Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-07-26

spriuliiug of laaf.r> who live handy by and
attend ont of curiosity. Aud who are the
del,ete- chosen; Why, Of course they arc
those who are most eager TO attend the con-
v,utiou-tls party hacks and aspirauts TO
ofice-for don't they manage the proceed
ing. 90 suit themselves: Besides, there is
some expenditure Of money and time involv-
ed in att, nding conventions. and who viii so
willingly incur this expense AS those who
have personal interests mt stake: And again
how are these delegates chosen - separately
10y ballot: Oh, no; this would involve TOO
much rick ON the Part Of the sclei1ors. and
besides would require more time than the
majority are willing TO devote TO the matter
II the ballot be- employed at all. it is only
when the "siate" is duly prepared in advance
and the fal number OF i. i, gates ARE voted
for upon one ballot Ar they nominated in
open m-etngy Some;im,s. when nobody
has am axe TO grind, or when the caucus is
securely packed" but such is not the orii-
nary method in Brattleboro How then
Why. usually. the chairman who is chosen
by the ring dominates "A committee a ma
iority Of whose member huluug to the ring
and one Of the committee likely its
charAau-upon retiring to the committee
room. produces list previously cooked up
for the occasion, which the cyplers on the
committ.e uu-uspectnely or rood naturally
endorsr. aud which th. capcu. swallows
Under aid these circumstance. how can it
j., olA,rvisr than that our conventions nre
uiad- UP largely Of m,u who represent the
vor-, clements Of tle arty and that caudi-
date are olsen placed in nom nation who
are unworthy TO receive the SURFACES Of the
people:
But what shall W, 90 about il: II is easy
10 say that the voters ,.l ullht 20 turn out
and att, nd the caucu-rs. az course they
ought but they won't What We have to
suggest is simply thi- that the people take
the business Of Choosing delegates into their
own hands For instance. let the town COM
mittecs 81 the several towns announce that
on such "a day. between G RAIN specified
hours giving ample time for tie most lis-
taut voter 10 colne-tle polls viii be open at
the usual Tlace Of holding f-,,mau's meeting
or at the committees headquarters, to re-
cgive ballots Jet ballots De supplied in blank.
which each veterinary fiji out with q lit Of
delegat,s Of the allotted member to sui,
himself Jet the committee h+ ia constant ut
tendance. and at the hour designated let the
polls be closed and the ballots counted. the
individuals receiving the highest number Of
votes 10 o, declar j the d,l-gat. =. with pow
er, collectively, 80 choose their own suLsu-
tut-s: and Ut sufficient fund be collected to
F .7.g 9 D..
lat-- in attending the couy lutiou.
J. there anything iinInActicablc about such
an arrangement: Would il involve too much
time and trouble: Surely not The voter
would have only to deposit his ballot--al-
ready filed out. if he Choose and 20 about
Lis bu-ii.-s.. There could be 10 packing Of
I the caucus; every voter would have ample
| opportunity to vote. and could select the
men Of his choice A. consequence. d very
large proportion Of the party voters who now.
/ either through necessity or choice. take no
/ part in the selection Of delegate would have
voice IL the matter, and the result would boz
/ miles. We are very much nistaksn-thai
/ the -,lf-se, king politicians would find their
AXIS uugroUnd. their desires u'Ip.s 20 the
/ bud. and thur occupation. If not gone. at
/ least rendered extremely hazardous. While
our conventions would boz composed of men
/ who were really tho agents 81 the people.
/ chosen by the people, and from the ranks Of
/ the people, and for the faithful performance
of their duties the people would hold them
! responsible. A plan like this which we
| propose would not dtprive the party Of the
| benefits Of genuine leadership it would not
| prevent the advocacy Of the merits or claims
of particular candidates through the news
papers or 10y public meetings; it simply as
sumes that the masses of the Republican
! party prefer TO select their own agents and
! representatives and attempts to secure them
the right to do so. free from the Vaccinations
Of political tricbsters and wire-pullers
We throw ont the idea at this time
more for the purpose Of stimulating thought
and suggestion than rs plan which
has been thoroughly mstured Possibly a
like method Of procedure could probably
be adopted whereby candidates for Office in
county, district and state would receive their
nomination directly from the people and
conventions, with all their attendant chica-
merry, be done away with At least. we are
becoming settled il the opinion that no sub
stantial progress toward a thorough purifca-
ton Of our politics and the killing Of Of 30.
ltical bummers and mountebanks can be
made until the people adopt some more eff
Gent method Of expressing their will, and
| enforcing the nomination Of candidates whom
they will not be ashamed to support, than
that which is now in vogue