Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-02-02
What Our NElGHBORS SAY
(From the Randolph Herald.)

The transfer Of the Rutland railroad
| to the control Of the New York Gen.
trial. while it brings a welcome prom
| isc Of material advantage to the State,
deprivcs Vermont of another distinct
lively home enterprise, and on this ac-
count the transfer causes d passing pang
to those Of sentimental turn. Like its
sister roads on this side Of the State
the Rutland has now been absorbed by
larger outside system. 1t is another
step in the great process of amalgama-
ton. whose end no ono can foresee. Vcr-
mont is now pretty much In the hands
of foreign railroad corporations. The
Boston 4 Maine on the eastern border
| the Grand Trunk through its center, and
now the New York Central on the west
side. with the Canadian Pacific cutting
across its northeast corner, with branch
OF the Boston g. Maine crossing 1t ut
the north. thoroughly gridiron Vermont
with railroads whose main headquarters
are outside our borders. Only a few
short lines remain az monuments of the
days when Vermont energy and capital
were devoted to home railroad building.
The change is not peculiar to Vermont.
though. 1t has marked railroad develop
mont all over the country. Tho minor
companies have generally found it adj
vantageous to become parts OF some
great systems. with all the economies
and improvements in the way Of scrv.
ice that readily appear. So. while our
sa tisfaction Is not altogether unmixed
with sorrow, let us rejoice that the pass :
ing of the distnctively Vermont rail-
ways has brought the state forward. to
la marked degree. IN the very important
lmatter of modern and progressive railroad
Jservicc. and that few resultant ills have
so far appeared.
GOVERNMENT IS A BUSINESS"
(Trom the st. Adams Mcssenger.)
The announcement that the state audi
tors Office in the capitol at Montpelier
is soon 10 be kept open the year around
lis an encouraging reminder of some of
the permanent good accomplished by the
| Legislature Of 1904 Now. IL the move
n,cnt for reform will not stop there hut
will extend in all directions unit! it be-
comes tho settled policy of the State
to treat the government as serious busi-
lness and orc demanding the attention Ut
isoncbody somewhere day by day. ",
lshall be the gamers in material benefits
land in heightened solf-respect.
| II is almost ridiculous. II would bc
ridiculous If il were not discotra gine. iC
see how Indifferent the average Yer
monter has been toward this natter il,
1.-The past, to see how he has regarded
the duty of State officers as being merely
incidental. inconseuucntal. occasional
about like that of the clerk Of his schoo
district who takes the old five-cent rec
ord book down from behind the clock
once term and enters in it who agreed
10 board the teacher for the next tire,
months. And that's one reason why tho
Functions of government have become
farmcd out to commissions and one thing
and another of that kind until its cXecu-
tive force is dissipated and scattered
from Cannan to Pownal. People have
fallen into the loose way Of regarding
the State of Vermont "a doing business
on the street in pushcart in fair wealth
ct only and moving on from corner tt
corner ut the threat of the police or the
pressure Of the crowd.
If We could only gather our govern
ment up once. get it all together some.
where. even if It was only under al
umbrella. and hire somebody to give VI
his whole time to il. We would begin tt
realize that We had a governor and &
state.