Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-02-19
What Their Association Is and
What 1t Stands For.
The objects OF the Organization Admir-
ably Set Forth by Col. JOSIAH H. Ben
ton, Jr. the president--Vermont
Headquarters In the Hub.

present the governor of Massachusetts
y. l.. Banks; eX-Ciovernors Fletcher and
Fairbanks of Vermont, the mayor OF
Boston, Mr. Lincoln; Jacob Collamer,
II United States senator from Vermont,
ana many other distinguished guests, in
all about Is. That meeting was n no.
table one. / think it WAS the only one
which was held by the sons of Vermont
in Boston prior to the organization of
this association From the newspaper re-
ports of that meeting ] wish to read TO
YOU two concluding sentences of Sena-
tor Collamer's remarks, they are to me
so apt and excellent:
"Ruggcd wilds will bring forth hardy
and freedom-lovin. children, and to the
returning child of the Green Mountains,
as his eye grccts for the first time since
his wandcrngs his aforementioned hills.
every drop OF blood in his body warns
with new life and action. His heart
beats with renewed throb OF that love
of home which is the only foundation of
u love Of country"
know of nothing that could more per-
tincntiY be borne upon our records as the
sentiment of this association. The love
of home is what brings us here: the love
of home is what lays the only sure foun-
dation for the love of country.
And for the instruction of his honor the
licutcnant-covernor, | wish to read tho
toast TO which Gov. Banks responded
"MaSsdchusetts and Nermont-Alled to
each other by the strongest ties of friend
snip ana material interests; always seek
int, each others wclfarc-the one caught
the inspiration of liberty from the sound
ing seaS. the other from the music OF
the mountain pines"
That association did not long survive.
There soon came the unfortunate struggle
for the preservation of the union in which
NcrmontcrS were so much concerned that
they had little time for other activities
IN 1874 the present association was form
ed with about "a members, 1t is re-
markable association in many respects,
unique, different from any other associa-
ton of SONS and daughters of any other
state. 1t has held meetings for II con-
sccutiNc years. ii has had continuous
organization with annual dues. 1t has
published annual reports, as no other
association has; it hus conducted two
most successful Old !Iomc Week excur-
sions it's membership w onn file TO be
faVorablY passed upon, doubtless all Of
them will bring its membership UP to
30 We want Il thousand members and
we expect to have them.
Now the growth of this association has
not been II matter of chance ii has come
largely, In my Judgment, from the SUI
p"ricr character of the officers of this
association. our first president was that
NV '''ic anu wal in-.c'' 'c'' Ia -hi',iucu
progressive man, Henry o. Houghton
who came here a poor boy from Yer
mont and founded the great publishing
house of Houghton, Miflin & CO.. whose
imprint carries any book upon which it
- p,acei mo 'ne attention ol All men VINO
intclligcntly read and think
p,T nSAt iteSlorht WAS NaIpFiuse "a
J. lC!", ne 'iliei J"S'itr "a o"' supreme
J"'''' i'' '"ui Z" Eti''"' anu " 'ui -
" "'Hc oPli!ioH2 HoNc "'''' ioE'iueu III
''''E ''uIt Nl'''r W. "a" ol ihlsiISH
9"''N'!'s P9"Plc 'u'n'"'S' co. III II
'""i' N"i"9"H w: i''''T e"'li!'i'' III puS,-
- al" III PoII'' ''Ie' "''u '"e 'ol-
ho'or ~ ""l port men '"', s"S"Vl'"S,
tu''iP Fl9I'l6 H'ciCHaH'' N'"eH Square aHu
'haI liioSt eNctI''H' H'"E'Str"te ana e"lIH-
T"' ',!HIH VI Oui co'''!'lui' o"'V"' ny
ii"h' imam. - u'ler Oh l"uttoh' ana
!"SN n"t h"t Least we nave bech apIe
10 '"t l" our service Juds3 fus"f d.
H"'ri'''n Oh whom / nave Salu' unu WISH
TO say again 'hdt ne mas not ON! served
tIlc 'olillloh"VaItH Win SEcdt abi!l'F as
Us chl"t apNlspr-'hc a'toiheN-Eeherai
nut Nus ACIu with even hdiu9 the scales
81 JuStl'r ~ our gr'"t 't'a' curt where
7"oH'a"l'dII5 an me rlSh'S "l person anu
property Oh our clllZehS are measured ana
ultimately declueu.
Now We nave come 10 'hlhk III the cX-
'vUtNe committee 'n"t 'hl7 dSapcld'luh
WIN us actlNltlcs might De enlarged that
II might nave permanent hcadquarters,
W" lnok II up about year ago py a
committee "Ppolntcd ny inc PRESIDENT, OF
winch WAS a member. Ihat committee
reported IN FAVOR OF having a lar-
ger committee consider the subject,
ana accordingly committee OF thirty
was appointed. rms larger conlnittee
held various meetings, ana was of the
opinion that the experiment might Wei
u" tried. 1t appointed a subcommittee
for detail. which subcommittee has done
excellent work. We have hnally reached
tho conclusion that 1t is well To attempt
To have IA meeting place, headquarters,
am exchange whatever YOU may call it
Whore inns Nermont ASSOCIATION may nave
u permanent abiding place every week
and every day of the year,
Sow people naturally ASK nat Is
hoped TO DO ANA tHat, suppose, Is
what YOU want Inc 10 suggest. Well. in
tn hrst place, II Is hoped to nave IN some
convenient location suitable rooms for
o"tinGS,-Whcrc, has not been settled.
What VIII you have in those rooms? To
begin with, We would have the portraits
OF our past presidents on our walls. We
would have the portraits Of distinguished
N,rInontcrs on our walls, like Jacob Col
arner ana solomon Foot VINO together
hau more influence in the Senate of the
United states Tor years than any other
two senators. We would have Vermont
ncWspapers-and think the Vermont
publishers Will send them to us-so that