Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-02-24
VALOR COMMENDED.

Looking upon the fierce fight that
waged during the closing days of the
Vermont Legislature between the Bos-
ton x Maine and the Central Vermont
railways largely as case of dog eat
dog, the Standard has taken no especial
interest in the matter But out of the
struggle and turmoil we have been graf
flied to note the evolution OF Il principle
which is of a great deal of value and
that is, independence of action. as dis
played by those senators who conscien-
tiously believed that they could not ia
vor the Boston q Maine measure al
though they lived along its line and their
everyday life was more or less iden-
titled with its interests. One of these
was Senator David +. Porter of St
Johnsbury, who, in a letter to the St
Johnsbury Republican, gives very intel
ligent and convincing reasons why he
could not vote for the plan submitted by
the Boston q Maine. Undoubtedly these
same convincing reasons influenced his
colleagues, Senators Tapin and Darl-
ing who like Senator Porter live in
towns served by the Boston x Maine svs-
TEN. rms shows that such an important
question 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 courage of their convictions
ana who stood for what they believed
was rlSht against the Importantly of
friends and the pressure of local inter
eSls' Such independence of action is re-
assuring. If all questions of Ike i'm
portance can be decided on the same high
plane no fear need be entertained 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
sod
tors Tapln, Porter, Darling and others
nave at last found a champion OF course
II VIII be understood that the Standard is
on friendly terms with the Central Yer
mont and can hardly be expected to stand
up for the Boston & Maine. Still we
shoulu hke to have the Standard answer
one questions:
On what grounds do you justify the re-
iusal of the Senate to accept the final
oller or the House members of the con-
terence committee, namely to allow the
Boston & Maine to come into Brattle-
poro without touching the Central Yer
mont terminal or other Central Vermont
property used for railroad purposes?
SO far as We have observed. the Stand
ara and other newspaper champions of
the central Vermont have doged this is
sue Just as Senator Porter lodged it i'm
his printed letter.
They have iterated and reiterated the
t, til"' the Boston IL Maine was
trying to take away the Central Yer
mont tracks, station and terminal at
Brattleboro
Ihey entirely ignore the actual truth
that in the final analysis the Senate re-
lused to let the Boston & Maine into
Brattleboro under any conditions except
over tne Central Vermont tracks which
would have left the Boston q Maine at
the mercy of its rival.
Senators Taplin, Porter and Darling
may have the approval and endorsement
OF the Standard, but the opinion of the
great rank and file of unprecedented Yer
who are not partlsans of either
roau' Is that the majority of the Senate
most regrettably wronged the hest inter
ests or the state and particularly the
good town of Observation-Disclosures
Banner.