Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1911-03-29

Hon. Frank Plumley, member of
Congress for the Second District of
this State, spoke before the Young
Mems Improvement club at their club
rooms Friday evening. Mr.. Plumley,
expecting to meet mixed audience
of ladies and gentlemen, came pre-
pared to deliver an address entitled
"Ideals," but finding himself in pure
Iy club and business surroundings
changed his plan and spoke upon his
experiences in Washington as repre-
sentative during the past two years,
discussed to a limited extent the
present political situation and an
swered questions upon current legis-
lation and events. In speaking of
Washington the Capitol city, Mr..
Plumley said that it was the most
beautiful city in the country. While
we have beautiful cities in every
state, Washington is the beautiful
city of all the states, each feeling a
certain sense of proprietorship in it..
In regard to Vermonters in Washing
ton, the speaker said that we were
represented in numbers far beyond
our natural proportion, as based on
our population, citing members of
the Supreme Court of the District of
Columbia, Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia, Customs court
and Interstate Commerce Commits
sion, while laws for. the Philippines
were practically framed by a Yer
monter and Vermonter is in charge
of their entire educational system.
In the opinion of Mr.. Plumley, the
most important event of the year in
Washington is the decision of the In
terstate Commerce Commission af-
fecting the railroad freight rates
through the opinion written by Com
missioner C. A. Prouty and concurred
in by all other members of the Com
mission. The Library of Congress,
second in the world in size and i'm
portance, got it's initiation in the mind
of Vermonter and the personality of
Justin S. Morrill, is builded into it.
In answer to questions by various
club members. the speaker explained
the manner in which laws are enact
ed, the care with which every detail
is looked into, particularly in the
matter of appropriations and said
that billion -dollar Congress meant,
simply, that a billion was actually
required to run the governm, mt. Fill
clustering is only possible when a ma
jority Of the legislative body desire
to impede the work and that when a
certain sspoint in the proceedings is
reached, it must stop and does stop
automatically. Speaker Cannon is a
man whose virtues in his position, ex-
ceeded his vices, else he could never
have held the gavel so long in so
august a body as the House. Mr..
Plumley's views regarding the fortifi-
cation of the Panama canal were
strongly in favor of the project and
his argument in backing up his ideas
seemed sound. Mr.. Plumley took the
late train for New York where he
was scheduled to speak Saturday
night before the Vermont association
but as his train was about an hour
and one-half late he remained at the
club and discussed reciprocity with
Canada and other vital questions.
The attendance was large, many bust.
ness men being present while the
younger element of the club was well
represented. and they seemed to
thoroughly appreciate the opportunity
to meet personally man in so close
touch with affairs pertaining to the
welfare of our country. This will
probably be the last entertainment
at the club before the annual meet
ing, which occurs April a.