The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-02-14
vALoR COMMENDED
Sy.Oo

waged during the closing days or the
Vermont Legislature between the
Boston and Maine and the Central
Vermont railways largely as a case
of dog eat dog, The Standard has
taken no especial interest in the mat
ter. But out of the struggle and tur-
moil we have been gratified to note
the evolution of principle which is
of a great deal of value and that Is,
of action, as displayed
by those senators who conscientiously
believed that they could not favor the
Boston & Boston measure, although
they lived along it's line and their
everyday life was more or less iden-
titled with its interests. One of these
was Senator David E. Porter, of st.
Johnsbury, who, in letter to The st.
Johnsbury Republican, gives very in
telligent and convincing reasons why
he could not vote for the plan sub
mitted by the Boston and Maine. I'm
doubtedly these same convincing rea-
sons influenced his colleagues, Sen
ators Taplin and Darling who like
Senator Porter, live in towns served
by the Boston and Maine system This
shows that such an important ques-
ton as this, which is far more than
local in its scope, could be decided
upon its merits and that patriotism
is not dead in Vermont All honor
to those senators who had the cour-
age OF their convictions and who
stood for what they believed was
right against the importantly Of
friends and the pressure of local in.
terests. Such independence of action
is reassuring If all questions of like
Importance can be decided on the
same high plane no fear need be en-
tertained for the welfare of the state.
-Enosburg Standard.
For astonishing disregard OF the
real ethics of the case, the foregoing
is the most remarkable newspaper
utterance that has appeared on the
subject Senators Taplin, Porter,
Darling and others have at last found
champion. or course it will be I'M
derstood that the STANDARD is on
friendly terms with the Central Yer
mont and can hardly be expected TO
stand up for the Boston and Maine
Still we should like to have the Stan
dard answer one question:
On what grounds do you justify the
refusal of the Senate to accept the
final offer of the House members Of
the conference committee, namely to
allow the Boston and Maine to come
into Brattleboro without touching the
Central Vermont terminal or othel
Central Vermont property used fol
railroad purposes?
So far as we have observed, tn
Standard and other newspaper chan
pions of the Central Vermont have
lodged this Issue just as Senator Por
ter lodged 1t in his printed letter
They have iterated and reiterated
the claim that the Boston and Maine
was trying to take away the Central
Vermont tracks. station and terminal
at Brattleboro.
They entirely ignore the actua
truth that in the final analysis the
Senate refused to let the Boston snC
Maine into Brattleboro under an
conditions except over Central Ven
mont tracks which would have lef
the Boston and Maine at the mere,
Of its rival.
Senators Taplin. Porter and Dal
ling may have the approval and ell
dorsement of the Standard but tn
opinion OF the great rank and file
unprecedented Vermonters, who are nc
partisans OF either road, is that tn
majority OF the Senate most regre
ably wronged the best interests
the state and particularly the goo
town of Brattleboro.