Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-06-09

Among the gubernatorial candidates no
name as yet appears around which all or
even any considerable number Of republicans
are willing to rally. That we want blame
less, competent, experienced man is the voice
Of the papers and the people. But that such
man shall be nominated and that the officers
generally shall each have the requisit quail
ifcations, depend upon just one thing viz,
that the caucus be attended by the men who
desire reform. 1--WE say reform not be-
cause of any patent corruption but because
there are phases connected with Vermont's
legislation which might be improved) To
neglect the primary meetings where the del
egates are chosen who in their turn choose
the nominees for the state officers, is, in
effect, to lose the field This is always and
and everywhere true that while an apathetic
indifference exists on the part Of the honest
freeman, the bummers are constantly alive,
setting their traps, making their constitu-
ents and spreading abroad their feelers.
Business is their motto. They possess what
is often enormously called public spirit
much Of what their friends term confidence,
and their enemies, brass; plenty Of tact and
strategy. Combine these characteristics and
you have "corner" hard to break. Now
if the farmers, whose united vote is sover-
egn, would exercise the same or half of
the same, lively regard for politics which
the huckstess d, all would be well. That
the RICH. sort Of freemen are numerically in
the majority in this state, is not for a mo-
ment to be doubted. The fact that bum.
mers ever do happen to be elected to Office
is attributable mainly to the unconcern 1.-THE
disposition and not the fact) Of those who
at heart hate bummerism. How then shall
the wire-pulIers be headed off? One little
act will accomplshit. Attend the caucus.
See to it that the men who stand next to
the people in the representative system, pos
sess the real instincts Of reform that they
hate all kinds of fraud, corruption and rings
that they be men who, seeing, kaoaC. There
is no town in the state that does not con.
tain few citizens, at least, who understand
how things are managed, what the schemes
are, and what the remedy is. Let the
towns then begin at the school district eau.
Gus and lay the FIRST stone Alright. 1t may
seem like magnifying small thing in un-
due proportion to say that the little meet
ing for conference at the school house is the
sine qua non Of purity in state politics.
But the statement is not to be refuted. In.
fluences emanate from those small gather.
| iugs that determine the character OF every
election. 1t is there that honesty can cope
most successfully with trickery. Make,
then, the foundations sure and the super
structure will be firm. Do not allow the
bummers to make up the slate but take men
OF known sympathy with the best interests
Of the state. In Vermont especially, toward
which, one might say the whole nation looks
for political example, let US maintain our
fair fame for pure politics. 1t will require
attention, perhaps some sacrifice and strug-
gle, but the work can most effectively and
gracefully be done right at home in the pr-
mary caucus. The essential elements of the
fruit are extracted from the root.
1