The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1913-10-24

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This administration is going tt
attempt to give to the Philippines
more independence than those
islands have hitherto enjoyed. The
incoming Governor General deliver
ed an address in which he said his
instructions, received from Prcsi-
dent Wilson, stated broadly that
the administrations policy toward
the Philippines would be that every
step would be taken with view to
the ultimate independence of the
islands. The first step, to be taken
at once, will give the native citizens
the majority in the appointive COM
mission, and so majority in both
branches of the legislature. This
advance step will be watched with
interest by citizens all over the land
as there have always been two
opinions about the fitness of the
native citizens for independence.
One side has claimed they should
have it at once, the other side have
claimed that they were not ready
for it and that by granting indie
pendence we would set back the
time of their real independence by
decades if they did not lose the
chance of it altogether. Here is a
chance to see what use they make
of this limited opportunity to rule
themselves.
All over the state we hear the
rumor of water famine, which is,
indeed serious thing, Springfield
has come to the place where heroic
measures must be taken, as the res
ervoir is so reduced that a fire of
two or three hours duration would
entirely exhaust the supply. The
whole town has been given house
to house canvass to warn each per-
son that only what water is abso-
lutely necessary to living shall be
used. Bradford is still to be con-
graduated on her never failing
water system, but it will do no harm
to refrain from wasting the water.
Wells and springs on various farms
have gone dry this season and
stayed so for longer period than
has been known in years, which
shows that the water situation is
affected in this section although we
have plenty of it in our reservoir.
Herman Simon may not be a
familiar name, but at his death he
was the owner of silk mills in New
Jersey. He got the idea that some
of his employees had had much to
do with the success Of his. business
so at his death, he willed about a
third of his estate or three million
dollars to number of his workmen,
who are to form a corporation and
run the business. This is unusual,
to say the least, and ought to be an
experiment which other rich men
might watch to see how the idea
works out. The question is, will
these favored employees have the
breadth of their former employer
and realize that the workers in the
mills all contribute to the success
of the enterprise or will they merely
become capitalists ?
Every few days the wireless tele-
graph is indicating itself as life
saver. 1t is becoming a familiar
story to hear that the S. o. S. has
been picked up along the coast or
in mid-ocean and that steamers
have fastened to the rescue and all
on board the fated boat have been
taken off in safety. These stories
bring to mind the stern necessity
that all passenger carrying steamers
at least, all over the world ought to
be equipped with wireless and that
there should be twenty-four hour
service. The lesson of the Titanic
taught that to an awe stricken
world.
Henry Gassaway Davis of West
Virginia, was considered too old to
be a desirable candidate for vice
president of this country away back
in 1904. He has rather slipped ,
from public notice but his illness
just at present recalls him to mind.
He is only about ninety now.
Governor Foss is again a candi- ]
date for gubernatorial honors, run
ming this time on the independent
ticket. First a Republican, then a /
Democrat and then with Progress {
sive tendencies, how long will there :
he parties enough to keep up with !