The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-05-29
THAT ORDINARY 90 RECORD.

THAT ORDINARY ~ RECORD.
i, has been claimed from time 10 time
by ihose who wish TO see Congressman
Haslins displaced, at the end Of eight
years OF faithful and able service, by
screen hand" that the record Of the rep.
reantatiye Of the second district of Yer
mont has been only ordinary. These as
sertions have never been backed by facts
for the very simple reason that the facts
do not bear out such assertions. The
Reformer has claimed that the success
which has attended the work OF Col Has
kins in congress is unusual, and II can
produce something far more convincing
than 'hot air" in support OF its claim.
Il was through the efforts OF Congress
man Haskins that the house passed at
the second session OF the 5sth congress
the bill providing for the payment TO
this state Of $50, 1886 on account OF
military supplies furnished in the arming
and equipment OF its volunteer soldiers
during the Civh war This appropriation
was part II the general deficiency bill
which passed the first session of the 9th
congress but was held up by the treasury
department on the alleged ground that
the state was owing the federal govern
ment on account of ordnance and ord
nance stores furnished the state and
subsequently sold by it. The money
which came to Vermont through the pass
age of this bill is now part OF the per
manent school fund.
During the same session OF congress
Col. Haskins secured the passage of bill
appropriating $4,000 TO complete the
customs house and postoffice building at
Newport. He also secured the passage
of a bill authorizing the judge OF the
United States court to adjourn any reg.
ular term OF his court at Newport, and
at the request OF the committee on jul
dietary drafted its report on this bill.
Furthermore, he wrote an exhaustive re-
port on the bill referred to the commit
tee on agriculture to enable the secretary
of agriculture to establish and maintain
quarantine districts and to regulate the
movement of cattle and other livestock
therefrom, and finally secured the pas.
sage of this bill through the house on
suspension of rules. President Roosevelt
sent special message to congress regard
ing this measure, speaking of Congress
asIy,
pointing out the necessity, from a legal
standpoint, for the enactment of this
legislation" The bill subsequently pass
ed the senate and became law.
Congressman Haskins wrote into the
oleomargarine bill, which passed the 18th
congress, at least two of its provisions.
This bill has not only stood the test OF
the United States supreme court but has
done more than anything else to stlmu-
late the dairying interests OF the country.
He also took prominent part IN formu-
lating the law which has proven so Ell
fectiye in the matter of meat inspection.
This is the measure wherein the presl-
dent and Congressman Haskins differed
as to certain of its details, but the bill
as prepared by the committe on which
Congressman Haskins was member was
far more drastic IN its provisions than
that favored by President Roosevelt and
has turned out to be an extremely Ell
fective law both in its administration
and in its enforcement. In the prepare
ton of every appropriation bill that mas
been reported by the committee on agrl-
culture since he has been member Con-
gresham Haskins has taken a prominent
part, and toward these measures appro-
priating millions Of dollars for the bene-
fit of the farmers of the country his at
titude has always been representative OF
the best interests of agriculture.
Without mentioning the large number
of pension bills which Congressman Has
kins has secured-favorable action having
been secured on nine this session-lt may
be well to refer to three private measures
which he succeeded in putting through
after others had failed to bring them to
favorable action. One was bill Tor
1000 to reimburse one George w. Sal
paw, whose wife was a Westminster
girl, for a vessel which was seized by
the Confederate troops during the Civil
war and used on the Tennessee river as
a part of the Confederate fotilla until 1t
was captured by Federal officers. The
vessel was then used in the Federal ser
vice until the close of the war when it
was libeled and sold as contraband OF
war. Mr. Salpauw was loyal citizen
who was bridge building in Tennessee
when his vessel was captured, and as
early as the 39th congress he had bill
introduced to pay him $1,000, the orig
inal cost of the vessel. The bill was re-
ferred to the committee on war claims
and was prosecuted from congress to
congress without success until Mr.. Has
kins became member of that committee.
He interested himself in the matter, the
bill became law and the heirs of Mr..
Salpauw received their money. Another
bill was that to refund $500 in commuta-
ton money to Benjamin Burrows Of