The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-08-13
The State Election.


and members of the legislature occurs on
Tuesday, September 2-scarcely three
weeks hence. Popular attention, espe-
cially on this side the noun tains, has
been so engrossed by the number and i'm
portance of the various conventions which
have been held, and the canvasses which
have preceded them, that little thought has
been given to the work of arousing voters
to the Importance of the election which
now surprises them by its close proximity.
When the fact that election day is near
at hand, that the ground has been cleared
for the decisive act in the canvass, is fully
comprehended, we believe the voter will
begin to understand that the great and
final transaction, the exercise of the right
of suffrage, should demand, and will
have, that earnest preparation that shall
enable him to act intelligently, faithfully
and effectively. Vermont has been left
this year to calm and dispsssionate con-
sideration of the issues of the canvass.
No spectacular displays have been organ
lied to promote popular enthusiasm, and
very few orators have appeared on the
stump, either to discuss public affairs or
to indulge in political pyrotechnics. Those
who have spoken have been, for the most
part, citizens of the state-the paid
and drilled foreign campaigners. The
advisability or necessity in this republican
state of quadrenially turning things up
side down, of initiating and keeping up
for several weeks campaign of turmoil,
to add a few thousand, more or less, to
majority vote which, at its lowest ebb in
the off year," is fully two-thirds of all
the votes cast, has never been very clear
Many people have regarded this manner
of conducting a canvass as an unwarrant-
able tax upon the time aud peck cts of in
dividuals, affordiug not enough of COM
pensating benefits to Offset the expense
and wear and tear which such a canvass
involves. At all events, the people of
Vermont seem likely to have rest, to try
change, this year, and we trust that the
election will lose no element of real i'm.
portance by the unwonted absence of the
campaign torch, the thunder and para
phernalia of heated political strife. These
agencies sometimes serve to cloud the
real issue and mislead minds which, in
calmer political atmosphere, would ar
rive at conclusions more just and more i n
harmony with good independent citizen
ship. We trust that the coming election
will show that Vermonters do not need
the indictments of barbarian warfare to
inspire them to do their full duty at the
polls. During the past four years in par
ticular they have read much aud deliber-
ated much upon every question upon
which their judgment will be asked in
September. We believe their convictions
are clear, and they should fully realize
the Importance of registering their YER
dict in clear and unequivocsl terms.
Every election in this country is impor-
tant, whether the popular will is asked
in the choice of the committee of a school
district or of the president of the nation,
and the Importance, in its moral bearings,
attaches quite as strongly to the voter as to
public welfare. The underwriting ex-
ercise of the right of suffrage is essential
to the maintenance of an active individual
interest in school, town, state and ma
tional affairs, and to the steady and
consistent practice of this duty the state
or nation must look for a legiti-
mate and wholesome interest in public
affairs, of high or low degree. A spor-
adic, intermittent interest in politics,
which once in four years goes to the polls
under the stimulus of brass-bands and
buncombe, is not the safeguard on which
the founders of this nation builded. And
we hope that the voters of Vermont are
quietly preparing to show that illumina-
tions, transparencies, torch-light process
sions and campaign oratory are by no
means necessary to inspire every one of
them with a resolute purpose to do his
full duty on election day.
Court Expenses.