The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-03-26
Significant Straws.
TURN ON THE LIGHT.

charge tnat your letters on political topics of
the day were concocted In the editorial room,
instead of coming from those who think and
act for themselves. Yes, sir; let me tell him,
and you, too, Mr.. WAToHMAN editor-though
| heartily approve of yonr bold stand in favor
Of better men and methods in politics-that
there are scores of young men in our rural
towns and districts who are bringing to bear
upon these questions a degree Of intelligent
study and determination that you little dream
OF. This volume OF free and independent
thought is widening and deepening and ma
turing, and the day is not far distant when 1t
will reveal itself with resistless force. And
know, too, of scores Of older men, who have
been more or less in public life, and have
familiar knowledge OF the party tactics that
prevailed in their day, who hail this change in
current political thought with the highest Joy,
and regard 1t as bright omen for the future
They feel that no richer legacy could be left to
their children than to have taken advanced
ground in this behalf, and to have entered
upon an era when public measures should be
| discussed and decided upon their merits and
public men elected for their honesty, capacity
and fidelity to the great charter OF our liberties.
II 1t were not matter OF serious concern, it
would be amusing to note the moves now be-
ing made upon the political chess-board Of the
state. Those familiar with the old methods,
and who believe in their unimpaired efficacy,
are laying out the programme and calling on
| the claquers to shout approval. But the re-
| Spouse comes sluggishy and feebly. Is there
not significance in this? can hardly refrain
| from speaking few plain words concerning
| these thimble-riggers, their methods and their
| candidates, but reserve that for future occa-
| sion. 1t is good while yet before election
day, and there will be abundant opportunity
| to utter good many wholesome truths 1t is
| enough now to say to those managers that
| they may lay their plans just as adroitly as
| they please, and may chuckle over their antici-
psted fulfillment to their hearts content; but
think know what am saying when assure
| them that there IL political dynamite in every
toton in the state and that whenever it is struck
| by even the fore-wheels of the machine" the
| engineers and conductors and passengers will
| experience sensation not set down in the
books. II they don't believe it, let them wait
and see! GREEN MOUNTAIN Boy.
| WANTING IN MANY THINGS.
| Mr.. Editor:-I see that your paper is open to
| criticisms on the diff probable candidates
| for governor. think it the better way that
| opinions and expressions be given before the
| nomination is made. rather than to keep quiet
| and then complain because a different man
was not selected. Everyone will acknowledge
that for the highest Office in the state we ought
| to have good man, in every sense of the word,
and it ought not to be difficult matter to get
such an one in Vermont-where the ma iority is
always very great, where nomination is
| equivalent to an election, and where the people
are not obliged to select man simply because
| they think him the only one who will carry the
election, as in many minor or town offices.
| lDls point Vi Nl6W, we Cdu see L0dt, W0O6Vbr
| is nominated, he will be governor for the next
two years, however unfit he may be to serve
| The men who are placed in nomination for the
| higher offices are not personally known by the
| masses, but are usually voted for because they
| are placed upon the ticket; and vet, though
| not personally known by the many they, never
| theless, should be honorable and capable men.
| The man referred to in your paper from Wash
| ington county, in some respects might be
| partially qualified, but is lacking, in my judg
aant IN htnh 30 nlran
| good, sound and capable executive officer.
believe this, because have taken pains to ascer-
| tain from the business men Of his own town his
standing and character as business man.
This, think, will show what man is, better
| than most any other way, and find many that
hesitate to speak in his favor, and quite num-
Der that are openly opposed to him, because
many who have had dealings with him do not
! wish to have any more in the future. ] believe
| the man now holding the Office much the better
one, and, if he will not take it, am sure there
| are others who are fitted. Must we take any
man, because few have promised beforehand
| to give him the place when his turn should
come? Give us man whom we will be
proud of, even after we have fully become ac-
quainted with him. X.
COMPLIMENT FOR THE ARGUS
M Editor 1t was rather a smart thing in
the republican ring managers to subsidize the
| democratic Argus, and make it a tender to the
regular republican machine And it must
be confessed it has made itself very useful
these many years; and it can truthfully be
said in its favor, think, that it has never once
| failed faithfully to perform its allotted tasks,
| however humble and dirty they might be. In
| deed, the dirtier, the more congenial appar-
| emily And there has been plenty of congenial
| work for this serviceable democratic ally to do.
4 Have any prominent republicans been so indie
| pendent and so bold, not to say insolent, as to
question the methods and performances OF
1.-THE ring" and thereby incurred the right
| eous Indignation and mighty displeasure of the
bosses to an extent requiring the use of
especially filthy mud--too filthy, in fact, for
| the stomachs of the most obsequeous and least
dainty OF the republican ring Organs-then the
| Argus has been let loose upon the poor doomed
| victims, who, mindful of the outcome of DR..
Noah Websters historical encounter with the
skunk, have with one accord made haste to
give it wide berth. For this sort of work the
Argus has really been a very useful kind of
| humble friend and tool of the republican
BOSSES 1t has performed an unsavory kind of
work for them that nobody else would or could
do. But it seems to me that, in the new role
| 1t has lately assumed, there Is danger OF over
doing the business and producing setback.
1t is very natural, and, to a certain extent,
legitimate, for a so-called democratic news
paper to denounce and bespatter good republic
| cans; but when 1t openly and earnestly takes
the lead in demanding the nomination OF GER
tain " machine" republicans for high Office,
and thus becomes a kind of quasi republican
organ, with ring in its nose 80 big that
blind man can see it, 1t certainly is calculated
to excite suspicion The Argus can stand it
| but can DR.. Nichols? FAIR PLAY.
THE GOVERNOR QUESTION.
Mr.. Editor As the time for holding the
| convention draws near, the question suggests
itself to many: Who shall be our standard
| bearer?-not, Whose turn is 1t not, Is he, and
has he been, a great political worker? Can
the republican party of Vermont, in this pres
| idential year, afford to ignore the wishes OF
| large majority of the common people? We
| think not. We do not ask that our candidate
shall be prohibitionist or high-license man,
but we do ask and shall insist, that he be a
man honored and respected in his own town-a
man who is loved and admired at home, whose
standing and character are known not only in
this state, but throughout the nation, even to
the Pacific coast; man who has the welfare
of all the religious and educational institutions
of his town and state near his heart. Such a
man is Frederick Billings. Ah," say the
machine politicians, "he il not candidate"
To be sure, he is not seeking the office, as the
manner of some is but the office is seeking
him and, in this case, II we seek earnestly,
"we shall find" Nine republicans out of every
ten will say I'VE should rejoice to see him
nominated, but it seems to be understood that
Dr. Nichols il to be the candidate this year,
according to promise" Whose promise? let
me ask. Who has the brazen effrontery to
promise Dr. Nichols, Colonel Pingree, our
| present chief magistrate or even Frederick
Billings? Let us see il we cannot this year make
politics clean and respectable and pure, and have