The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-04-11
CHATS AND SKETCHES
About Town and Elsewhere.

1t was interesting to note the
character of the papers which ridiculed
or condemned Mr.. Sheldon's venture.
cit was sacreligiousl 30 said some pa
pers whose columns reek with irrever-
ence and profanity. cit was egotisti-
cal, said some papers which are ale
ways clarifying themselves, and exag-
gerating their circulation. And 80 on
thro' the whole vocabulary OF misrep-
resentation and abuse. Almost all his
traducers started out with the false as
sertion that Mr.. Sheldon announced
that he was alb )ut to publish such pa
per as Jesus Christ would publish if He
were a publisher and editor. We do
not understand that Mr.. Sheldon an
nounced or attempted any such thing.
He undertook, rather, to publish pa
per such as he believed Jesus would
approve. That was all.
~.
No one, not even his friends, ex-
pected that Mr.. Sheldon would publish
great paper, or one that would satisfy
the masses. He was not bred to the
newspaper business, and had had no
editorial experience. But he has done
great deal better than could be rea-
sonaby expected. A week is a very
short time to show what paper ought
to be. We do not agree with Mr.. Shell
don in some of his religious and polit-
ical views. We took exceptions to
some things, or rather some things that
were wanting, in his book lin His
Steps," But we respect his honesty,
hi, fearlessness, and his downright in
tegrity of purpose. And we Glove him
for the enemies he has made" Any
body who lncurs the censure and disap-
proval of such papers as the Springfield
Republican and the New York World
we cannot but think is in the right.
We take off our hats to him instructive
ly.
Mr.. Sheldon "will not down." He
will not drop out of sight and hearing
when he retires from the editorial
chair. The man who can write book
which has outsold all previous books,
and publish paper which starts out
with 100000 subscribers and twice as
many readers, cannot be called down
by the wolves of the press. Go onl
gentlemenl 1t amuses you, and doesn't
hurt Mr.. Sheldon. Twice as many peo-
pie subscribed for the Capital as would
have done if you hadn't abused it in
advance.
Apropos of March, the old lady was
not far wrong when she said, 1--WE
alluz noticed that when l lived thro' the
month of March, l lived the rest of the
yearl"
Everybody wants Sergeant-at-Arms
Phinney to 'thurry up and get WE'LL"
What would the Legislature be without
Mr.. Phinney?
"For he's jolly good fellow,
Which nobody can denyl"
~
The great and crying need of the
present day is some cheap method of
rendering a building fre-proof. 1t
would make ire-insuraDce dull, but it
would be great boon to humanity.
What's the use of continuing to build
fire-traps? Every national and state
government should offer a reward for
an invention which shall do away with
fires. Such an invention would add
more to the wealth of the world than
all the diamond and gold mines in the
universe.
The public is looking for wise and
economical expenditure of the peoples
money during the present city admin
istration, and they mean to have it or
"know the reason whyl"
-
Alderman Laird may not be popular
no,o-(men who have opinions hardly
ever are)-but if he will stand guard at
the door of the city treasurer through
the gear, he can have any Office in the
gift of the people.
-
The Taxpayers of Montpelier are pa
tient; patient to fault, but there is a
point beyond which forbearance ceases
to be virtue. And they are determin
ed that henceforth there shall be
economy in the public expenditures.