The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-02-06
I" Facts +" by Insinuation.

publican party, renews its exertions to
have Lieutenant Governor Pingree made
the chief steward of its ward in the com.
ing canvass. With its habitual candor and
precision as to its facts" it says: "Our
esteemed contemporary, The Watchman,
has abused him so that it hardly seems
possible for it to join in the movement.
For local reasons, if nothing more, it
ought to support DR.. Nichols, who will be
the candidate of the republicans of Wash
ington county; and it has lost caste
among the members of that party in this
county for not doing 80. Now would be
good time for it to return to its proper
allegiance. We understand that The
| Wdtchmdn's milf at the doctor is caused
by the fact that he sent some of the state
printing to Tuttle & Co., of Rutland,
which The Wdtchman claims he should
have given it." Our contemporary, as all
men know, has "mind well skilled to
find or forge fault" and if it cannot find
one clears not to lie," trusting "'twill
seem lucky hit" In the practice of
what appears to be its favorite trick, it
"will lie, sir, with such volubility, that
you would think truth were q fool" Gen.
orally actuated by personal or mercenary
motives itself, it is unable to account for
a contemporaries course on any other the
ory than that of personal pique or self
ACKNOWLEDGMENT. Artfully put in the
form of hearsay information, its state.
ment was evidently designed to have and
to carry the impression of unqualified
truth, to be received and repeated as a
fact by any one who is knave or simple
ton enough to take stock in the Argus
unsupported statements. 1t has a con-
venient way of creating its facts by in
situation and Immediately treating them
as matters concerning which there is
no question. 1t understands that
THE WATCHMAN's milf at the doctor I"
had its origin in some disappointment
about job of printing; then it proceeds
to treat its own insinuation as an undis.
puted fact.
1t is quite unnecessary to say to those
who read The WATcHhAN in a spirit
of candor, that this paper has never
"abused Lieutenant Governor Pingree.
There is no reason why it should abuse
him. There is every reason why it should
treat him with the respect due to good
citizen and an upright man, and pay to
him the homage gratefully rendered to a
patriot soldier. Nor has this paper a
"miff against DR.. Nichols" Our rela-
tions to him, personally, are of the most
cordial character, and our high apprecia-
ton of his official efficiency has been
often and freely expressed. Nevertheless,
we are constrained to say that, in our es-
timation, the governorship is greater
than either of these men, and neither is
our first choice for that position. We be-
lieve, as we have expressed ourselves on
other occasions, that the Office of COVER
nor should be filled by a man whose abili-
ties shall give assurance that something
moe than the routine duties of the posi-
ton will successfully engage his attention /;
a man with capacity for quick and
true comprehension of the necessities of
the state; able to devise, fearless and indie
pendent to recommend, policy that shall
tend to check depicting emigration, to re-
store, build up and develop; and having
withal such an established character for
wisdom and for successful achievement
as shall win the confidence of the people,
and secure for his recommendations the
thoughtful attention and favorable &C.
ton of the branch of the government
whose assent must be had to give prac-
tical effect to proposed measures.
1t Is thrice told tale that for years
Vermont has been losing ground. There
is decay among her farming towns. She
is like commercial house, railway or
industrial corporation, whose best men
are yearly picked up and their business
coaxed away by more pushing and better
managed rivals. Relatively there has
been serious retrogression in wealth and
population. To arrest this backward
drift and turn the tide, demands greater
wisdom, better management, more fruit.
full expedients than to control and direct
the current of a well-established and
growing prosperity. This matter of the
governorship is simply question of public
policy, whether the state will 60 on in the
old way, or will this year begin period
Of well-directed, systematic and persistent
efforts to improve her fortunes. This
matter transcends in Importance any OF
the railway, industrial, or business inter
ests of the state by as much as the whole
is greater than any of its parts. No less
man should be thought of for the chief
executive office than would be considered
for the presidency of railway, or for the
administrative head of a great industrial
or business association. In citizens lik,
j. Gregory Smith or Frederick Billings
are seen types of men of ability, capacity