The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-12-28
FRANK 3. HOWE, Editor and Publishe
Howe Of St. Johnsbury.

Howe Of ST. Johnsbury
In another column the Banner today
prints short character sketch from
the editorial columns Of the Randolph
Herald and News with Mr.. Harlard =.
Howe Of St Johnsbury as it's subject
In this article the Herald and News
characterizes Mr.. Howe as a Popul.st
and corporation hater who by cunning
arts and demagoglc oratory leads the
House of Representatives to folloN
false gods, and then laughs in glee at
the ruin he has wrought.
Had Editor Johnson sat in his old
place at the reporters table during
the present session Of the legislature
instead Of being merely a casual Wis
itor at the statehouse for a few rrief
hours we are confident shat he would
have formed an altogether different
estimate Of the qualifications and ser
vices of the gentleman from ST. Johns
bury.
In the first place T. Is refreshing TO
find a lawyer of raj 4o'll,y who is
not thinking of somo co pordtion
which employs him first and Of he
public afterward. It is unfortunately
true that most Of the really able law
yers are retained by corporations be-
cause the corporations can pan boticr
and the service is just as honorable
and clean'if the lawyer himself is hon
est. When a lawyer Of this class goes
to the Legislature however, he takes
there his familiarity with the better
side OF a corporation and, while not in
tending to let that influence him in the
least. there is always the POSSIBILITY
that 1t may. The consequence Is a
suspicion sometimes unjust. but, I'M
fortunately. sometimes jusufei Mr.
Howe IS not and never hrs been en-
ployed by a corporation AIT the rank
and Ale uf the membership " the
House like him and frequently vote
with him on that account
It is unfair TO call hin a corporation
hater for he has never sought on the
floor of the House to treat corpora ions
uniustly. He has sought 20 protect
the public from entertainments by cor
porations and others having special
powers. but. II this be treason. tnen
he word has taken ON new mean
ing I'm Vermont. Was Il mid'' &C. al,
railroads to pay taxes at u rate IN
some degree proportional with that
paid by private citizens? Was IL tf"a-
son to try to compel insurance com
panies to pay a loss after lhey 1ave
accepted the risk and pocketei The
premium Was Il disrepu' 'hlr % iry
TO stop the state OF Vernon from b'-
coming the collecting agen,y Or cor.
poration while leaving citizens ,u sLitt
for themselves?
II must be rather amusing also 70
the gentleman from St. Johnsbury To
be accused Of leading the House
around by It's nose. with po5sihly Oh,
exception. there Is no member of Oh,
House who has had more bills kiliei
by the House than Mr. Howe OF 81
Iohnshury. and some OF ihrm nav
been good bills TOO. he has goti -r
his bumps" as often as other MON
hers and just as uncomfortable ones
but has taken his medicine philosopbi
cally and kept right along the ever
TENN ot his way.
Mr.. Howe OF St. Johnsbury is ~
nearer perfection than the rest %
mankind. lie probably makes "a
many mistakes as other members An'
of course Is sometimes WRONG, hut h'
is consistently attached 20 the mteres
Of the individual citizen AMI aTalns
special privilege through LEGISLATIVE
enactment lie has. on thu hoof u
the House. shown up few lhtui5. an'
uncovered somewhat Of poundm
brass heretofore covered Up 10y Id1n
tie Of charity or some other clo'k tht
concealed the horns. II by doing 'ht
he has made Danton % himself hi
shoulders are broad eoouih 10 boa
the burden. and-would that this Ni'
- p,,,ops were moro commm