The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-10-08
BENNINGTON, VT, OCT. $, 1913.
A SMALL TEMPEST

The Free Press has already indi-
Gated to the public some of the nfu-
ences which were brought to bear in
connection with the recent appoint
ments of justices of the highe-
courts of VermonC by Governor Flet-
cher. 1t is now rumored that mas
much as certain interests were
thwarted in that connection
an attempt was made to
get back at Governor Fletcher
for doing what is now generally con
coded was a progressive step for the
progressive State of Vermont in
stead of following precedent. This
is nothing more or less than an eff
fort to use the Vermont Bar associa-
ton to prevent Governor Fletcher
from acting in an official capacity
in welcoming to the Green Mountain
State In behalf of the people of Yer
mont the encouragement of the
United States. In other words, ii is
effort to punish Governor Fletcher
Tor doing what he believed the well
fare OF the people of Vermont de.
manded. The question now suggests
Itself: Is this an insult to the Gov
ernor of Vermont or to the people
of the State themselves and 10 what
extent are the officials of the Yer
mont Bar association implicated. and
how far do the members of the bar
propose to let a few men use their
association? Governor Fletcher is
able to take care of himself but this
matter concerns all Vermont.-Bur
lington Free Press.
The Banner is inclined to think
that in this connection a storm is he
ing raised over a trivial matter that
might just as well be ignored and
forgotten. The Vermont Bar assocj
alton isn't responsible for what one
member or even one officer may say
or do, any more than the Vermont
Press association is to blame for the
foolish utterance of some half baked
| editor.
1t wouldn't be strange If some
member of the Vermont Bar associ.
atlon has insulted the governor.
Every organization has members
who do foolish things. In fact every
member probably sometimes does
things that he is or ought to be sorry
for, but the organization shouldn't
| be blamed.
The lawyers of Vermont, as a
whole, are a splendid lot of men.
able, honest and patriotic. OF course
| there are a few crooks who disgrace
the profession, but no more in pro
portion to the total number than
there are in the editorial fraternity
or in any other profession. From
their prominence in political and
municipal life 1t sometimes seems as
though the bad ones do more dam.
age, that is ALL
The Banner has often criticised
the lawyers and will again undoubt.
edly--not because they. are any
worse than the rest of us, but that
we want them to be better than the
rest because of the responsibility
put upon them through the courts.
Anybody who will look over the
pages of history in Vermont or any
other state cannot fail to recognize
that many of our greatest and most
revered men have been lawyers, anc
the standard today is high, at least
in this state. Evil men have used
the profession as a cloak for evil
deeds, but the story is the same in
other things.
| Glance for moment az the his
tory OF the Christian religion. Il
will be seen that some of the mos
awful of crimes were perpet.ated in
the name of church and religion. &c
deeper, however, and il will be found
that these things came abou
through wicked men taking advant
age Of their position TO use the relig
ion of Christ as disguise and cloal
for their own wickedness. Tn,
church wasn't responsible, religion
wasn't to blame. If they had beer
Christianity would have perishe,
from the earth long ago.
Small men and small minds Sc
tn ough glass darkly and things wit
which we are not familiar often an
pear distorted and horrid. 1t is cas-
to stir up the passion of the unthinl
ing, but after all there isn't an
great difference in classes or profei
sions. One quarrel we have wit
various propagandists is their tel
dency, in public utterance at leas
to accuse those who differ with ther
Of wrong intent.
There is much good and some CIV
in all men and in all societies. b.
We are confident that the good is /
the ascendancy and in the end wi
prevail. We should hesitate
condemnation and be careful whe
we accuse. for the ways Of right
BUSINESS are many and few OF q
walk the path straight.
II When this little tempest sha
have blown itself out. it will b
II