Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-08-29
Hd1N1x AND RECORD FARMER FRIDAY, AUGUST 30 1884,
mr. Roosevelt ON Gov. Cleveland as .
ueformer.

mr. noose,eit on Gov. Cleveland as .
ueformer.
Walter S Hubbcll, a member Of the New
York Legislature, received letter recently
from Theodore b. Roosevelt Of New York in
regard to the reform measures introduced in
the last legislature, and Gov. Cevoland's at
titudo towards them. Mr. Roosevelt says
II have Just soon your lottor, dated July
PC, ia the New York Tribune, and desire TO
corroborate, with all possible ofuphasis, what
you wrote In relation to tho work Of last years
Republican legislature. Every reform meas
ure was put through only by receiving the
cordial support Of the great bulk OF the Re-
publicans, and in spite Of the most determin.
cd opposition on the part of the Democrats
''But two Of the reform bills were at all
partisan in their character. One was the bu.
roau Of elections BILL which affected a Re-
publican the othor was the tenure Of Office
BILL where the chief official affected was n
Democrat. or course in passing these two
bills had to rely mainly upon Democratic
votes in the first case and upon Republican
votes in the second Only fvo Democrats
voted for the tenure Of Office bill, while %
Republicans voted aye when tho bureau of
elections bill was up and the latter only fail
ed because barely half the Democrats were
be trusted to invariably walk in darkness.
oven whom to walk in the light would be man
ifeBt!y to their advantage. do not seek 10
palliato the conduct Of the Republican logis-
lature in not passing this bill its defeat was
duo TO purblind partisanship, and tho Repub-
lican assembly deserved and received severe
censuro for its conduct but an even greater
need Of blame should be awarded to Cover
nor Cleveland for his action in not signing
the tenure Of Office bill have carefully read
bis message giving his reasons for not allow
ing this measure TO become law they GER
tainly seem 10 me to be frivolous and it is
difficult to believe that they were offered in
good faith and that the bill would not have
been signed if it had hurt only Republican
or Tammeny chief, and not the powerful
leader Of the county Democracy.
In 1853 the Democrats had possession OF
both assembly and senate Speaker Chaplin,
in his opening address, said that the oppor-
tunity Of that session would be found in the
work of municipal reform and Gov. Cleve-
land in his first message also called attention
to the subject as being one Of immediate and
pressing importance. Nevertheless, the Dem
ocrats failed absolutely in their efforts to solve
the problem and what the Democratic legis-
lature Of 1883 failed to do, the Republican
legislature Of 1884 did and did well, although
part OF their good work was rendered OF no
avail by the action of the Democratic COVER
nor. Governor Cleveland deserves great
credit for the courage and honesty he display
ed in some Of his official acts notably when
he vetoed the ive-cont fare bill but the chief
credit for the reform measures Of last year
belongs TO the Republican Legislature, and no,
to him and while the former must bear the
blame for failing to pass the bureau of eloc-
tons bill, on the governor alone rests the re-
sponsibility for the failure OF tho infinitely
more important tenure Of Office bill.
There is an old Latin proyerb to the effect
that among the blind the one-eyed man is
king certainly most Democrats are blind
and l am obliged 10 confess that there are "a
number Of Republicans who are, to say the
least, very uear-sighted; but neither of these
facts warrants us in stating that Gov Cleve-
land has two eyes, without much better proof
than Is Afforded by his conduct in relation to
the municipal reform bills at the close OF the
last session Very truly yours
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"