New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-28
THE CAMPAIGN N VERMONT.

Rrooll,n PenuhIicon Climb.
-
THE CAMPAIGN IN VERMONT.
A TALK WITH NIX. PHELPS. THF btMoCiAuc CAN
DIpArF FOR GOV ENoR-HOW TIE CANVASS Is
CoNDCcrrD n THE STURDY CONMoNNEALrH
wHErE DEMOCRACY newer has \ GHOST OF a
cHANcE 10 WiN
pro" A 7ItIf ''EHh'Fl l>DLNI ot I"- '"''' '"'I
hifIAN0. ''' ~ -o'-i h'u Pl'''-''' '".N
yesterday with Mr. Phelps. the D'i"ciaIe cAl..h-
date for Governor. at Ills house n burlington. lAe
sUrr0Un iing5 wer, not iaF riJlf f0r PoiiIcu cls-
cus.iou, fer ;hr visitors attention could not help
being attracted 20 the pictures and books and TIE
fine collection OF curiols weapons u2on The walls,
and sui more 90 thc Il l.riou5 view from tie vii
dows across the tops of orchard tree, 40 the blue
lake gh cd up wIrh sunset hues and the massive
wall Of tin Adrondacks on the western horizon. Il
seemed NOR. natural tO la!K Of the landscape and
the many objects OF interest Inside The handsome
house than # the prospects of candidate who has
not the Qlost of a chance OF success. Mr. Phelps
pallaDtly led the way. however, into the subject
winch -Ge CORRESPONDENT felt m duty bound to ap-
proacb. He rel erred 20 him,ef as a " nominal can
did .te" said he was not on the stump because he
tbought 1t ralv in good taste for a man TO advo-
,o.e hi. own election ard then spoke Of his polti-
c,l o,.tec.fents UisfatheT Senator Pbelus. was a
silver Gray Wing. and the son grew up in the same
pol,tlcal faith casting his first vote for Henry
Clav When tbe Republican party was formed the
Vbips Of yernont went over t. the new organIza-
tior, almost IN q body. There was a small ele-
ro.,t ,ocavor comoosad Of tbe more -tub1orn
S,I,,, cr,,. who i,iped the Democracy. Hr. PHELPS
,-a,, ,,,tb that element and has been 4 Democrat
a. inca II. said tnat the Democracy of Vermont
t,, -. ,hor under r,4ot Disadvantages. Il had no
roo Of the stiuulus of ambition for off e. All the
counties in the State were Republican. and thus
there was not even the incentive Of a prospect of
securing local Offices. Then the avenues of reach
inc the ,,ub,ic through the medium of the press
,ysre nearly all in The hands of the Republicans.
Tho two daliv NEWSPAPERS and large majority of
the weekly papers were Republican, and most Of
the daihes wulch came into the State from outside
were Of the same politics The BoqfoR journal had
a large crcl alton east of the mountains. and The
spr.aGf fcld Republican IN the southern towns, and
THE NEN-YogK TRIBUNE was extensively read.
Mr Phelps SAID the canvass was an unusually ami
mated one The Republicans were making extra
ordinary eyerti0ns. A. senator Edmulds lad made
the same remark 20 me about the Democrats the
evening before Concluded that the State must be
pretty well stirred mp. His own parry was holding
a large number Of meetings in spite OF lts lack of
money and the difficulty t met with IN getting help
from other States.
From mmeClat, politics the talk ran OF TO the
structure and management OF Vermolts state
Government. which Mr. Phelps praised ~ simple
economical and well adapt"d to the needs OF rural
population. Prior 10 1870 there were annual cleo
tons. but the new Constitution makes every alter
nate year year Of entire freedom flom political
agitation. The Governor has the veto power, but
,+a. .lr- nf m p Ia ty .Il
ture vote a second time on the hl he objects 10,
for bare majority can pass it over his veto. His
salary used to be $3.50 year. but has raised 10
81 oOO. He has no patronage except tue appoint
ment of private secretary, whose saiaIy is $3.50.
and II military stAh, who get no pay aud buy
their own equl ulpments. A q vernon is never re-
elected. The office is shifted from ono side of the
mountains to tAe other with the regularity Of the
swinging Of pendulum. II two Governors were
to be- taken IN succession from the same dc Of the
State the conservative CHS 0m-lOvllg NernOuters
would he almost a. much shocked a. II the Green
Mountains should begin 10 dance. One o. the United
States Senators always lives east and the other
west ot the mountains. Ihls RUE was never Vlo-
lated except in one Instrumentation the Governor
appointed the father OF Mr.. Phelps. who mad a.
ready served two terms In the Senate. 10 i'll a
vacancy caused By death. mat placed Doth SEN
atOrs for a short time in the same section In the
formation OF the Legislature tue Congressional
plan IL curiously reversed-the upper house being
based on population and the lower on geographical
dlvison' Every town mas one IePr'Ssh''liFe'
whether IL De large OF sHa ST george Win "a
voters. having Just rs nuch power III 'he HOUSE as
Burlington VIA -'tVo' ne couI,'e' are IepIe'
SenteH /" 'io ''eha py one Two VI '"'oe 0eu'oiS
each according 10 'Der popu"u'n' Inc rouse
CONSISTS OF -"o mel"'els anu TIC 'e""'o oi oo'
Ihefe 1t Dut one court III 'l' ,,"''' ''''
judges meeuhs ~ 'ne caP''t' ~ 9'' vi ''o