The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-04-22
IpE is A vERMoMrgR
New Ambassador to Spain Refuse to
Be Read Out Of State.


pointed ambassador to Spain writes
the following letter to the Burlington
Free Press:
| have noticed in newspapers of my
state some discussion as to whether
my appointment as minister to Spain
ought to be credited or charged, as
the case may be, to Vermont. / think
| know where | now live and where
have always lived Some New York
papers published my name as of New
York." probably because my three last
predecessors in that mission were
from New York and they assumed
that that state would claim and re-
ceive this appointment. l know of
no other reason for the statement. |
have no more claims upon New York
than | have upon Russia and New
York has no more claims up me than
has Russia. | was nominated by Pres
ident Taft as of Vermont" and was
confirmed by the Senate as "of Yer
mont"
| was born in our state, fitted for
college there, worked on a farm and
taught school there to aid In getting
my college education, studied law
there and from 1871 to 1891. had the
rough and tumble of an active prac-
tice of my procession, winning and los
ing my air share of cases in our state
and ederal courts, taking part In all
political campaigns, local, state and
national, serving as states attorney,
state senator, president of the state
convention and delegate to the nat
Homo w In, ..erIn
the watchful aid of Senator Proctor |
was sent to Samoa as United States
| commissioner, leaving my family at
home and my law business in the
hands of my partner. AT the end of
| the year | resigned and was succeed
| ed by Vermonter | Immediately re-
sumed the active practice of my pro-
| fession and so continued until the end
of 1898, when Germany indicated that
| would be an acceptable chief justice
of Samoa, and England and the Uni
| ted States concurred, Grover Cleve-
land being president, as he was during
my whole term of office there. In
1897 | resigned that Office and immed-
lately resumed the active practice of
law at st. Johnsbury and so continued
until the spring of 1900. when Presi-
dent Mckinley appointed me a mem
Der of the Philippine commission, an
appointment due directly to the zeal
of Senators Ross and Proctor and Re
representatives. Powers and Grout and
agreed upon without application from
me, and without my knowledge, while
was attending to the business of
Vermont clients in closing out a bank
in New Mexico which they owned
left my house and furniture in Yer
mont to be occupied by relatives with
out rent, so that could have my home
to return to. When | came back on
leave in 1903 occupied my own
house. had the best time of my life
among my old and dear friends and
familiar scenes. At the end of 1906
resigned by reason of Ill health and
was given six months leave OF absence
which | passed at Washington trying
to recuperate from the prostration
caused by years of tropical life. and
aiding so far as could in securing
from Congress decent treatment OF
our Filipino wards. AS soon as my
leave expired, | returned to my home
In Vermont and there remained until
lOctober when the Knickerbocker Trus
| company failed and | was made one
Of the receivers. continued in the
performance of that trust until tbs
summer OF 1908, when | at once re
, turned to my home in Vermont anC
there remained until cold weather
came on when | was sick in bed ant
was ordered by my physician to seel
| Ill III. a \
. to return to my home this spring. haC
. not this appointment to Spain inter
vened. During all these years hav'
been legal voter in st. Johnsbury
s my name has been on the check lis
. of that town | have kept my hous,
with no rent for the sole purpose o
i, having home to which | was great.
] attached. All the real estate | hav
G owned is there | never was entities
: to vote anywhere else. never did
have voted there at every state o
= national election since | was of ag
when have been in the country. in
GLIDING the state and national cleo
tons of September and November
, 1908.
| might mark that when the las
November election occurred ! was Wis
iting my daughter on Long Islam,
but went back expressly to vote 70
. President Taft. What Mennonite
4 did more? Did all of them take tn
pains even to cross the street Z
vote? When in Samoa or the PHILIP
pine Islands manifestly | could no
be in Vermont. | am a Vermonter Il
precisely the same sense that Wi
liam II. Taft is an Ohioan, no NOR
and no less. have no other home
and never had and never expect t
have. but decline to be read out O
the State by any one.
If any Vermonter feels that hi
chances for useful public servic
have been diminished by reason o
positions having come to me, | an
very sorry. But the way in which m
appointments have come about an,
the character of them, have been sucl
that 1t is improbable that any on
has been the loser by reason there
of. On the other hand many Vermont
ers have attained very important pos
lions by reason of my opportunities t
aid them, and this fact has been
great satisfaction to me. Judges O
the supreme court of the Philippin
Island receive salary of $4,000
year and judges of the courts of frs
instance receive from $4,000 to $500
> OF four American judges of the 81
preme court, two were born With
iii SeVenty-fiVe miles Of Mammalian W.