Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-02-21
NEWS INTOWNS ABOUT.
SILVER LAKE.
ON THE SPEEDWAY.

Buried deep under the drifts OF snow
lies our race track taking almost an end
less sleep, similar to our horses Gwneri
and drivers, who spend more than bal
the time In bed. Candlemas gave us fail
warning OF another winter coming, which
SO far has proved a true prophecy. In al
February not one day warm enough e
thaw the snow. Sometimes l wonder
that our people are contented and believe
this to be one o. the best states in the Un'
ion.
A letter from about the middle OF Ala.
bama In regard to climate makes com
parison that, as we look at our snowdrifts
and Thermometer, gives us cold chill'
from top to toe.
The writer says that jan II be gathered
beautiful roses from his garden, and not
over two months in the year does stock
need to be housed. Cattle nearly get
their living out through the whole sea-
son. Oats sowed in the fall are cut IN
May, land sowed again to peas, growing
a great crop, and again seeded to wheat
the same year. They raise thirty bushels
OF corn per acre and between the rows
SOW peanuts, which yield thirty dollars
per acre more. Heat in summer Is not
| Oppressive in the daytime and the nights
| cool and beautiful. Land can be bought
in good locations for ten dollars per acre.
II seems paradise on earth.
But every country has its drawbacks,
and, the writer says, the most serious one
in Alabama is the Grace problem and great
| hindranee to Northern emigration.
Strange as 1t may appear, settlers going
| from the North to make a home in this
| beautiful country, open their eyes in one
day to the terrible blunder made in en-
frsnehising the negro. Going from a
state where the colored man is considered
an equal, they expect to find him so in
| Al -. DoAfaoI inf M
comes Immediately and no one condemns
the ballot law more than the Northern
settler. Good order will never prevail in
the Southern states until restriction Is
put upon the franchise law. The right
OF every man to vote and have 1t counted
is said to be as great crime as negro
slavery. OF course we, living in Vermont,
do not admit this argument, but should
remember that the colored men of the
North are vastly different from those OF
the South. Ignorant, idiotic, brutal, lazy
specimens OF the black race are numerous
in every community OF the South, spend
ing all their time In Matching schemes of
crime.
No wonder our Northern farmers de-
cline going TO such scenes OF barbarism,
preferring to live among the mountains
OF Vermont, where pure air, pure water
and associations OF pure godliness abound
in every neighborhood.
j. p. Jewett's weanling FLY, Doris
Wilkes, by John M. Wilkes, 1924 Ia, tip
ped the beam few days since at $40 lbs.
IL would take more than one days ride to
find a better one. She is we'll broken to
harness and trots like the rest OF Johns
stock. Mambrino Wilkes, the sire OF
John M.was trotting bred, being by Geo.
Wilkes, trotter himself with a record OF
2;2s. He sired a number OF PAGERS that
xuo (uaf Inhn NJ mh n "a
one OF the best-styled sidewheelers ever
raised in Vermont and now John sires
colts that trot, having the same knee ae-
ton as himself-singular but 1t is one OF
the hereditary laws.
TOWN MEETING.
Stephen Hoar, ii. A. Eastm an and
Frank II. Thayer, the honorable b GARD OF
town auditors, have been in session the
last few days. Whoever passes their ex-
aminatioDs will Remember having their
accounts investigated. This is as 1t
should DC and will be satisfaction to the
taxpayers. Every town officers record
ought to be clear and unuerstandingly
correct and II the auditors and selectmen
do their duty II will so appear In the re-
port.
Whole cost OF roads, s203s.sa; this in
cludes s55l II OF winter work left over
from last year and S5S9.77 OF State per-
maneDt road, all not quite provided for by
a highway tax OF 35e.
The cost OF schools will exceed last year,
partly accounted for by having more male
teachers. Ten small schools costing from
s220 to s240 each seems burden.
Cost of poor is more than last year. /
had thought there we're less paupers than
ever before, but figures show more ex-
pense, owing, perhaps,to the liberslity OF
the overseer.
Taken as a whole, the standing OF the
town Is letter than 1900, debt has been
decreased, roads and schoolhouses In
much better condition, taxes paid more
willingly, and prospects for 1901 are fiat
tering.
Fifty years ago officers OF the town
made their reports In writing which was
read In town meeting but not being well
understood 1t was voted in 1852 that here
after the reports be printed which has
been done every year since. Ii would be
still more satisfactory II the town would
instruct the selectmen to have them fin
ished and in circulation on or before Feb.
10. Some years they are not out until
day or two before the meeting, and
when assembled the clerk distributes.
Not one voter In ten comprehends the
contents until after they are adopted.
As soon as the meeting is fairly opened
the moderator takes up the selectmen's
report ana says NV hat shall he done with
ma motion is made to adopt. A man
out by the stove pulls of his cap, holler-
Ing take oneiafter the cars, and says "You
are going too fast. This ERE report must
be accepted, the statute says SOL Moder.
ator stands corrected and tries the vote to
accept. Stove man votes save" alone
Moderator decides the motion carried.
Now the man at the stove puts on his cap
saying, "You can go on with your a dop-
tion," telling the bystanders that he can
give that moderator points every time 1
Reports are all railroaded through, Officers
chosen and voters go home to dinner, but
hardly one can tell what business was
done except that they got Tom Jones in
as one OF the selectmen and Sam Squeals
as fence viewer. When home they read
over the report all through the evening,
go to bed but too mad to sleep. Next
morning they hitch up go, to the village
and srgue the report over and over again
around the stoves in the stores to an atten-
tive and sympathizing audience; for
man who finds fanlt with town officers
will always have a good following.
Then, say, give us the report In season
Let II be digested so that would be ora
tors and debaters are prepared for the an
nual meeting, which comes only once in