Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-09-07
VERMONT SHOULD RETURN PAGE.
CFrom the Mortified News)

' EkMoNl SttON NJ MEL fN.> sNfIs'
(From the Mortified News)
When we get away from the petty per-
sonalities which have drifted into the Uni
ted States senatorial campaign, and sur
vey the situation in the light OF the past
history customs. and traditions OF the
State 1t looks as If there We're only one
thing to do at the polls.
Going n little into ancient history let us
take for illustration the careers Of George
F. Edmunds and Justin s. Morrill, Both
went to the Senate about the same time
and were there together for Twenty-Five
years 10Th men under conditions which
then existed brought great credit to them
selves and the state which they served.
It is probably Impossible in these times
to send men of ability equal to these men
and have them attain such n commanding
position in the Senate as these men at
tanned For times have changed. The
: great reconstruction era following the
! Civil war which required the services Of
great constitutional lawyers and far
sighted constructive financiers has long
since passed and other problems in other
WAYS have pressed forward for solution.
} And comparatively few men now attain
emineuce in the Senate where many did
years ago
Blu, there is another consideration which
! contributed to the good of the State in
cases just mentioned which should be kept
in mind now and in the future. For If
there is any office in which continuous
and long service counts for anything it is
the office of United states senator 1t
takes about ten years for a man to at
tain prominence in the Senate to-day as
It did years ago. But George +. Ed
munds was only IS years of age when
GOV. Paul Dillingham; with his commits
sion in his pocket took the rrrtn ror Bur
lnCtou after the funeral of Senator Foote
10 confer with Edmunds about available
men. And after Edmunds in reply to the
governors suggestion had named all of
the prominent men except himself as prop
err appointees Edmunds received from
Governor Dillingham; his own prominence.
and IN the republican casion when the Of
flee sought the man. And George f. Ed
munds in l>66 at 3N years of age started
upon career which in twenty-five years
had brought him to the rank of first SEN
ator i'm this country in ability and promi-
hence. and in the republican national con-
vention he had received the support OF
such men as Henry Cabot Lodge and
Theodore Roosevelt for president of the
United States. And in 1891 at the age
{ of &c after quarter of century of use
D.. full service he resigned his office much tc
the regret OF the people OF TINS state aho
: ha''oh some papers are no" re'harNlh'
'h"t senator rage al 90 Is 700 oid' bu
4 ne Is sun vigorous physician! ana mental
y ~ II might nave heeh SAID justly "hel
4 ne started III AT % 'hat ne was 700 o!'
, To commence career III the Oh''ed states
{ senate ana that 10 secure ailother Ed
muhdS 1t would he necessary to taxi
[ a younger man but the cholce was thei
r maze ana senator rage mas rendered
creditable service to the state. and /
q mas not been the custom OF Vermont an'
: New England to retire senator's when the!
= are dong good work Just because the
s are old. Justin 5 Merrill died in offic