The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-11-03
MARKING TIME.

Are tDB hopes anu plophoO'oo WI
corning the Legislature of 1904 to be
disappointed? Is the record OF this
Legislature to go down in history in
the same class with its predecessors
no better. no worse? Containing so
many men of conspicuous fitness for
the work, experienced in Legislative
procedure, knowing the needs OF the
State, is it to do nothing of real
value. nothing that will show progress
sion?
II the session is to be of its custom
ary duration, more than half OF the
time has already passed AS yet the
marks of greatness are to be found
only in the personnel of the Legisla'
tors. Good works are not visible
and it is by their works that Legisla-
lures as we'll as individuals are known.
Hundreds of bills have been present.
ed. bat as rule they are OF minor
importance some good enough In
a way, some indifferent, some positive
ly bad But were a person to judge
SUhUb ny bIlO UllA5 biuo aoh a'NAO
duced. it is likely that the verdict
would not sustain claim of superior
wisdom existing in its legislative
body. One mi-ho readily suppose
that the pr loIpn industries Of the
State we're :. original hunting and
fishing. A scoro of bills having to
do with game and fish have found
their way into tAs flies Greater in
serest has be.a manifested on such
subjects than on those of greater i'm
p1rtan,e. Aside from these the great
mass of proposed iegislauon can be
classed under the heads of minor
amendments to "V. s." incorpora-
ton bills for cemetery associations
and appropriation bills of all sorts
and sizes
IL would almost seem that the legis-
lators, when they repealed the law
giving bounties for killing noXIous an
imals, thought they had gone SO far in
the the work of economy, and had
saved the State such an enormous sum
OI uUDby, ulIdb 0bO1 WOulh DO Jhoti
fed in authorizing innumerable other
expenditures Bills to increase sal
aries have been the rage, together
with appropriations for various pur-
Judges, jurors, the Governor, the
superintendent CT education, the chap
lain of the States prison. probate
judges, etc, ETC., want increased pay.
some great deal of it, Somebody
wants another revision of the laws at
a cost of some twenty odd thousand
dollars.
1t was fondly hoped that there
would be some legislation seriously
considered which would have as rs
purpose the advancement of the ma
terIal interests of the State. The
future welfare of the State was to be
considered. The repeal of the bounty
law " RI o. IT, ~ of
ecolp ny. 60 i. .e Ia. t Lie .yo..ls
tors haze s s0NN for tie 'h7 sub
jeo D., .Jmil.ut dlrinR to e9t ut
car: CAu it b5 ,A-t they ii We
for - - nat ey VS. e! cted nd ir
coRditi which p@t np0n t EN- the
stronger ob'!g IN Il etrerchmen5
in the ~ 40. + : te Expense: Ia
they ii e 're7 dl~Nay VITA 'he
payment OF zo4Io 81, so H'a tor
ho,,,-.., +; o. 100 100 +Nnir hole
duty: n.. Trey Increase exp>"Hi-
lures along RI. e" va 5, as some lid
cate an intention Of doing, in the
bills they have introduced?
The only constructive legislation of
Importance that has as yet been seri-
ousiy considered is caucus law.
The Legislature shows signs OF action
on that subject ana probably will do
something, and there is no reason AT
present to doubt that that something
will be satisfactory. But there are prob
lens before Vermonters which are
of greater Importance than any caucus
legislation. If Vermont is TO advance
instead of falling back III her relative
position among the Otates, she lhus'
consider the future and prepare her
self for the inevitable changes OF time
Vermont is essentially rural State
and her future welfare must be con
served through attention to the want
and requirements of such a commun
ity. Manufacturers must be give'
their opportunity, and along som
lines of manufacture Vermont ough
to compete successfully with othe
States, but she is limited in that di
rection. The fact cannot be dispute
that in the hills and valleys. til
forests and fields. lie Vermont's great
est wealth. If, then, the fountai
head of her prosperity be neglected
il she does not remain stationary
marking time, as practically she ha
for half century, she must inevital