Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1908-11-19
LEcIsLArIvE HAzlNc.

At last we know what ails the present
Legislature. The symptoms pointed to
paresis or senile decay, but the MontpeI-
Ter Journal Johnny-on-the-spot-has di-
aRnosed the case and reports as follows:
'sThe chief trouble with the present as
sembly is its lack OF active leaders and its
population Of those tentative shepherds
who have essayed to handle the crook
and lead the wandering sheep into direct
and seemly legislative paths. The spirit
Of progress is there. The members have
an extraordinary degree Of personal indie
Dendence and intelligence, but the cold
and serious fact is that majority Of them
heartily distrust the men who have IN
dertaken to direct them and have repudi-
ated such leadership in toto.
stThere is no need to examine into the
cause thereof There IL no need to ask
men like Allen NJ. Fletcher and Joseph
A. DeBoer why they have not assumed
their rightful place as thouRht-leaders Of
the House. The experience Of their
would-be predecessors might well induce
them to be passive, but the time has
come for them to invoke their best per-
sonal qualities and direct the efforts of
the general assembly of 1908 into proper
and productive channels"
And again the Journal says
ssThe farmers v i'll not permit anyone to
shape anything Tor them They have re-
fused to follow the leadership of several
well-meaning members and have repudi-
ated Hitchcock, one Of the simplest, most
single-minded and conscientious members
the House possesses, even though he is a
farmer and devoted to the farmers inter
est.
'sThe farmers have shown their teeth
and driven Of the alien and interIoper.
"What do they want. ard can they agree
on any intelligent and definite line of &C.
tion7 The professional men. merchants,
ETC., are rather st loss to know just
what these rebeIlious agriculurists want.
"a good many people think the farmers
do not know what they want themselves.
Now that they have taken the bit in their
teeth, let as see what they will do.
ssThe surest way to discover whether
men have the faculty Of leadership is to
put them in control of something and let
them go it."
And another prime authority, the Rut-
land Herald says:-
tThere is a most incomprehensibIe OBJ
ture with which Representative Hitch
cock of Pittsford happens to be connect
ed. His bill to make the collection OF
taxes more effective and to do away with
the customary discount was killed. Hi.
bill to reduce the board OF agriculture Il
one member was killed. PracticaIly
every measure which be has sought t.
forward has been incontinently put tc
death.
"Why is itf
Hitchcock is a Democrat and q mem.
Der of the special committee on taxation
Hitchcock is g farmer and devoted tc
agriculture and forestry.
"Are these not proper and laudabl'
pursuits3
sit seems q little inconsistent for the
legislature, generally ready to follow tn.
spectacular and superficial, to suppress
plain. conscientious member like Hitch
cock, apparently because be has sought Il
further certain measures with g littll
more than ordinary enthusiasm.
"There is no accounting for these leg
islative miffs.
"a newspaper man who has observed
great many sessions Of the legislature sale
recently that all q new member needed Il
do to become unpopular was to take
prominent and earnest part in two o.
: three debates in Che earlier sessions OF thi
legislature and the inevitable result viii
be that be will be sat upon sooner o.
later.
SIT seems just little foolish. however