The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-07-10
The MeddIer
III the coat fifs Won, put IL on. T"

More and more BHttleboro along Will
other towns seems TO be outgrowing th'
noisy and nonsensical method of ceebrat
ing the Glorious Fourth and substituting
therefor safe and saner forms OF express
ing patriotism on this national holiday
The Fourth in Brattleboro this year was
unusually decorous considering the alb
sence OF any systematic celebration TO di
vert the minds OF those naturally inclined
toward detonation. There was some noise
on Main street during the night before
and at intervals throughout the day but
| there is little doubt that the dealers in
| fireworks and explosives have seen the
| time when sales were much larger. This
desire for din which possesses some peo-
pie on the nations birthday is strange
disease. BY the small boy it doubtless is
contracted through the imagination when
that is aroused by glowing tales Of NOISY
| Fourths of long ago, but on occasions II
is seen in its most virulent form in grown
men who seem to delight in firing a round
of blank cartridges in the midst of a
crowd or in tossing giant cracker into
the center of a well-populated street. In
| these adult cases the malady can generally
be traced TO the presence OF liquor in the
patients stomach, for the two, iirewater
and iire-crackers, seem to 60 hand IN
hand on the fourth day of the seventh
month. All things considered the indie
pendence day Just passed in Brattleboro
was a great improvement over many OF
its predecessors. Further advancement
can be made next year if the board OF
trade viii lend its influence and assistance
to the arrangement of celebration along
more enjoyable and less noisy lines.
II there is any truth to the saying that
hope deferred maketh the heart sick Mr..
Piper OF Jamaica must have suffered
somewhat from cardiac affection after the
county convention OF Tuesday. In the
natural course of events his chances OF
securing the nomination as states attor-
ney were as good as anybody's but when
force of circumstances drove Brattleboro
and Rockingham to enter into partnership
with the latter town as the senior mem
Der of the firm Mr.. Piper found himself
in about the same position as the small
manufacturer who suddenly realizes that
he Is up against combination of big fell
lows in the business. The worst feature
of the matter from Mr.. Piper's stand
point is the likelihood that he will be up
against the same kind of combination |
when he makes another attempt four
years hence.
There was little quiet talk among
some of the people at Newfane Tuesday |
OF trying to have the county convention
called in Brattleboro two years hence but
it is extremely doubtful that any politi-
clan would have the courage to propose
a change which would bring upon him so
much enmity from the West river towns.
Newfane rightly cherishes her position as
county seat, and woe betde the man
whose activities point toward any other
Why, there was even talk
If electing Plumley delegates from New
ane when it was learned last spring that
Haskins had introduced in
congress a bill providing for a courthouse
n Brattleboro.
1t is an indisputable fact that many of
he roads in the towns surrounding Brat
leboro are far superior to the highways !
n this village. 1t is equally true that
uch state of affairs is absolutely wrong.
nd speaks not so much for the ability of
he road commissioners in the surround
ng towns as for the incompetence and
lck of system in Brattleboro's highway
apartment Isn't there available some
here a big stick which this town can
rield in the interests of good roads?
A very much begoggled individual drove
p in front of the Brooks House in a
Irge automobile the other day and stop
ed for supper. He was accompanied by
is family and a man to run the car. The
cad of the party stepped up to the regis
# in a pompous manner and proceeded
, enter the names. When he had reach
nearly the foot of the list he hesitat
moment and then said to the clerk,
How the devil do yer spell shoofer'?"