Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-02-13
WHAT OUR NEIGHbORS SAY.
An Interesting Survey of Vermont
Political Conditions and History.
(From the Enosburgh Standard.)

Under the caption political One-si1ed-
ness" the ST. Adams Messenger again
assumes its favorte role in presenting TO
its readers The short comings of Vermont;
IL las changed somewhat, however, from
it's former attacks, which were confined
largely to showing the exceptional decdI-
ent condition Of Vermont in its industrial
life, for owing to the revelations made by
the census there has been nothing left to
predicate ITS theories upon, In fact moth
ing could be so conclusive in creating an
impossible barrier to the finely woven
theories Of the Messenger as the soil | wall
of facts which have emanated from the
census Office relative to Nermonts pro-
gress, as compared with the other States
in the great Industrial nurch or the
United States at the present time.
Rcformcrs as II rule, are men of one
idea and the Messenger Is no exception
to this rule, conso Quently failing in its At
tempt to misrepre sent Vermont from an
irGustrial standpoint it launches forth in
a long labored article to show up the poll
teal degenerancy of the state. This alb
CREATION would not be seriously consider
ed by the Standard If the attack were con-
tined to the editor of the Messenger alone,
as great allowances are made for the buoy-
anty and ambition of youth, but when the
owner and financial manager Of the Mes
$, niger, who has just vacated the highest
Office in the gift of the l,ecple of vermont,
in a public interview given in New York
City, gives these assertions the weight of
his influence, 1t is high time that tho
real facts surrounding the political situa-
ton of Nerr't mt to-day be carefully con-
sidered. as 10 well wisher Of the state de-
sires to see the concition Of degencrancy
obtain I'm thu body polite Therefore
the STANDARD will consider the charges
presented by the Mes serger, and answer
its questions as best 1t can.
And first OF all the Messenger asks:
"Will the standard conocde that the dom
melton of the solid South by the Demo
cratic party ever since the Reconstruction
period is an example of the operation Of
ts theory that no one party can remain
in power any longer than its acts and
o,iCies ar, for the public &C d, its leaders
Honest ard UPRIGHT" And in bringing
up this comparison the Messenger very
naturally says that 1t viii waive any con-
sdcration of ballot box stuffing, no gro
intimidation, etc. when az a matter Of
fairness these very matters cannot he
eliminated They are matters of fact and
history and of necessity enter into any dis
cussior involving comparisons between
different sections of the country. The
Messenger asks has the South prosper
ed under these thirty years OF one party
domination in the same proportion as
other states where both parties were in
existence" We answer no. but not from
pc litical reasons. The Fundamental trou-
BILE in the South had its origin at the
ft rmatiou Of the Federal Union when slav-
cry was recoe nized In the Constitution
thus creating two distinct civilizations.
1t is a matter Of racial not political, dif-
ference. There can be no parallel drawn
between the pol teal situation in Ver-
mont, where every man thinks and votes
! III ..A Aa III l. L. -.-LI.