The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-04-02
Letters from the People.
THOSE SENTIMENTS. 4"
WOODSTOCK, March 81

| an extensively clustering air OF authority, that
might injure Mr.. Billings In the minds OF some
who do not understand all the tricks of re-
| porters In pursuit OF "point" against an ad-
versary, which was really the object in this case
| But my annoyance Is turned TO sympathy
| for the fellow who attempted to whip a cat
| round stump. The Argus OF the 18th prefaced
its report Of the " sentiments " Of several men,
bers OF the state committee thus: "a represent
| tative OF the Argus and Patriot talked with all
OF them and their sentiments are accurately
expressed as follows" MY sentiments u
we're given with grand " flourish OF trum-
pets" and 1t was promised in my behalf that
| would back every word" I did not choose
| to do so, and now see how neatly the Argus OF
the 26th charges the lie upon Its predecessor OF
the 18th. 1t says: Now II Mr.. Greene had
read our report as carefully as he ought, he
would have seen that we did not state that he
had had any such conversation with a reporter
OF this paper. But our representative was 20
informed by trustworthy gentlemen, Charles S.
| Forbes OF the Boston Journal being one OF
| them, and he made the statement on that in
formation" pretty square back-out after
very "sanguine" beginning. Now this is all
Of no sort OF consequence, but am willing to
contribute something towards improving the
methods OF the Argus reporter SO let me
quote here from q letter have from Forbes, of
date March %: Z" neither told the Argus re-
porter or any one that you spoke In Mr.. Bill
lngs' name because / distinctly understood
that you were not so authorized said moth
makes that Its entire boom for Mr.. Billings
has been without the slightest encouragement
from him, as we have heretofore stated, while
he has been Disguised with the methods 1t has
adopted and the course it has pursued dis
| claim all responsibility for the above. | was
not present when your interview occurred with
Oviatt, and when read the reported interview,
OF course concluded that you told him more
than you told me regarding Mr.. Billings"
Comment Is unnecessary here and there ia only
| GO apntinant - loft IN ha diannaad of nd
is this, " that II he (Mr. Billngs) ever had any
chance for the nomination, its (meaning THE
WATCHMAN) efforts 10 his behalf have killed
him" Forbes thinks he gathered "substan.
TALLY" this from what said, and says it " CO.
incded" with his own "idea," but he says
Oviatt stated what he told him in rather ex-
travagant language" Thus are these people
answered out OF their own mouths, and only
wish to add that my " sentiment" on this
point, long entertained, is that Mr.. Billings
has better "chances" for the governorship
than any man in Vermont, and that il he would
give us permission to use his name, there isn't
power enough In the opposition to keep the
people from honoring themselves by honoring
him. never for a moment entertained the
idea that he had been KILLED Besides
Forbes and Oviatt, only two gentlemen spoke
/, with me on the occasion referred to regarding
Mr.. Billings candidacy, and one of them
never met before. LUTHER o. GREENE.
KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT.
Dfr. Editor 1t is now evident that much
more vigorous and determined opposition to
machine methods and candidates will mani
fest itself at our next republican convention to
nominate state officers than has appeared at
any time since the organization Of the active
little ring OF managing politicians that has
dominated over us so many years; and for this
state OF things the manly and independent
! course OF The WATCHMAN is very largely re-
, sponsbe. So far as my observation extends,
only three newspapers in the whole state, OF
, any considerable circulation or influence, have
came out unreservedly for the ring candidate
Adams, and the Free Press of Burlingtop-botf
, republican papers-and the Argus &C Pdtrio
of Montpelier, the faithful and jealous demo,
3 cratic tender to the republican machine. y
All the other papers stand aloof, large ma
jorty Of them being openly in sympathy with
/ the opposition. This is decidedly unique
and phenomenal condition of things in Yer
mont, and indicates, think. as one of your
correspondents happily expressed it, the pres
ence OF good deal of political dynamite lying
: about loose all over the state that is quite liza
bic to explode whenever the drivers of the
great machine" press too suddenly ant
heavily upon 1t. Whether or not this oppos
z ton will now be triumphant depends entirely
on the activity and earnestness of the people
| themselves in their primary meetings. They
= have the power in their own hands to redres:
. their own grievances, il they will but use it
II they will not, and the caucuses in the sew
: eral towns are left to be packed and manpu
lated by the alert ring wire-pullers, who never
fail to be on hand to do their allotted work
y whoever else may be remiss, then the machine
,, will win the fight as usual; and the few indie
pendent men here and there who, having the
| courage Of their convictions have spoken and
acted mp to those convictions, will be made to
feel the full weight OF I" boss" displeasurt
as heretofore 1t is an indisputable fact
however, which no careful observer will
attempt to controvert, that not one eighth
= OF the republican voters in the state have
/ any sympathy whatever with ring politics
| while, on the other hand, the seven-eigh ths
: heartily condemn and detest anything belong.
ing thereto The question of candidates to an
tagonize the ring is somewhat perplexine
t one, no effort having been made, since the
/. withdrawal of Mr.; Billings to concentrate upor
= any other individual. Many have hoped, as
. have, that Mr.. Billings would finally consent
j to sacrifice his own inclinations when mad,
fully aware of the cordially and unanimity Of
the call upon him; and there are still somt
who do not yet despair OF this happy solution
Of all perplexities regarding suitable candi
date to lead the anti-ring forces to assured
y | victory. But whether this hope be realized o
= not, beseech you let there be no tagging il
4 the good fight so gallantly begun. Grea
. spire fit leaders. II the almost all-pervadinl
. sentiment of the state, earnestly battling TO
, emancipation from ring domination and its dis
= reputable methods and mediocre achievements
. can so manage at the primaries as to secure
!, adequate expression in the convention, tn
a delegates of the people may safely be left Il
a find candidates who shall be true and worth.
" opponents Of their sentiments and purposes
:, Indeed this very freedom from the accustome,
, generalization of candidates would be a re
freshing novelty in Vermont politics, and tn
: | delegates themselves would enjoy self
! respecting consciousness that they, OF thei
= own free will, had performed the work Sc
20 them to do, and not merely ratified the be
hests of "bosses," as in the days gone by
& Foreordnation " may have its truths and it
I uses in religious ethics-of this do not assum
Q to judge-but in Vermont politics the doctrin
It certainly has no proper place, especially whe
y it has both its inspiration and its fulfllment il
II "the ring" MANSFIELD.
IA MARK THE MAN.
o One of our leading religious journals, in
/. recent and excellent article on 1.-THE Run
% Business" said very truly, Now, as neve
before, all classes of men who have any regar
d for public interests or private welfare are be
If ing made to see that the most destructive 70
Al to civilization to business enterprise, to soca
y peace and purity, to individual happiness an
T. success, il this traffic and indulgence In liquors
" One evidence of the truth of the foregoing
q declaration is found in the fact that g. law an
d order leagues are being formed in many @
Q the larger villages of the state, primarily 70
> the better enforcement Of the prohibitory law
a and composed of the very best citizens OF thei
respective communities These organization
a will doubtless be speedily extended to all of on
a populous rum-cursed villages Another evi