The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-03-22
Current Comment
vermontls strenrth.

II our Barre neighbor win pardon rs
il seems to this paper that the Times
u mistaken in assuming that political
strength in purely a matter Of votes.
The state Of Rhode leland sende two
men to the United States senate One
OF her senators IS Nelson w Aldrica,
the most powerful personality IA that
august body; the other Is George Pea
body Wetmore, whose influence ia ma
tional Affairs probably u as near zero
as that Of any man in the Senate.
Senator Wetmore's vote counts for AZ
much IS that Of BIS colleague, but III
real strength that shows itself in the
shaping Of administrative policies Aid
rich counts for more than an the Wet.
mores that might be packed into the
capitol and this. wholly aside from the
point a. 90 whether the Aldrich inlln-
ence is good or bad
The action 81 the New York state Re.
publican convention furnishes another
Illustration In 1906 and again in 1905,
the will Of one man, Theodore R0ose
welt. who did not have a vote in the
.convention, compelled delegates from
nearly every assembly district in the
empire state, 70 vote for Charles +.
Hughes as a candidate Tor governor. an
action displeasing probably 70 = large
majority of the convention This is
not an ideal form of party government,
but L does show that strength does not
always consist merely IN votes
Real political strength Of the highest
order IS based upon leadership When
the leader points the way ~ force q
logic and eioquenee and sound iudg
ment the men with votes follow. The
supreme test q strength Is the ability
70 accomplish results and ths man, who
~ force 81 character and intellect aud
win, Is able 70 compel the support 81
bis associates Is greater man and
stronger man thau BIS colleague who
votes a. he rs told % vote
When George r Edmunds was chair
man e the Judiciary committee and
Justin s. Morrill, was chairman of the
finance committee little feeble YER
mont furnished the chairmen of the
two most important committees az the
United States Senate Their votes count.
ed only two on q roll call. but their act
uai strength was equal 70 that Of
score ol ordinary senators IN the last
analysis the proposition reduces itself
u the declaration almost ahsurdly sim
pie. that leader is greater and strong
81 than one who Is led
III Is because Vermont has furnished
lenders that our state has overcome her
natural handieap Of limited area and
sparse population and has exerted a
strength out Of all proportion % her
size. The Times says that Vermont /
Is "a far outnumbored 10 Congress that /
les influence in negligible That state
ment would not describe correctly the /
state Of affairs when Redaeld Proctor /
made upon the floor ~ the United States /
Senate the speech that turned the
scale in favor Of American intervention |
in Cuba and subsequent freedom for
the island The Journal does not be
lieve taat ID u correct description II I
conditions "a they exist In Congress to- /
day The action Of the Senate in TAX I
ing Senator Dillinehams word regarding /
the work Of the immigration commits.
sion the prominent part taken hy Sen
ator Page ia the debate on che postal /
savings hank hill. the position held b. /
Foster as the ranking /
Of the important foreign affairs
committee and one Of the influential 4
members Of the House. the activity 81 (
plnmley IN behalf Of the /
Weeks forestry bill, DO not Indicate
that the influence Of Vermont ia Con
gress II negligible, liz any means.
A state which produces great men s
a great state. Vermoni has produced /
great men and the breed Is not extinct /
We are not content to-day TO depend /
upon the glory II tho past to fiI Che
measure 81 our satisfaction Vermont
never looked with more hope toward I
the future. never was more determined 1
To assume tho aggressive n the strng
gIe for success than IN this year OF our (
Lord 1910 The fact that she has fur +
nished a goodly number Of great men is
not source q weakness, but rather
In incentive to achieve still greater
renown
An empty past and barren present
10 not constitute an ideal preparation
for great future. Montpelier Jour
aal