Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-03-08
CITY Election.

City Election.
The canvass, as our Burlington reader
know, was not as spirited as usual. taking
the city through, and the total vote shows 6
falling off Of 1873 from last year. The scat
tering votes for Mayor (three for A. N
Merchant and one Cor Samuel Huntington
do not appreciably diminish the unanimity
of Mayor Hatch's reelection. Many Demo
Gratis, however. did not vote for him. and his
vote is some 400 less than the total vote cast.
The main contest was on the Judgeship.
Mr.. Wheeler ran up to the Republican
ticket in the First and Third Wards, and in
his own ward, the Second, was ahead OF it.
In the Fourth Ward, however. some thirty
Republicans must have voted for Haselton,
and in the Fifth Ward nearly as many.
giving the latter the election by fifty ma
jority.
Several causes contributed to this result.
Some of Judge Tyler's friends were not
pleased with the way in which
they considered that he had been
crowded out of the nomination and
though Mr.. Wheeler was in no way re-
sponsibls for this, be doubtless suffered from
| it. Mr.. Haselton had some personal friends
among the Republicans, who would have
voted for him as against a lmost any other can
didste. 1t is not to be disguised, however,
that the liquor question was the one which
| drew off most votes from Mr.. Wheeler. The
| lliance between Democracy and Whiskey
is everywhere very strong one, and the
belief that the Probibitory law would be
likely to be more lightly enforced under a
Democratic Judge. than under man like
Mr.. Wheeler, cost the latter the votes of a
number of anti-prohibition Republicans.
From one or the other OF these causes. several
prominent Republicans including at least
one Federal Oficeholder, worked steadily
against Mr.. Wheeler That. under the cir
eumstanoes, he ran so nearly up to his OPP
ponent. is really surprising. The influences
at work against him, would have cost
man standing less high in the estimation of
our community one or two hundred more
votes
Mr.. Hsselton. We believe, will make an
upright Judge and so far as administering
the law is concerned. We presume he will
disappoint the expectations of many of his
supporters. But some of Mr.. Whceler's
friends feel pretty sore over his defeat, and
the way in which it was accomplished and
it will not be surprising if the transaction
bears rather sorry fruit hereafter.
THE WARD ELECTIONS.
The Republicans of the First Ward did
nobly. They attended carefully to their
canvass, and cast fifteen or twenty more
Republican votes than last year On the |
other hand the Democrats were considerably |
demoralized and failed to bring out their |
full vote. Result-a Republican majority |
about twice as large as the largest ever
given in the Ward on any officer. Mayor
Dodge had 81 majority there in 1873. Now
Allen, for Alderman, has 40 majority and |
Wheeler, for Judge, 80 majority. The Re-
publicans of the Ward are true set
Of men and never voted truer than at this
election. Haselton ran not a vote ahead of
his ticket. in the Ward, and Wheeler fell
but single vote behind his ticket. The
reelection of President Buckham, as
School Commissioner was foregone con-
clusion, and there were no votes against
him.
The Second Ward reelected Alderman
Whittemore by % majority in spite of some
trading at his expense. DR.. Vincent 5 major
ity last year WAS 20. Under the circumstan-
ces the Ward has done as well as was expect
ed. The Republicans Of that strong W ard.
however, must drop their jealousies and di-
visions, or one of these days they will fnd
themselves represented by Democrat, in
the Board of Aldermen
In the Bloody Third, the Democratic ma
ority on Alderman shows an increase
ot TO votes, Mr.. Wings majority being
l2S this year, as against majority of 6y for
Harrington last year. Oliver Verran, a
pretty intelligent French Democrat, is elect
ID School Commissioner, in place of John
B. Thomas, Jr.
The Fourth Ward was close last year, and
was close again this year. The vote for
Ward Clerk and Inspector shows Repub-
lean majority Of 10 in the Ward. in
pite OF the absence from the polls OF %
republicans, who were out OF town or sick.
VI course, if the Republicans had pulled
luarcly together they could have elected a
.eputlican Alderman. An CID controversy
etween fire companies, long since outlawed
nd of which the city is heartily sick. joined
0 Mr.. Drinks personal popularity. pre-
ented this result
The Fifth Ward may be set down here
fter as a reliable Republican Ward. Mr..
richardson is elected by no less than e. ma
ority-whieh is % more than Mr.. Tayl
inc majority of las. year Mr.. wheeler's
riends stood by him well in this ward land
ave him majority in the ward, in spite of
trenuOus efforts to carry the ward for
laselton.
The Republicans gain one Alderman in
be First Ward and lose one in the Fourth !
he Board of Aldermen stands as before, s
even Republicans to three Democrats.
The BROAD LAKE is all open water. once
lore. While the lake has been closed
yer. for a brief period, this season. it has
ot been so closed as to render crossing on 4
be ice possible. Just half a century ago
he broad lake did not close over, and in
1874. 1912 ant 1850 the same was the case =
oars