Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-09-11
Attmant 9attttt
St. Johnsbury. VT, September IL. 1874.
A WHOLESOME LESSON.

any man saIely through an election IN the
state, the rings who controlled the caucuses
have considered it safe to nominate their
most convenient tools, without regard to fit.
ness for Office or acceptabiity to the people.
Things change in Vermont as well as else
where.
The most decisive victory of the people
over ring and party rule last week was in
the congressional election 10 this district
1t was well-known fact that the majority
Of the voters, even within tho republican
party were avcrse to tho reelection Of Mr.
Poland, but that ring who control caucuses
and conventions in the district considered
him the most useful tool they had and so
they gave him the nomination, and with the
regular party label he entered the field
But unfortunately for the schemes Of these
gentlemen, the people of this state have
been awakening to a knowledge Of the man
ner in which they had been led by the nose
and consequently they walked up to the
polls and deposited their votes where 10
their opinion they would do the most good,
and the result astonishcd everybody, the
voters themselves included. So complete
and overwhelming was the victory Of tho
people over the ring, so complete the ami
hiatlon, politically, of Poland, that the most
sanguine wishers for such thing contem-
plate the result with establishment.
Poland had received the regular republi.
can nomination; the opposition candidate
neglected to announce himself as in the field,
and the Poland organs claimed that he had
written u letter Of resignation the press
Except the democratic papers) which had
opposed Poland before the nomination, with
single exception gave up the struggle
then, not having courage to face the music
and countcuance bolt from their party I;
the boilers were treated with supercilious
scorn by tho Poland organs and their
speedy humiliation spoken Of as a fixed
fact but in the face Of all this the vote
gives majority against Poland Of 4443
and this candidate who is not in the field
who has written a letter Of resignation, who
"ean't scare up Il corporal's guard at the
polls" leads the regular nominee by 1896
votes.
"Deming' She Poland correspondent OF
the Boston Journal, who has persisteutly
misrepresented the state Of the bolt, and
manifested much more zeal than truthful
ness in his devotlon to Poland's cause
says;
The story of the second district and its de-
plorable fall is known through the country
but show it happened" is the question which
Is just now being discussed IN Vermont bS
all parties. Every third man whom you
meet is puzzling his head over it. The pol
Nlclans, newspaper men and correspondents
are us much bothered about 1t us anybody
Suffice 1t for me TO say that the defeat of the
honorable judge surprised every ono-his
Interest enemies us well rs his warmest
friends.
The answer to "Deming's" question, chow
it happened" can be found in the following
extract from an article in the FARMER o
August 81, two weeks before the election
There is II limit to the patience even u
republican voters, and that limit has becI
reached. The Purer portion of the party il
this State-that portion which will not sup
port corruption and lraud-arc Stron;
enough to carry the day mt election, ant
they will do it. We make no question o
this, for the people are aroused Oh this quCs
ton. Money has been used by the Polan,
party to secure his nomination. The voice
of the convention mt White River junction
Wednesday was neither the voice of the pco
pie nor OF the republican party, and the re
publicans of Vermont refuse TO accept it ~
the expression OF their will.
Bolts all over the state have been PLENTY
and more than usually successful, this year
which we regard as an encouraging sign
1t shows that the people, though slow to at
tend caucuses, have a disposition to max
use of the right Of suffrage to rebuke corrup
ton and public fraud.
In Franklin County there was hot figE
in the republican caucuses and conventio
over the nominees for senators, the question
at issue being not railroad and anti-raiIroad
but Smith and anti-Smith. Col. Clarke, o
r. the Messenger the strongest, and We thin
sometimes rather too pronounced aud uncom
promising, opponent of the administration @
the affairs of the Central Railroad unde
Gov. Smith, after most bitter fight agains
MIN, was nominated as one of the republica
candidates. The railroad ring, according t
the Messenger, then "carried the war int
Africa" by working for the election of tn
democratic ticket, and the result is tn
somewhat unusual spectacle of two republ
cans and one democratic senator being elect
ed by the same constituency at the sam
time. The lion and the lamb shall Ii
down together"
We cannot regret the result as yet. W
are glad to see Col Clarke elected, becaus
we believe he represents sound and consc
ontious principles, in the main, and We al
ever glad to chronicle the election of den
ocrat in a strongly republican locality, an
vice versa. When either party becom
strong it is but human nature that it shoul
become corrupt and the occasional iaiGl
of that party's candidate is the most efioc
ual check, under our system of politics, thI
we can have against corruption in big
places
Whether the republican party Of We
mont will heed the lesson of the hour, an,
as advised By the Boston Journal, "tal
unusual care in the selection of candidates
is question of small moment. If it do
not, however, it will lose its prestige in ii
state. One thing is certain The Peep