Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-28
VEuMONTs GREAT SENATOR.
vermont Proud of her Favorito Son.
How lie DiscOurages the use of his
Name nv n Presidential Candidate.

whom Vermont Republicans will send to
Mr.. Elmunds. lie will be their first choice,
an they will present his name as their prode-
cessors did in the convention Of 1880. That
course will have the hearty approval Of the
very proud of their senior Senator--who, by
the way, first entered the United States SEN
ate by appointment and not by election and
has never served in the House Of representa-
ti7es and no Vermont politician or Office
holder who may in the depths of bis heart
prefer another will dare to declare this pre-
ference until the name of Eimunds shall
have been taken from the list Of possible eau.
didatcs
Why, then, do the politicians OF Vermont
and the most loyal of Mr. EImunds's friends
use SO many butts" and IFS when tAey
talk about supporting him for til, Office OF
President? Why do those who are not un.
faithful to him talk 20 mucu more about
their second CHOICE than they do about
their first and how shall we account for the
fact that they arc not moved by cnlhuSiasm
and that they even show kind Of iudiif,r.
encc and hopelessness while giving him their
highest praises | have talked freely with
active and prominent Republicans, in and
out Of office, and these questions can best he
answered by their statements. "lcs, the
party and the delegates will support Ed
munds," said onc OF his personal friends,
ar active Republican, who holds no
Office. "lIe is our candidate if he
will take the nomination. but he
doesn't want it, and he would not cncour-
q ~ ~ n trnrlr fn him H., hoo II
dental bee in his bonnet. Nor do the
members OF his family desire that he shall
be President The Republican politicians
OF the country don't want him, because
they can't handle him. Aud vet, in my
opinion, he's the best man we c)uld nomi-
nate, for two reasons. First, he is better
equipped for the place than any other man
who has been named and second he
would carry New York, Pennsy lvania, aud
Ohio by receiving every independent votc.n
Another sturdy old Republican said
Our voters ave for Edmunds, but they
think h. doesn't want the nomination and
that he emit get it, \ prominent Federal
Oilicc-holder also declared that Mr. E,munds
was not the fayoritc of politicians, because
they had Tot found him "tractablc.n This
gentlemen is a friend and supporter Of the
Senator. III any work is done for him"
said he, ''it must be done ouisid. Of Yer
mont, Tor the organization Of L lmunts clubs
and all attempts 10 give him prominence
in such ways have been discouraged here
by his friends lie does not care for the of
flee
Another gentleman, who has had e power
full influence in Vermont politics, said
after the last convention Mr.. Edmunds
told me hat he was very glad that the NOM
nation had not come to him. 4 don't want
it, and won't take it, he continued for
ave bee. clos. to Presidents for 50 many
years, and have seen 81 much Of the forces
with which hey have to contend and of the
concessions they must make, that the office
uas no attractions for me. But why should
we talk about it: its out of the question, for
even if | cared for the Office the politicians
don't want me-"
SIN $780, said Il prominent Republican
who has been student of politics for
many years in this State, "there was II
strong team working here for Blaine to
induce the delegation to support him rs
second choice. Mr.. Edmunds then wro'c
Il letter in which he expressed the hope
that Vermont would send no delegates for
Blaine, and he gave some good reasons for
mis- attitude toward that candidate. lie
very frankly and cmphaticaly opposed
him, and l think that he would have found
~ ulhlCult " NOlc lDl uiHl / Ic warm
friends of Edmunds here arc for Arthur if
they cant have the Senator and those who
support him because they don't dare to op.
po:c him would be for Blaine if Eimunds
were out of the way" From statements
...~ds by o.ho,s, judge that u,v inri,rity
OF Vermont Republicans are pretty fanlj
represented as to their political attitude
and tendencies by the Senator himself.
lie is independent, and SO are they. lie
has been classed with the "Stawarts,n but
has not become obnoxious TO the other
wing. The friend of Conkling, he has seen
his defects aud has not htsitated about
one of the Senator's friends, 'Mr. Edmupds
praised Gen. Arthur very highly, aud After
the last convention he frequently dcclar.
ed that the second place on the ticket
had been given to man of great ability"
Another said that Edmunds did bis work n,
Washington and let his popularity at home
take care of itself "But Senator morrill, y
he added, CLOCKS out for his fences" This
gentleman asserted that the Republicans OF
Vermont were so intelligent and independent
that even their senior senator, grca, as he was
in their eyes, could not lead them to SUPPORT
man whom they regarded as unworthy.
They are very proud OF him., he continued,
put they Will assert their independence as
freely as he does his. They feel that they
have a small State and Il man larger than the
Presidency. They have offered him To the
party as candidate. The party didn't take
himi they are not sure that he would allow
himself TO be taken, and they are forced to
be contentcd with the situation"
Occasionally Republican can be found
who admits that all have confidence in Mr..
Edmunds's integrity and ability, and then
ADDS that he Is cold, technical not "close [,
the people, But all the active Republican
politicians of Vermont, Including these
critics, are for Edmunds first. Their second
choice is the next best man, and In their
opinion the next best man is Arthur.
The Federal ollice-hoders of Vermont, ~
said keen and independent Democrat,
are really waiting to see which way the
wind will blow They think it will
DO" Tor Arthur, and they are already
DONG what they can do safely to give
force TO growing sentiment in his
favor among the people. They are brisht
men, and they attend pretty strictly to bust
ness, for the people nowadays don't like to
have their politics manufactured for them
by postmasters ard marshala and the like.
But IN quiet way they have considerable
| influence, and they are carefully exer,ipr il
for Arlhur's benefit. 1t must he said how.
ever, that Arthur has advanced wonderfully
in the estimation of the people and that the
otlicc-holders are going witt. the tidc.' 1t is
pretty plain that Arthur would lose his popu.
lari,y here If the people should discover any
| alliance between him and the ex-senator
| Here is the situation in nutshell SO far
as Arthur is concerned said Republican
politician "The Republicans of his State
want 70 hecs no more about Conking. They
think that Arthur violated all the p,oprictcs
and made fool of himself before the death
OF Garfield. They will tell you that the Ter.
ribe event sobered him and opened his eyes,
and that he has bee )me good President and
given Us an excellent administration, which
is especially satisfactory to business men. If
he shall continue to act as he has acted since
he ceased to he vice-president, and il The
general impression that he has cut loose
from Conkliug and his faction shall not be
removed, it will be very easy to take a dele.