Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-05-05
WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.
Belvidere Bankrupt.

Belvidere Bankrupt.
A most significant sidelight on the
absurdity of maintaining a separate
government in small, poor town was
shed by the prayer of Belvidere for
relief at the hands of the legislature
on account of the burning of a school
house. The town has population of
429 and an area of 1883 acres.
Its grand list is about $4,000, and it |
owed over $500. To pay its expenses
of government a tax of $500 was
levied last year. It's vote for governor
in 1914 was 60. The original school
house was erected by means of state
aid to the amount of $1,000, and in
order to replace the burned building |
according to specifications of the state
board of health, it is estimated that
$4,000 is now required. To aid in con-
structing this building the state appro-
priated $500. Belvidere is no better
and no worse than dozens of other
towns that stagger under heavy
debt, small grand list, an impover
ished population, heavy annual tax
levy, and which come biennialIy to the
legislature for relief. 1t was not
included in the Herald's list of rotten
boroughs for the reason that it's vote is
over so and the character of its repre-
sentation in the legislatures is gener-
ally good. But Belvidere, according
to any business standard, is bankrupt,
broke, busted or anything else that
means that Belvidere cannot pay its
debts and comfortably maintain a
town government. The Herald believes
the time is coming when some kind
I'LL Oh ell h.
affairs of a hopelessly bankrupt town
and administer its government on some
agreed plan. Rutland Herald.
Ministers in Politics.
Those who think that religion and
politics do not mix are respectfully
referred to the records of two Metho-
dist ministers in the Vermont legisla-
ture. Rev. j. Wesley Miller of Bethel
is now serving his fourth term in the
house and is generally regarded as one
of the leaders. AS chairman of the
industrial school commi ttee and a
member of the important committee of
ways and means and municipal corpor-
atoms he has done faithful and efficient
work Rev. Arthur w. Hewitt of
Plainfeld has been chairman of the
educational committee and his eloquent
defense of the educational bill un-
doubtedly saved the bill from defeat.
His speech was generally regarded as
one of the most convincing that has
been delivered in the representatives
hall for many years and the press OF
the state have warmly commended him
for his efforts. This from the Middle
bury Register is, perhaps. the best OF
m anv 6asarrvod trihufaS.
cat the close of Mr.. Hewitt's speech
a wave of tense emotion swept over
the chamber, silent, reverent anC
deep. Strong men left the room, com
pletely overcome. The house advanced
the bill without a word except the
subdued formula of the speaker, and {
few moments after the modest man
who had swayed the Vermont legisla
ture as few have ever moved it, tool
the hand of the little woman who hat
; journeyed down from the little Metho.
dist parsonage back in the hills, ant
neither of the two seemed to know
that one of the great scenes in tn,
history Of Vermont's work for he
children had just been enacted" I
is such effective work as this on the par
of two Vermont clergymen that make
the efficient life, and there are plent,
of other ministers in the Green Noun
tain state who are doing just as nue.
for the public good outside the legis la
tive chambers. Springfield Reporter
The Value of Advertising.
While on the stand in the suprem
court at Syracuse, N. Y, last week
Col. Roosevelt paid a tribute to tn
value of newspaper advertising, prob
. ably without intending to do so.
/; explaining how he gave out the state
i. ment concerning Mr.. Barnes, on wh1c
the libel suit was based, he said h
summoned the newspaper men an
;; handed them copies of the attack O
!, Mr.. Barnes. az wanted to reach th
voters" he said, land | knew of n
other means to reach them except b
n the newspapers" No one has been
more persistent f-advertiser tba
Mr. Roosevelt and no one has displaye
:, more skill and cleverness in gainin
publicity than he. That he has prof
ed largely by enhancing his polite:
fame by his organized publicity burea,
y is unquestioned. Hence the Colon,
70 would qualify as an expert on tt
- subject of newspaper advertising.
= The Belgian Relief Fund is anoths
striking evidence of the efficiency {
newspaper publicity. The disast,
E, visited on Belgium aroused gener
/. sympathy and the American press w;
generous in devoting space to appea
for aid and in urging on the America
people the needs of stricken peopl
= The result was that more than
D. million dollars was contrbuted-sa
. to be the largest amount ever raise
!. IL for foreign charity The relief cor
! mittee also collected food to the val,
of more than $4,000 The contrib
tions to the fund ranged all the w:
r from one cent to $4,000. More tn:
S. two hundred thousand contribute
were represented and every state
the Union, from South America al
y. from the islands of the sea. "At lea
al three-fourths of the contribution
were received as direct results
newspaper advertising" so saws Il