The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-10-04

amid all the great civil, industrial, COM
mercial and financial changes which have
come in the last century, our people have
kept intact the old standards of self
government. the same ideas as to the
kind and mode of government wanted in
1878, and today continue to reflect them
in their town meetings and legislative
work. We celebrate not merely the CEN
tennial Of the capital, but more than a
century of consistent democratic govern
ment in this state. True it is that
our people have been charged with being
behind the times, as somewhat set IN
their ideas, slow going, hide bound and
unprogressiye. This charge is not every
where true and the last thing in proof
of it is that, from Lincoln to its choice
of Roosevelt, Vermont has given its
electoral vote to every Republican nom
inee. That shows our people as being
slow to take position but as sure
In holding it, and also, in a very large
sense, the acumen and craftsmanship of
its leaders in placing it in the front
rank of the nations council and keeping
it there. 1t may not have figured so
largely as some of its neighbors on a
money basis or as numbers 90 in the
politics of events, but it has tried and,
we believe, succeeded in always sending
to Congress and to important military,
naval, diplomatic and civil positions,
men Of true and honest faith,
who have done the country
a true and lasting service. Yer
mont cannot hope to discharge an
other century Of politics to better adj
vantage than to record century Of re-
suits as far-reaching and useful as those
since 1906. Its legislatures have been
made up for the greater part Of the
townsmen, chosen for wit and wisdom.
If frequent rotation resulted in mex
perience, it also fostered local interest
and self -goyernment and may have kept
the history OF our legislature free from
yenal attacks. The soil was the thing
and yet is, and 50 it was correct that
agriculture and its devotees should in
iiuence our legislative work All this,
however, was equalized by the strong
selections OF county senators, by the
constant re-offering to its councils of the
highest professional service in the state,
BIZ constant regard for schools, temper
ance, religion and economy of manage
Hitutt aiu dtno ~ titlA d0uSANiNC ~
the usage and practice Of the past. II
Vermont has advanced, as she has, it
has been upon the Roman principle Of
s.festina lentep She has made haste
slowly but surely and has not, as often
has been the case with others, been OBJ
liged to re-trace her steps or to say that
the thrift Of today was paid for by any
diminution In any one Of the safeguards
BY which the liberties and lives Of a free
people are maintained.
There have been eighty regular and
eight special meetings OF the Legislature
at Montpelier but of these none are more
interesting historically, perhaps, than
that which convened in 1898 to consider
| the equipment, subsistence and trans
Iportation Of Vermont troops to the
Spanish-American War, and the great
est session Of all in our history, that of
April 23, 1861, in relation TO public af-
| fairs as affected by the War Of the Re-
bellion. The session of 1865 lasted two
days only, in ratifying the constitutional
amendment prohibiting slavery That
lof 1861 lasted five days but long enough