Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1903-12-25

'lons' not impaired, but Improved by the
sreater opportunities which we today en-
JOY There is no such thing as standing
sun with honor in this contest of econ
mics and material progress. either here
where we live or in New England at large.
Consequently it has become necessary
10 pay more attention to the conservative
ana scientific financing of our towns and
TO admit that the small Office and the
work of the man in IT Gas distinguished
from our Offices for honor) usually moro
nearly touches the citizen in his daily
life. Fill it carefully and educate new
material up to the point of filling il.
Attend to the work of the town meetings
ana to every article in the warning. IT
Is simply public business and should be
done properly ana thoughtfuly. The
voters themselves are the legislators there
send your best men to the legislature
your hard-headcd men of good sense ana
good judgment, hard workers after their
arrival there as well as before their cleo
tons, 1t is not good government for
the people to be pushed too often from
their seats. Taxes should be made as
light as possible and bear equally. but
well-spcnt tax is good thing and buys
money usually does If tax stands be-
tween good ana wise administration of
municipal or state affairs raise the tax,
but do so equitably, spend it carefully
and then exact a true accounting for the
results. Good public institutions are good
things but it takes taxes and genuine su-
pervision to make them SO.
Geographical distinctions in state mat
| tCIS are myths If q rnouptai, otor1, 10
tween you and the man you want, cross
the mountain Good measures require
good men. AS measures know neither
age nor point of compass, so men should
be chosen for their uses to the state in
the furtherance If such measures and for
the discharge of public work Private
corporations look for the best men and do
not often ask about their politics or their
residence. This is pure ordinary, public
siXteen-ounce business, practically self
/ evident to all.
1t is also true of clnging close to good
public servants. as Vermont has always
so honorably and so proftaby done, and
especially in the case Of the judiciary. 1t
| is doubtless wise (and adherents of the
new idea also believe in this doctrine)
/ not to make changes in the statutes
too often. well written general laws. with
/ special legislation reduced to a minimum,
being the serviceable public course. When
a new idea comes to the front and is
made law, it is equally good public and
political economy. as an affair of pure ad-
ministration. to give the new law a fair
chance to prove its merit or demerit
time being always an essential element
in the proof. and. 10y the same token.
there is no more virtue in continual
strife over state policy which does not
affect the constitution than there is in
want Of harmony in any business organ
ization.
1t is very gratifying to note the fine
examples of industry and growth which
now exist in st. Johnsbury. Burlington.
! Barre Newport. Proctor. Rutland. st.
Adams, Mortified, Brattleboro Benning-
ton. Hardwick, Bellows Falls, White Riv-
er Junction. Hyde Park. Winooski Mont
peler and in many other cities and towns
of Vermont Particularly pleasing is the
fact, also, of increase in the students and
| equipment of our schools and colleges
and the prospects and expanding pur-
poses of the University of Vermont
When. indeed, to everything which the
state is. We add the splendor of itself and
of its history and then begin to think OF
its future in terms of its men, women
and children and of the wealth of oppor-
tunites at their doors, l am proud and
glad that it came to me to he counted
one among the many thousands of mer
who believe in and are now working n
and for a Greater Vermont in the sense
in which | have tried to define it, In
the sense of honor, Nermonts futur,
may not. perhaps, be greater than its
past, but honor consists in acting well oul
own parts within our own times, holding
practical results in view. so that every
where in the state good work. thrift, com
fort health, happiness and contentment
may be the ruling factors in our OWL
lives and in those of our children.