Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-08-10
The Question Of .Aya,IaD,I,,y.,

The New York Times is impatient of avail
ability" talk, and says of its recent canvass of
Republican preferences THE only man in
the list Of fl who was conceded in every sec
ton of the country to have uncoutested quail
itications for the place was Senator Edmunds.
Every one understood that he had superior
ability, an unblemished name long expert
ence, unyielding irmness and capacity for
hard work. But, curiously enough, Mr.. Ed
munds was almost uniformly praised with the
reserve that he was not available because he
came from small and securely Republican
state, because he was not magnetic, because
he was cold in short because he devoted
time and thought to the public business and
not to his personal popularity or the interests
of politicians" On the question of "availa-
bility' the Times further says:
''The votes which the Republican party
must surely get in order to win the Presi-
dental contest next year are the votes of the
ependents-that is to say of those Re-
publicans who will support a thoroughly
good ticket and will support no other There
is very considerable number of these men.
They are not all agreed as to the questions
which divide public opinion, but they are
agreed as to the absolute necessity of high
character in their candidate. Some of them
are protectionists; others incline toward free
trade. Some of them have acted with the
''stalwarts' and some with the anti-machine
men. In this state some few were for Folger
last year, though most of them were opposed
to him. In Pennsylvania some Joined the
Independent movement and others, though
sympathi2ing with it, did not Join it. But
whatever their previous inclinations, it will
be found that next year they will be more
completely guided by the known character of
the candidate than by anything else. 1t is in
character, therefore, that real availability
must be found, if it is TO be found at all.
The lines of definite policy dividing the two
factions have become dim. The Democrats
have tacitly abandoned many of the ideas
which were distinctively theirs a few years
since. The Republicans have accomplished
much that they set out to accomplish, and
are undecided as to some of the most import
ant questions of the immediate future The
tendencies of the two parties are still in diff.
ferent directions, and that will be u great
advantage in the contest if the candidate Of
the Republicans fairly represents the real
character of the party. II he does not the
election will go by default"
That the Times-the leading Republican
paper of the country, stalwart in its sympa-
thies but feArlessly independent in its ex-
preston of opinion-concedes Mr.. Edmunds
to be tie man who has "uncontested quaif-
cations" for the presidency, and who most
conspicuously represents the real character
of the Republican party, is very significant
1t is also significant that more and more ev-
cry day it comes to be felt and acknowledged
that the candidate who shall win in next
years contest must be a man of unassailable
character and record and who possesses alb
solute and commanding qualifications for his
high Office, rather than man who is simply
available" because no comes from one'great
state or another, or because he represents
one wing or another of the party. Vermont
can afford to bide her time against the day
when the next Republican convention meets.
1--WE shall see what we shall see"