St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-03-23
ButIeriSm in Rhode Island.
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE MATTER.

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE NATTER
The movement to bring ex- Governor
William Sprague forward as the gen
eral opposition candidate of the repub-
licans is attracting more attention than
has anything in the politics of
Rhode Island since DORIS rebellion.
There Is good reason why it should.
The career of Ex-Governor Sprague
has been so marked and so discredita-
BILE, not to say disreputable, in social
life, In business and politics, that his
candidacy seems to be protest against
prOpriety, the business success and the
well-ordered government which have
for years been the characteristics of
Rhode Island under the present regime.
1t Is SAID that ex-GOv. Sprague repre-
sents the new democracy in Rhode
Island, of which Gov. Butler is the
leader IN the country. This is prOba-
bic, but 1t is nevertheless unfortunate
for the new democracy that it has been
compelled to take for its leader and ex-
pOnent in Rhode Island a man whose
name is remembered only in cOnnec-
ton with recklessness and incapacity
in business and with anything but "A
well-Ordered life. No man in this
country has had greater opportunities
to make a name and a fame for himself
than has eX-GOv. Sprague. Born to a
fortune, Governor of his native state
before he was thirty years of age, a
brigadier general early in the war, and
a United States senator before he had
reached middle life-what more could
he have had to insure useful and hon
Orable careerP What use did he make
of all these advantages and houors T?
Erestinancial troubles overlook him he
had proved his unworthiress to repre-
sent Rhode Island in the senate. His
vicious practices were known to the
country. Since his retirement from
public life he has done nothing to re-
trleye his character or fortunes, but
much to confirm the con victiOn that he
Is, to say the least, unworthy of the
confidence and votes of good citizens.
If the people of Rhode Island have at
length become weary of the reputation
which they have so long held for in
telligence, morality, business prosper
lty and unquestiOned responsibility,
they may be sure that they can find no
more emphatic manner of expressing
pudiate it than by voting for and elect
ing William Sprague to be their chief
magistrate. We give them fair warn
ing that such will be the verdict of
well-meaning people elsewhere. There
Is, however, little danger that the peo-
pie of Rhode Island will so far forget
themselves as to declare that they no
longer regard good character and good
repute as qualifications for the most
honorable positions which they have to
confer upon their fellow-ci citizens
Boston journal.
DEMORALIZED DEMOCRACY.
We seriously regret this illogical and
mischievOus act, and we know that the
democrats, with whom the ultimate
hopes of the party rest, all over the
land, regret it quite as deeply as we
do. But, while regretting it, we do
not propose to worry. We are very
sure that IA movement which has had
such mushroom growth, Matched, for
aught we know, i'll political unclean-
ness, cannot have very long life. At
ter waiting so long for leader and a
retormer, we do not think the true de
mOcracy of our sister state will consent
to accept such humiliating apology
for either, as the long-ago shelved pol
ltician who is being worked through
the primaries to the head of the con
ventiOn, any longer than it will take
them to recover from their surprise If
they do they declare the party so bad
ly demOralized that there is no hope
left, and they propose to struggle no
longer against the tide Boston Post,
dem, before the convention.
a STALWART REPUBLICAN VIEW.
His candidacy will be very popular
in some quarters, and the characteris-
tics that most repel one class of voters
will give him popularity with another
class. The republicans must not rely
too much on the fact that they have
placed i'll nomination at the head of
their ticket Il gentleman of ability and
experience, who is in every respect IN
Objectionable to those who seek only
the best interests of the state. Nor
should they hope that by showing
wherein the democratic candidate lacks
fitness for the place he will be defeat
ed and there is some danger that
sympathy may be created for him by
OverdOne detraction, even though it be
deserved. 1t will be a campaign in
which the republicans will find that
thorough organization and hard work
alone will give assurances of victory
Boston Traveller.