The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-08-21

thing. Some newspapers have the face
to admit that wholesome criticism is
good thing and that an intelligent sur
vey of public institutions is-er all right
--er-of course-but it mustn't be applied
to Vermont, you know. Any criticism
OF anything in Vermont is treason. ANY
honest endeavor to point out weak
spot and suggest its strengthening is
not good husblndry; it is vilifcation.
Any well mentioned critical review OF
Vermont aft airs ia not legitimate pub
licity; it is sensationalism, pessimism,
and Heaven knows what else. No man
can show his love for the State by
trying to interest his fellows in study
OF her condition, her strength, her
weakness, her necessities, her pros
poets. She must simply be idolized
and worshipped as one sublime apoth-
costs of perfection. That's the only
way to show loyalty in this State. When
a newspaper suggests that this law is
ineffective and that law wholly bad,
another law needed or still an
other not needed at all, it is an agita-
tor. Down with il. Them the critics
read a metropolitan paper, learn how
the same ideas are aaoat in the great
Empire State admire the independence
of Governor Odell who has sand
enough to veto bad legislation-and
forget all about Vermont. All these
propositions for changes and the neWs-
paper discussion OF them appear to be
wholly consistent with progressive citi-
zenship everywhere else except in Yer
mont New York may discuss liquor leg
islation, Massachusetts, the lie 9TH penal
ty, Connecticut, reform in legislative
representation. and so on down through
the list-but Vermont never. Yer
mont does not need to change. Per-
haps the others do, but not this State.
And then we are treated to fearful
exhortation to "stand up for the dear
old commonwealth
Perhaps it might be proper to inquire
right here and now, "Who isn't stand
ing up for her?" Let US see the man
or newspaper among us that intends
her any injury. Let us see the man or
Newspaper who wishes her anything
but the best of good. Why do you not
stop some of this protesting against
"running the old State down" and get
TO work to see if there actually
comes from? Every thin King man
knows that the only way to arouse
popular interest in matter is to "keep
everlastiugly at it," There is no bur
den of responsibility so easily shifted
as the individual citizens. What's
everybody's business is nobody's busl-
ness. Some OF the questions now be-
ing discussed by the State press are
worth looking into. 1t is idle TO cry
that the parading of them does the
State more harm than good. They
must be paraded before the public in
order thst it may form an intelligent
opinion Of their merits. They must be
stirred up until it l. decided definite
ly whether they are to be solved one
way or another. Some of these issues
cannot be settled for ten years be-
cause the constitution cannot be chang
ed before Their but it is by no means
wasted effort - keep them fresh in the
public mind by occasional advert
ence to them through all that time.
Then when the date for change is at
hand, the people will have some
idea what they want to do. The old
habit has been to wait udtil fifteen
minutes before the vote was taken and
then commence newspaper discus
sion. And it was too late then to &C.
complish anything.
1t is folly to say that calling atten-
ton to what one may believe to be
an evil that the public should remedy
is greater injury to the public than
letting it alone. The press of Yer
mont was never 80 alive to its respon-
sibilities as it is to-day. More power
to itl-St. Adams Messenger.