Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-03-15
GIVE HIM TIME.
From the st. Adams Messenger. ]
Saws the Deerfield Valley Times:


Says the Deerfield Valley Times:
We are told that Senator Dilling
ham is a refined and accomplished
gentleman and that he is easily the
best looking member of the New Eng
land delegation at Washington. He
made a speech before meeting OF the
Loyal Legion the other day which was
given wide publicity by his newspaper
friends and is gaining notoriety as a
graceful and entertaining after din
ner orator" This is the new Sen1-
tors record during the last session
of Congress. AS a member of the
Senate he has introduced no bills of
Importance, has made no speeches,
and has apparently eXerted little or no
influence upon legislation. If Mr..
Dillingham; is reelected to the Senate
there's no doubt but what he will
shine as a star in Washington society
there is no doubt but what he will
have hosts of friends, but when it
comes to real effective work and in
fiuence in shaping national legislation,
Vermont will have to look to Senator
Proctor"
This is hardly fair to Senator Dill
bingham. 1t would not be fair to any
body. 1t was not expected that he
was going to walk into the most au-
gust legislative body in the world and
upset the precedents of one hundred
and twelve years. 1t is by no means
the distinguishing mark of states
man that he introduces bills of i'm
portance." Perhaps the greatest in
fluence upon national legislation is eX-
ercised by men who seldom introduce
Nrix 60
stituents and whose names are not
identified with any measures that at
tract particular attention from the
public. Moreover, it is contrary to
precedent for United States senator
to make a speech at his first sitting.
Senator Beveridge of Indiana, tried it,
rash, imprudent youth that he was,
| enjoyed notoriety as a nine-days won
der, went up like a rocket and came
down like the stick. Neither is
| speech-making any criterion of the
value of a lawmakers service to his
constituency or to the nation. Some
of the ablest Legislators at the capitol
| are seldom heard on the floor, and are
| Indifferent speech-makers at best.
| The Times should remember that the
committee rooms are the real battle
| fields of national legislation.
| Let us be perfectly fair with Senator
| Dillingham;. He is expected to prove
| his ability to succeed Senator Morrill,
| in the United States Senate. He
| should have time to do it in. Then
| if he does not succeed, the people can
| take the matter into their own hands
Meanwhile, it must not be forgotten
that no man is going from Vermont
into that great marble pile at Wash
ington and create any profound sen
sation upon his first appearance
Washington is very wise and very eX
| perienced. 1t has seen the rise, pro
| gress, glory, and decline of all the
great statesmen the country has pro
duced since the Congress first met
on the banKs of the Potomac. Wash
ington merely smiles pitifully upon
the efforts of new Legislators to sci
the world a-fre. He is discreet leg
islator who devotes his early days
in the Capitol to learning the ropes,
making acquaintances, and preparing
himself to give his constituents the
best service that is in him. Senator
Dillingham; has been given linz
enough, by his election to serve TO
the unexpired term of Senator Morrill,
to make some progress at this and Il
prove his worth. 1t will be time Il
judge him later.