Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-09-07

good Vermont wit and faculty for max.
ing his customers his friends and as he
progressed lie built mp large constitu-
cncy. It wasn't long before the farmers
saved their calfskins for the young char
from Westheld, and he reciprocated b.
paying them the best market price and
by contributing to their township cele-
brations and enterprises.
There is good deal of politics in YER
mont; and along with his slant for calf.
skins Page had slant for this diversion.
-. while he canvassed for his raw ma
teria he laid up a few friends here and
there on whom he could depend for votes
az tho proper time So long ago rs 1861
he had himself elected to the Legislature.
serving the lower House for four years
and two years later going to the state
Senate for term. Being a Yankee he
was prudent and allied himself with the
orGan1ation which, If It was not then,
later came to he dominated by Senator
Proctor Pare also exercised his poiti-
cal knowledge by serving for many years
on the State republican committee, and
presently he came into the line of sue
ceeson for governor.
In The old days they knew who would
be governor years ahead. I remem Der
once, some years ago, meeting at one
place IN Nerr omit n governor Of YER
mont the man who was to follow him as
governor and the man who was to have
1t next It all came out rs predicted too
\ tidy little political machine vas that
old Proctor Organization.
Pages turn as governor came In 1897
Meantime he had put some of his calf
skin profits into banks and had been State
bank examiner for four years He served
I as governor for two years: and when
! RedHe'd Proctor died. In 1905, he was Sc
! lected for The vacancv. He was re-elect-
| ed in 1910 for the full term of six years,
and the maple sugar he sends to the sena-
| tors each spring is held to be the very
| best that ever came to that DISTINGUISHED
body When the maple sugar comes the
! Senate has a sweet and sticky time. 1t
used to be an affecting and peasurable
sight to watch Boies Penrose and Thomas
r. Carter eating maple sugar while dis
| cussng matters Of grave concern to the
nation.
As the senator's business grew, his at
! tention naturally turned to banks; and he
bought into or established string Of
! banks IN the State and still is president
and director Of some of them. He never
! Whenever they wanted anything c. s
/ Page was on the job One of his pleasing
! customs was to put five dollars into one
! or other Of his banks whenever a partlcu-
| lar farmer friend or a political ally had
n son born to him-to the credit Of the In
! FAINT son; thereby intoxicating the habit
| Of thrift In the mind of the voungster.
| who started life with a bank account, but
| alto encouraging him to make more de-
+ posts as time wore on In the Page banks.
PAGE Is a dapper little person, who talks
! na..lY and has a good bit Of quiet eff
! feCtiveness about him. He does not make
! many speeches, but Is we'll placed on COM
| mittees, being chairman OF Cuban rela-
lions. and on agriculture. interoceanic
! canals, Indian affairs and naval affairs
among others; and he works hard He
deprecates any assaults on the sainted
/ policy Of protection. votes with the regu-
| lars, stands pat most pattedly and never
deserts the organzation-a most regular
republican.
He does not like paper money. On
tho first Of each month, or thereahout he
! goes 10 his bank and gets the amount ho
| thinks he will need for the month in two
| dollar-and-a-h gold pieces. These he
places in purse extracting them one by-
one as the occasion demands.