Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-12-18
BRArrLEBoRo, FRIDAY, DEC. IS. 1908.



Some press ilutterings have followed
the reports of the meeting Of the state
grange at Rutland last week. Wor-
thy Master G. j. Bell of Walden spoke
after formulating these desires he re-
minded the grangers that farmers
have a majority in the state legisla-
ture and that II is their own fault II
they do not have their will in legisla-
tive matters. His vigorous challenge
will undoubtedly have its influence in
fidently expect a strong agricultural
flavor in the cream of its proceedings.
May it be manifested next year in
something more generally beneficial
and pleasing than hedgehog bounties.
The farmers of Vermont are among
the best and most dependable of her
citizens; but it is true of them as it
is of any Industrial class that they are
apt to see only their own side of pub
lie questions. Laws should not be
made to favor one class at the ex-
pense of any other; all interests
should be considered and a compro-
mise made between conflicting claims
so as to do the most possible good and
the least possible injustice to all con-
cerned.
The grange aspirations take quite a
wide range but they are not so alarm
ingly original and masterful as they
SEEM Perusal of the Massachusetts,
papers will show their almost exact
counterparts in Worthy Master Ladd's
summary of what the Massachusetts
grange accomplished last year. YER
mont grangers may be bright enough
to know a good thing when they see
1t, or they may simply have a parrot
like gift of imitation. This is Mr.
Bells formula:
1st. Antitrust law and for provis-
ion for state inspection of all corpora
lions.
ID Secure law on taxation that will
compel all property to bear its just
proportion of taxation
Sd, Pure food law.
4th Provide state railway commits
sion with full power of fixing maxi
mum rate of freight and passenger
service on all railways subject to their
jurisdiction.
5th. Such revision of the fees and
salaries as will place them on an
equitable basis.
The next Legislature will evidently
have to get busy if it performs half
the work suggested for it. There is
the local option law which all the
state critics have been tearing to
pieces-that will have to be tinkered
up; caucus law Is demanded; the
dimensions of the noxious animal
bounty must be considered and as has
been before noted, the building of state
roads and the reduction of state ex-
penses are issues to be met Add to |
these the usual routine work, the I'M
failing petitions of the women and the |
grange program with its speciality of |
equal taxation and we see evidence I
that Vermont and Vermonters are
thoroughly infused with the progress
sive spirit of the times and will never /
again be content with the old, con-
servatve lines of thought and action.
Mr. Bell, whose ideas on the power
that state railway commission should /
have are considered pretty radical" I
in some quarters, is now among the
mentioned for the republican nomi
nation for governor next year. The
Hardwick Gazette thinks Mr. Bell will
be a hard man to defeat. 1t says: He
is known the length and breadth of the
state and known as man of digni-
fled and yet pleasing personality, of
absolute integrity and never failing
loyalty to his party and to his friends.
His following would not be confined
to any one locality. Just keep your
eye on Mr. Bell"
AS the able leader of the large, Well
organized and ambitious agricultural +,
element of the states population we
don't know who, with gubernatorial !
aspirations, has better chance of real I
izng them. The state in general, 4
might look farther and fare worse. {