Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-02-03
A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS
TROUBLES OF THE VERMONT
ELECTORS IN WARRINGTON.
Visiting Vermonters - The Swayne
and Smoot cases-A Congress OF
Conservatism - Washington During
the Last Weeks Blizzard.
Especial to The Reformer.)

Washington, d. c., Jan. 80, 90
The four days ending Friday gave
this city and section the worst spell
OF weather that 1t has groaned under
since the famous blizzard of five
years ago. This was blizzard, too,
all right, and 1t tore through, under
and over this luckless burg with a
velocity and severity which will long
be quoted by the Oldest inhabitant.
washington is never prepared for
severe winter weather, the aborig-
inals here learning nothing from eX-
perience, nobody had more than a
bushel Of coal on hand, and there
was much suffering in consequence.
Everybody who had the price or
credit telephoned for coal at once,
the water pipes all froze solid, as
they always do, and the bars all did
a bowling business in hot Scotch and
Tom and Jerry.
Possibly six inches of snow fell In
all. but 1t didn't stop moving for sew
eral days after 1t came In sight and
therefore was difficult to measure
No trains came in from the north
for 90 hours, many were snowbound
In drifts all night within 10 miles of
the city, and all in ALL this blooming
winter resort received decidedly
black eye. About time for some good
friend up In Vermont to congratulate
me on having gone south" to "es-
cape the winter!" During the fracas
several Vermonters were showed In
here, unable to get north. and they
evidently believed that nature had
turned in to assist us congressional
exiles In making them feel at home
Congress is succeeding admirably
In keeping anything of consequence
h.ain ....As
bills of course excepted, as they have
to get through, whatever else doesn't.
The statehood bill has run dry in the
senate, and it now looks like it was
going over" with everything else,
until next session" Decidedly, this
administration is in the hands of the
conservatives. The essence of con-
servatism is fear, and though a con-
sentative may admit that existing
conditions are in some respects bad,
yet he resists any change on the
ground that it would be more or less
experimental. He doesn't admit that
anything would be certain i'm
provement, but consistently argues /
would be intolerable and therefore
no chances must be taken. The up
to-date synonym for a dyed in the
wool conservative Is a "standpatter."
He doesn't think we have time now
ito give the matter intelligent con-
so he slaves it off till
next session" and trusts to the next
session to take care of itself. Surely,
this is a congress of conservatives
going further in this matter of pro-
than even the president
cares to take the responsibility of
doing, and the next congress with its
DJTa " hnl yl1ip nrif ia
both houses will be more than ever
1 standpat combination. Just the
same, the tariff will be readjusted to
some extent next winter. but care ,
will be taken that no vital inter- ,
.sts' will be seriously disturbed or /,
wen scared
There will be very, very mild !
liver and harbor appropriation bill at :
his session, but it will not be large +,
'nough to provoke much criticism. '
n fact, from what / have seen of it, !,
t only contains items for internal =
which may be consid- !,
red as necessary and Just. The APP y
ropriation bills have all been very c
that of the District of !,
appropriation, which has =
aised an unusual howl of indignant a
at the parsimony ex- y
ibited. In this connection | may
ay that while this bill was under
iscussion in the house last week
congressman Foster led a red-hot
ght on the floor of the house for a b
ecent increase in the salaries of the "a
'achers Of the city and would have "a
on out handsomely if the increase CO
ld not been barred out on a tech a,
cality Nevertheless, Mr.. Foster 70
llsomined himself with glory and 81
on the undying approval and re- Sc
lrd of all the schoolmarms of the as
ty. co
Now I want to devote some little n
ace to four eminent Vermonters. re
r electoral college members. Messrs. 90
one, Bond, Berry and Flynn hove s.
very bright and very early last
EEK Friday morning called en- masse
d deposited Vermont's four votes
tn President of the Senate Frye, ,
d at once proceeded to enjoy the DC
unfold beauties and attractions
itch surrounded them on every
nd So far so good, The next
Y they ambled sweetly up to the
bingham and Congressman Has
49, were introduced to the presi- COZ
1t and exchanged taffy with him,
ch to everybody's happiness,
ry and honor Also so far, so
I'd. But here sad and sorrowful ,
nge swoops down over the immor-
four like straw hat over a but r ,,a'
fly. Trouble came. The first item ses
the roll of misery was the loss t e.,
r,1,taa -, nc ,,';. - nat
L,,,,oh -, tba ,,oat an5 49,, the
ed afar. He had forgotten the
ne of the hotel where the gang
stopping, as well as that of the
et on which it was located, and T,
could not ask directions. Where for
strolled to the world will never son
w, but several hours later and inc.
in the evening he happened by Snr
merest luck to wander around 8
that direction and was saved nro,
Sc who know Ed can imagine that tTni
that time he had a lurid tale of bav
corled up inside, spelling for hoa,
t of suitable audience, and they Con Cor,
lived an earache before they adj inc
e., tors
fall of Eleetor Bond from a street ings
No serious damage done, ex-
to clothes and feelings.
len came the serious accident t.
tor Stone. He was waiting for a
It car on the wrong side of the A
k, and though the car stopped Mas
lid not have time to run around the
rear end and jump on until il was the
lutte rapid motion. When he whio
Int on he was at once thrown lishr
ntly to the ground, his clothes agai
Y torn and one knee severely in pool
! beside a serious jar to his en- it is
body which for a time affected tion
heart. He was on his way to a any
DIS for dinner, but when he able
he'd there he was at once put to twee
and doctor was called. Before
ad really begun to recover from
pain and shock a telegram was