The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1911-02-17
The Meddier
III The eoai fifs yoI. f1 il on

IL was memorable occasion, ia
special meeting OF Tuesday evening
which the displeasure OF the bnta
boro public was visited alike u0n b
eorporate carcass of the Genital Ne
mont railroad and the official heads
the local selectmen. II FURNISHED
great amount Of information and a
Information on wide variety Of v, vs.
ieets. and an oppoI unity 10 get 40
sight into human nature IN many Of
forms. II demonstrated that in \
main the people can be depended va
10 settle matters satisfactorily, &c
though the method of settlement I
forded by our town meeting system
al times cumbersome and unwle.dy
gave evidence in proof of the fact I'D
the average voter is not easliv led in
the error of allowing public bus.re"
become mixed with private Quarti
Perhaps the most memorable feature
the occasion was the brief speech nal
by Mr.. Austin in protest against all6t
ing the town affairs TO be run by
few LAWYERS, as has been the case
often in the uast. There is no doss
that il had the effect of removing n B
scales from the public s eyes. and q
abled those present to view the maig T
then under discussion in much clea's
light.
LAWYERS certainly have had IA
much to say about the way puhi
questions should be settled. As cil1s
of the town they are of course entiia
TO express their opinions on any sls
ieet which NAV properlY be brought h
fore any public meeting, but the gel
trouble is that they seldom speak
disinterested citizens. Wheneyer
LAWYER gets mp in a town or yillas
meeting the chances are about nine
one that he has been retained TO plea.
on one side or the other OF the eals
under discussion. And when he ha
once accepted a retaining fee OF eve
agreed to sneak for no monetary 'ot
sideration his arguments are made ifll
the viewpoint Of his client rather TIA
from that of the public. But wolS
than the LAWYER who under the gulse
pubGc shirt speaks as the re0resel't
tive of some particular interest 4 IL
one who roars for the benefit OF bis %
litical future. In Vermont. as in mari
other states. law and pol'tics are al '
bred professions, particularly N y
case of those whose knowledge Of q. /
former is not comprehensive enough q
gain them a living without dipping into |
the latter. The attorney who trims b; |
course on every public question With Il
view to landing safely in some politiG
berth will ALWAYS bear watching.
An encouraging feature of Tuesdal
evenings meeting was the refusal II
the great majority of the voters pres
ent to allow any lawyer or eomhlnatoi
of lawyers to influence them unduly II
shows that the business men and labor
ing men of Brattleboro are beginning
to get their ewes open on the very sub
iect about which The Meddler has lud
been speaking. On any Question that
is not wholly one of law the opinion I'll
the average merchant or shop employs
provided he is not hooked up with any
political machine. is worth more thai
that of the average attorney. 0nsI
age merchant or shop employe does ndl
of litigation of any kind. Now is 81
very good time, The Medder believes
for the people of Brattleboro to make 81
resolution to cut the lawyers out 0i|
local politics for n season and see what
can be done without their alleged AL
sistance. We all have a distinct reroI
lection of what happened to the Bo'
ton g. Maine railroad bill when the law
yers in the recent Vermont senate got|
after it. While this is fresh in cuil
minds let us resolve to do what We can
to have the affairs of our town and
state administered on common sense
basis. and when a.lawyer next attempi;|
to butt into office let us give him III
understand politely but firmly that vel
don I want to 20 to law until we aFl
obliged to.