St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-01-27
Vermont Associations.

Observation-Disclosures i'm severai Cisies.
More than 800 men and women, sons
and daughters OF the Green Mountain
state. attended the 18th annual banquet
of the Vermont association of Boston,
held Thursday evening at hotel Vendome.
Beginning with reception shortly
before 6, the program of entertainment
was most complete, including as it did
all the pleasing features of a reunion.
together with an elaborate dinner, fol-
lowed by interesting addresses and must
cal selections. The guests and speakers
were Gov. John 6. Mccullough OF Yer
mont, Lieut.. Gov. Zed S. Stanton of that
state, Hon. William Nj. DIN, secretary
of the commonwealth of Massachusetts,
and Horace 6. Wadlin, librarian of the
Boston public library.
A business session was held prior to
the arrival of the guests. This comprised
the transaction OF much important bust
ness, as well as the choice of the follow
ing officers: Pres, Josiah II. Benton;
vice pres, Albert Clarke and Eugene N.
Foss; sec, N. L. Sheldon; treas, Charles
K. Darling; chaplain, Rev. DIR. William
FL. Davis: executive CON-, Arthur l.. Rob-
inson, Everett e. Benton. Isaiah r.
Clark, Wade Keyes, Elmer E. Silver, Will
liam l.. Quimby, George P. Anderson
and Addison O. Denny.
The receiving party which greeted the
members as they entered the prett1ly
decorated parlors was made up of Col. ].
II. Benton, Jr., Mrs. Benton, Gov. Nc
Cullough, Lieut.. Gov. z. S. Stanton,
Mrs. e. c. Benton, Mr.. and Mrs. N. L.
Sheldon, Col. Albert Clarke, Mrs. Will
liam A. Barton and Hon. William M. DIN.
In the dining DOM back of the table occu-
pied by Pres. Benton and the speakers
were the national colors, with the Yer
mort and Massachusetts, state flags.
Col. Benton referred TO the prosperity
of the association, and then read the fol
lowing letter from President Roosevelt,
which came in response to an invita-
ton to be present:
my Dear Sir-I am genuinely sorry
that it is impossible for me to be present
with you at your dinner. There are
larger states and weather. states than
Vermont, but there is not one that sur
passes Vermont in the character of what
is, after all, states best Outputs
men and women. At no crisis in our
national history, political, military or
social, has Vermont failed to take the
right stand. To a peculiar degree all
Vermonters embody those traits of the
New England character which have
made the New England stock of such
DONNA ting influence in our national
development.
wish you well with all my heart, and
I regret that l cannot be with you in
person. Sincerely yours,
Theodore Roosevelt"
Miss Gertrude Edmands sang 1.-The
Star Spangled Banner" and at her re-
quest the company of diners joined in
the chorus.
After extending his fluctuations Gov.
Mccullough said, in part: II am sur
ha of %ha
citation. I believe that Boston is bigger
city than Burlington, Rutland and Ben
nington combined" He spoke of the
success of old home week in Vermont and
said that the reason the census did not
show an increa se in the Green Mountain
state was because all Vermonters came
to Boston. He spoke OF the beauty of
Vermont, of its achievements, of the
character of its people and of the men
it has sent forth to take part in the
nations history. In this connection he
said: You may as well strike Sparta
from the map of Greece, Holland from
the map of modern Europe, as Vermont
from that of America, for its place is as
firmly fixed as the granite in it's hills. 1t
still breeds Ethan Aliens and Seth War
ners. Vermont believes in no law with
out liberty and no liberty without law.
It does not belive in the tyranny of bat
tie, nor the tyranny of labor It may be
old fashioned, but it still believes in the
town system and an equal representa-
ton in the senate. In national affairs
Vermont also has convictions. She be-
lleves that the Panama canal should be
built, and that it should be built at once
This, she thinks, ought to be done that
it may be open to the commerce and
peoples of the globe. This should be
done in perfect fairness and absolute
Ermness. She believes, too, that it is
the right and duty OF the United States
to open waterway across the isthmus.
Vermont believes it our duty that the
Philippine islands should be seen to until
they can stand alone and after they can
stand alone that they can walk by them
selves"
The governor urged the uplifting of
Anglo Saxon civilization and that its
problems be worked out on the higher
planes. He said Vermont's children have
fulfilled every duty and every crisis and
were ready to work for glorious future
for the old state.
Mr.. DIN told some amusing stories
and then spoke of the absence of two
guests, Rev. E. A. Horton and Mayor
Collins.
The secretary of the commonwealth
spoke of the patriotism that had been
and of their part ia American wars and
victories.
Mr. Wadlin was the next speaker. He
was followed by Lieut.. Gov. Stanton.
The latter said that if he were not son
OF Vermont he would like to be son
of the old Bay state. He brought the
good wishes of those at home to those
whose lines were cast without the bor-
ders OF Vermont.
A "New Vermont" and a "Greater
Vermont" were frequently spoken of
nowadays, he said, and as they meant
material progress he was heartily in
favor of them. He would go further
than the governor had gone and say
that Vermont believes that the Panama
canal would be built.
He referred to Vermont's part in the
progress OF the present century and to
New England's infu nee in the fortunes
of the United States.
Throughout the evening there were