name the fourth
class postmasters, he having intro
duced bill to that end he speaks
out, too, in behalf of protection, and
in an interesting passage between
Gen. Grout and Gov. McCreary of
Kentucky, the former makes some
instructive comparisons that show
up Vermont to excellent advantage.
AS chairman OF the committee on
the District Of Columbia, Con-
gresham Grout was kept busy dur
ing the Fiity.hrst congress with such
administration of the Districts
affairs as added greatly to his repu.
tation for executive ability. He
found time also to make considerable
effort in behalf of bounty on maple
sugar, and was the author of the
bill to establish national fish hatch.
cry in Vermont.
In 1891 began Gen. CIRCUITS ser.
vice on the important committee on
appropriations. During this con.
gress, the Fifty-second, he was active
IN debate on several important
measures, his speeches including one
&c NiHSN putting WOOl vi luC iICC isl
and one in opposition to an attempt
to squeeze $4,000 out ofthe govern
ment on a so called tent claim. He
was also influential in securing thu
pension appropriations which &
democratic house fought against
Of Gen. CIRCUITS speech on the op
POSITIONS administration OF the pen
sion department, nearly half {
million copies were printed by tn
national committee as campaign
: documents.
f The continuous demands of com
f mittee work during the Fifty-thir,
J congress did not prevent Ger
: CIRCUITS taking prominent part i
debate on the repeal of the silve
e purchase clause, the army and per