Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-05-31
Vermont Rings and Bosses.

their own HtAte IN ltS bondage 10 tne pOticAl mis-
management of the set who control Its affairs
And now that these politicians OF our state have
had their say, 10 certain extent through the
| local newspapers many OF which seem TO be un-
| der their control, II seems a good time for the
| people to express their views. A great silence
| has followed the early movements OF the politi-
| clans. II has been said that In regard 10 state
offices we are likely to have quiet campaign"
| phrase that practically means that nobody will
disturb the plans Of those gentlemen who have
| agreed how they shall distribute the offices among
themselves But this silence needs to be better
understood. It may have an entirely different
| explanation from the one implicitly given II by
| some. II any one who Is not politician begins
to talk with an intelligent citizen who is not in
| politics, rs the phrase goes, and has no desire to
be elected to office, the chances are that ho will
| hear some vigorous dissent from the prevailing
| political methods Of Vermont. There Is good
| deal OF private discomfort Political leaders are
| distrusted and the course OF some newspapers "a
held in utter contempt. II is frequently alleged
| that the " machine perhaps In little differ
ent form only better suited to our latitude-is as
| much OF a power In Vermont as II has been in
| New York and Pennsylvania while Vermont has
"a vet no similar outspoken organized revolt
against IT, Some declare that we have our "boss,"
| while others think II truer to say we have q
ring" who distribute the Offices among them
| selves "a they can best agree upon the division
| Of the spoils
The writer shared these opinions in good de-
gree, and that from personal knowledge and the
testimony OF others having excellent means of in
| formation. He is not sore-head nor an office
| seeker, but private citizen who always expects
| to remain such, and one who desires TO see Yer
| mont maintain her noble position at Washington,
| and keep her reputation good for being well gov
erned in state and municipal affairs. lie wants
| his own children and the youth OF the state
brought up to wholesome interest in public af-
fairs and where every public election shall teach
them sound political principles and methods, and
| when those elected to office shall be worthy ex-
amples Of the true way to political success Be
| lieving in the American doctrine that all political
| power comes from the people, and that rulers are
| public servants who govern best where they most
| truly serve, he desires that people, and es-
pecially the young be continually instructed and
fortified by the practical example set before them
in these principles as one Of the very best ways TO
instill their minds with unselfsh patriotism.
But the want is not properly met. 1t Is very
apparent that, as a rule, those men get offices in
Vermont who work hardest for them-provded
their greed does not overreach itself. One office
seems to be held chiefly to enable the office-hOlder
to get another. Before election there is great
running to and fro among the politicians who are
engaged in fixing things" Apparently we'll
founded charges of bribery are current 1t Is re-
| ported that VeImonter made fortune out OF
star route contracts, and then bought his way
into congress by thinly disguised bribery only TO
neglect his duties when there. 1t is said that the
shortest path to office lies sometimes by the way
Of a certain railroad Those who ought to know
declare that 1t is now their settled conviction that
Judge Of great learning and ability was removed
from the supreme bench, -ostensibly, 1t is true,
on another pretence and by other influences, but
really to crafty corporation. 1t is believed
that the action of state as well as congressional
conventions Is practically predetermined in many
instances by the few, and that would generally
| be the were it not for ambitious differences
among the leaders about the division OF the spois.
| 1t Is thought that one who Is under grave suspi-
cions OF being the very chief of wirepulers would
have been put into the senate of the United States
| in a contingency that at one time seemed an i'm
minent danger, by a governor who was largely
| indebted to him for his position. 1t Is believed
by many that the arrangements are pretty much
made both for the coming state ticket and for the
governor two years hence
Such things as these are illustrations OF what IL
| meant when people say we live in a state run by
a machine" Similar illustrations could be given
of corrupt practices in eecting men to the legis-
| ature. In some instances the facts are patent to
ALL In others a little investigation discoses
abundant proofs while in some absolute proof,
from the nature of the case IL found to be beyond
reach, 1t is morally certain that the charges are
true.
Suppose now, Mr. Editor, we try our political
candidates by sound standards, such as are patri-
otto and eminenty practical. Four occur as es-
sential; First, candidate must be man Of up
| right pirate character. 1t goes without saying
that he must not be a thief or a perjurer yaga-
| bond or a brawler. lie should not be drunkard
or an adulterer, neither rumseer nor gam
bier, neither spendthrft nor niggard with his
| property More than this, he should have posi-
| tive virtue. We do not want men in office who
are negatively but positively good. Men OF emf
nent private worth are the only fit persons for i'm
| portant offices.
Secondly, a candidate should hare the ability
! and experience that Ht him for the special duties
Of The particular office TO Which he is chosen. Not
| every good or able man Is fit to be governor or
| treasurer of the state. The candidate must be
trained for his office either in his private business
or some form of public service. Either form of
preparation will do. but he must have one or the
| other, or both.
Thirdly The candidate should be free from such
| NJ
as a lcise and inst public servant. The national
government very properly forbids man interested
in importing from becoming the head of the treas
ury. A judge cannot hold certain positions in
corporations. And there are disqualification
which have practical force even when not legally
recognized as such The care of town records
ought rarely to be in the hands of lawyer in
active practice and the finances of state should
not be put into the hands OF person whose con-
nections with business interests might either in
| iiuence his own conduct, or, what is as much to
the point, give the public any reason to suppose
they would so affect him
And fourthly, the candidate for any considera-
| BILE office should be man iohose career as a cW-
zen and officer, u he has heid other Offices repre-
sents and illustrates the best political principles and
methods. This is the most important qualifica-
| ton OF all. The Others are all necessary, but
| very much in the way that honesty and personal
neatness are essential for admission to good So
cety. thousands OF men have the qualifications
OF private character; hundreds are free from dis
| qualifying circumstances; and scores can per-
form well enough the duties of almost any public
oihcer; but yet not one Of them all be fit for
the suifrages OF the people. Several good demo-
Gratis could be found who would meet all the pre-
| eeding qualifications for governor of our state
| But why should not republicans vote for them?
simply because this fourth qualification rules
| them out OF the list. They do not represent re-
publican principles On this ground only could
| their election by republican voter be Justly re-
garded as political standardization as it com.
monty would be.
| Rnt thia nrinn;,la ,,xnuo,... . $500. -. . -.
publican from voting for democrat for leading
| Office, also prevents him from voting for man
| within his own party, otherwise qualified, who
does not represent the best principles and meth
ods In MS political conduct. His party confessedy
stands as the exponent of the soundest American
political ideas. And he only can be At candidate
for its suifrages whose political life is a living H.
| Iustraton OF them. AS in the church, so in the
state The officers, in their official life as well as
In private, must illustrate the best types of char
acter. Especially the political candidate must
have shown his faith in the sovereignty of the
people by having trusted himself and ali his po-
| ltlcal hopes 70 1t generously and unreservedy,
| serving their highest interests with singeness OF
| aim and in the confidence that they know enough
and are wise enough to put his services at their
| true value and elect their own officers after an
open and candid discussion of their merits. Not
to do this, but to use ones official position to ad-
vance sell or others by intrigue, is an abuse OF a
trust. IL is turning one back on first principles
| in the American political system is the use OF
office to propagate doctrines and practices that
corrupt our political faith. Every candidate for
| an Office should make 1t apparent that In every
act OF MS political life he has respected the
ereignty OF the people that his holding office has
| made less and less OF the power of the mere poll
tician and left the people In a more direct, more
| Intelligent, more righteous, and therefore more
| powerful control every way, of their public az
| iaiTs Ills methods must have had the transparent
| character of simple frank and faithful service
| No man among so intelligent and upright peo-
PIE as we claim to be can be called good candi.
hnrn rhn l.s. n
| fitness Now is there one of these four aualiica-
tons that Is not needed Can we safely or wisely
dispense with any =? Does not both political wis
| dom and the common sense OF our people approve
OF each and all OF them, both as wise and practi-
| cal challenge the denial OF any reader And
does any one have the slightest doubt that the
few men needed for the higher offices OF the state
can be found who have In good degree all these
| qualifications Does any one venture to suggest
that the republican voters OF Vermont do not as a
whole want such candidates and would heartily
support them
But how are these righteous demands of the
presented as candidates2 Let the history of the
political intrigue of the last few months and of
later years behind II tell the shameful story II
Is quite on a level with the performances In the
second congressional district which you so warmly
rebuked last week 1t Is indeed a part of them
One would think these intrguers had lost all faith
in the power OF the republicans of Vermont TO as.
semble In convention for the candid selection of
candidates and that they are such idiots that the
work must be all cut out and put together foI
them by those patriotic and self-denying gentle
men who are to become public oflicals
The candidates likely to be recommended, and
I uNR An NUW .Nall