St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1906-05-16

any Office, and it is misleading and
mi chievous fallacy to contend that he
can have.
Having thus spoken of needful quali6-
cations in the abstract, beg to add
word touching the present incumbent.
l have known Col. Haskins from my
boyhood. We were born and raised in
contiguous townships in Windham
county and for years practiced law
together at its bar. have also intimate
ly known, with one single exception, every
representative from Vermont during the
past 40 years; and while Col. Haskins
may not possess in equal measure quail
ties which have characteriz d some OF his
predecessors, assert it as my unqualified
belief that he possesses more good
qualities that go to make up an efficient
congressman than any one OF them. He
is now at the NTH of his intellectual
power and physical vigor. He has
never been called upon to perform any
important public duty, be it to bis coun
try, his party or his state, which he has
not performed willingly, efficiently and
ably; yet he is now better equipped tor
eff ctive work than he has ever sheen in
the past. To his natural aptitude for
congressional work should now be added
his ripe experience arising from his three
term service, not to speak of his previous
members ship in both branches OF the
state legislature. The value of that hard.
earned experience should not now be
thrown away. To me it would seem
wasteful and inexcusable to do so.
Vermont has never become influential
in the national counc,ls through mex
perienced men, and never will become
so. On the contrary, her prestige and
commanding influence have been main
tanned, and maintained only by con-
tinuiug 10 office those who had become
potent by reason of their long, uninter-
rupted service.
| Col. Haskins is popular not only with
his colleagues on the fl )or, but at the
White House, with members OF the cabi-
net and the various department and
bureau officers. They all like him and
will 60 out OF their way to serve him, /.
e.. his constituents. Reis a good lawyer,
ready batter, is industrious and pains
taking, and discharges with scrupuous
fidelity and promptitude every official
duty laid upon him, and zealously serves
his constituents whenever and wherever
opportunity may be disclosed for doing
so. These qualities, not to speak OF
others equally prominent, have won for
him 10 the House such confidence in his
sound and enlightened Judgment as to
draw to him an unquestioning support
and following tor any measure be may
personally vouch for and urge upon the
consideration OF the House, Therefore,
when appointing him to three important
standing committees Speaker Canon
knew precisely what he was about.
His constituents, as we'll as the people
OF the state at large, realize full well
that his success in doing things" has
been conspicuous and unusual. That, if
his seat be retained this success will BIZ
continued IN an even greater measure,
nobody has the remote$t doubt. The
people hardly need to be reminded OF
many important measures which he has
framed or successfully guided to enact
ment on the floor, such as the oleomar-
garine bill, the live stock quarantine bill,
the war claims bills, the invalid and
dependent pension bills (infuite in
number); the public buildings appropri'
alton bills the extension OF the rural free
delivery service. and manifold other
measures specially affecting Vermont
interests, notably his report from the
War Claims committee on the bill Tor the
adjustment and final settlement of the
long pending claims between the govern
ment and the state OF Vermont. grow
ing out of the civil war and the subse
ouent arming of the states militia tor
defense, and his successful management
OF that bill when came before the House
for its action.
1t will be time enough to examine the
comparative merits OF his opponent when.
ever those who are supporting his candi,
dacy shall specify the special qualities
that fit him for that place. Something
is demanded OF him beyond the fact that
he may have administered creditably an
entirely different Office, whose duties may
be. and often are, performed by one
wholly destitute OF the peculiar qualities
essential tor efficient work in Congress.
No person should ever be selected foi
a high public trust like this on the score
OF his veal b, local popularity, "servict
to the party" or asserted claim that
ibis turn has now come" All such
claims are spurious and should count TOT
nothing. Two considerations and only
two should govern, namely character anc
fitness for the place, and | cannot bring
myself to bell, We that, after sober de
liberation. these qualities, of which
; Colonel Haskins is so pre-emnently
endowed beyond his opponent, will &c
unrecogniz,d and unrewarded at tn
forthcoming convention.
: john H. FLAGe.
New York, April 80, 1906.