The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-01-06
Drrmmt Matrtman.
A LOO. INTO THE NEW YEAR.

HdDpy year DuI prosperous anu q
useful year 70 all persons VIII
look upon life nationally, the passing
of the old year and the beginning OF
the new, the writing of the final rec
ord of one volume and the opening
of the unwritten pages of new
book, very properly is an occasion fol
serious reflection over the defeats as
we'll as the victories of the year that
is gone, and for making plans for the
future. We are accustomed to jest
at New Years resolutions, as son:a-
thing maize only to lie broken, b Il
this view is altogether too superficial
An earnest resoluti al to do more that
is good and less the. is evil, to at
tempt to eliminate one or more of the
vices of life, whether great or small,
deserves encouragement Repeated
attempts to do better service make
virtue easier, just as repeated yield
ing to evil tendencies weakens tn :
character.
1t Is natural that at the opening Of
the year we should attempt to look
into the future, and while we cannot
foreteh all that will happen, some
events may be anticipated. In the Ma
ton, interest centers in part around
the work of Congress. The year
opens with President Taft on good
terms with most members of the
House and Senate. The Democratic
party is badly demoralized and
there is a serious split in the Republi-
can ranks over the tariff and other is
sues. There is open hostility to
Speaker Cannon and to the reaction
airy ideas that he represents, There
exists in the controversy between
Secretary of the Interior Ballinger
and Chief Forester Pinchot, materi-
al for dangerous fractional contro-
versy The President is likely to ask
for more legislation to control cor
porations and to conserve the re-
sources of the country. Before the
year ends a new Congress will be
elected, and there are those who
prophesy that the enactment of a
new tariff law, and the increased cost
of living, will give the Democrats an
unusually good opportunity for Sc
curing control of the House, COLI
troll which they secured last in the
election of 1892.
In this State, a Governor and other
State officers, together with a Legis-
lature, will be elected. The people
of Vermont thus far have refused
wisely, as it seems to the Journal
to become excited over the choice Of
a Governor. There is an abundance
of time between now and the middle
of June to make a wise selection. The
leading Republican candidates are
Lieut.. Gov John A Mead, of Rutland
and former Secretary of State Fred
erick g. Fleetwood, and there is a
possibility Of other entries in the
race The Legislature will be called
70 elect a United States Senator 70
succeed Hen, Carroll s, Page. to pass
upon proposed constitutional amend
ments, and to consider various mat"
ters relating to education, ballot re-
nd roads forestry, etc. Since
the Lake GhamplaH TefeehtehaFy
celebration Of 1903 there has seemed
to be a more earnest desire among
Vermonters to make more of their
State in variety Of ways, and the
year 1910 opens with more hope
full outlook for progressive policies
than has been seen for a long time.
While the census to be taken this
year is not expected to show any SEN
sational gains, it is hoped that con
siderable increas in population will
be reported
The year that was born today
promises to be a good one for Mont
pelier. 1t is confidently expected that
the labor troubles will be settled
soon and that local industries wi.l
resume normal conditions, with the
hope that still larger operations may
be possible The new City Hall will
be completed giving Montpelier the
finest municipal building in Vermont.
We shall then possess the most up-to-
date facilities as a convention city OF
any community in the State. 1t is ex-
pected that the building will contain
a Rest Room for the convenience OF
visiting shoppers. A Merchants
Day plan has been inaugurated, which
promises to increase materially the
trade of the city with surrounding
towns and give widely increased pub
iicity 1t is part of the progressive
policy of the citizens generally t,
boom Montpelier good and hare
during the year 1910 The Board Of
Trade has under consideration many
suggestions for increasing the in
fluence of the city and among thC
plans for the year is the raising of {
large fund to aid in securing new in
dustries. The debt of Montpelier Sem
mary has been raised, an endowment
established and the institution opens
the year better equipped for gooC
work than ever before