The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-03-19

very likely be deal OF independent voting.
But to return to the main point with q word.
The number OF people In the state awake TO its
higher needs and interest on getting rid OF TIE
men who have played at public business while
they have worked for self and each other, may
possibly be greater than any of us suppose. They
seldom go to caucus. They rarely attend
conventions. Their excuse Is that IL IL of little
use. Things are fixed beforehand But they
will vote when they get a fair chance to ac-
complish something, and now they are earn
estly asking for this chance They would like an
honorable name to lead them. But IL Is not
matter OF men so much rs OF principles It Ia
well, perhaps, that the man is not now prom-
nent, God raises leaders and endows them.
And we need to remember that there Is a God
in affairs now, As well as In former times.
have made personal reference only because the
candidacy OF a man c0mpels 1t. The presenta-
ton OF the fitness OF a candidate Is a direct in
vitaton to every honest voter to inquire IL he
have any personal or political disqualiications
for the Office. We sometimes have to look
away from home to see how familiar sights APP
pear when really seen. Imagine, IL you can, the
secretary Of a prominent department at WASH
ington being at the same time the chairman of
the national committee Of his party, and agent,
say of the Standard Oil Company Fancy the
state of Massachusetts, electing man secretary
OF state who was the active agent of the Boston
IL Albany railroad and the efficient official
head OF the party political machine, and then
proposing to make him governor as the reward
OF his political services in keeping the machine
in operation. 1t Is time and more than time,
that Vermont rid herself of such incongruties.
They have already damaged her reputation and
! injured her prosperity. Had parties been more
evenly balanced here this condition of things
could not have lasted as long az it has. We
must shake off these men, OF prepare to re-
peat the experience of Maine, Massachusetts
or New York. This state of things" said a
prominent man at the last state electon-one
of undoubted loyalty to the party and whom
nobody had ever suspected of independence
cannot last much longer" The end may
come sooner than has been thought possible.
Every intelligent man, who loves his state and
country, ought to make himself known and felt
in this business CITIZEN.
THE GOVERNOR QUESTION.
Mr.. Editor Occasional articles by corre-
spondeDts, as well as editorials, in the news
papers indicate that the people are beginning
to take an interest in the question: g Who
shall be the next governor of Vermont p AS
the time draws near for determining who is to
be the coming man, this interest is likely to
increase, and would be both natural and COM
mendable, were it at all necessary, or likely to
be at all available. Those whose minds are so
exercised on the subject seem to forget that
there is secret syndicate" an occult power,
which at ends to all these little matters without
troubling the peope-a power which has con-
trolled the politics of the state for the last
twenty years; which makes governors and
other executive officers, and does all other acts
and things which first-class political machine
may do and perform. The aforesaid machine is
| notable institution. Showing almost irresistible
power, it is at the same time exceedingly silent
and still in its movements. Every gudgeon Is
thoroughly fabricated; there is no rub rum
Bile; it can be run under full Roadway in your
very midst, and you will hear no sound; you
will only know it has been at work when you
come to see what it has done. This machine,
the people may rest assured, is still in good
working order, and may safely be trusted to
make the secretary OF state the next governor
| of Vermont. For the last eight or ten years
the name of the secretary has been biennally
mentioned possible candidate for governor;
but for certain reasons his nomination has not
hitherto been seriously pressed. Some say he
has been held in reserve AS the most available
candidate to beat Mr.. Billings, in the latter
should ever seem TO be candidate in earnest.
But, more likely, the true reason is that the
secretary has not hitherto been quite ready to
give up the emoluments of his present office.
| Now however, the propriety or safety of still
clinging to his present position is at least ques-
tionable. He has held it for eighteen years.
Others have long had an eye ON the place, and
are growing FESTIVE under disappointments.
He cannot expect life tenure. The principle
of rotation in office cannot be held in allegiance
forever, and the time has come when he must
seriously consider the propriety OF stepping
out And who shall blame the secretary for
coming to the conclusion that the most grace
higher y? The present time seems propitious.
The nomination this year belongs to the east
side; ut is the presidential year, and Vermont,
being the first state to vote, a little more than
usual ecldt will attach to the state ticket
this year. Again, that harmless constitu-
tional amendment will come in play this
year; the governor and the secretary of state are
to be nominated at the same convention, and
log-rolling will be natural and easy. do not
mean to nsinuate that said amendment was
got up expressly for this emergency o. no
indeed. And yet, who can fail to see how the
present incumbent can make the sec'etaryship
available, a nice little item of stockton
trade, while negotiating for the governorship?
Its Importance in the coming canvass can
very readily be seen. The canvass is not likely,
from present appearances, to be exciting; the
movements of the machine will be, as usual,
silent and unseen. The newspapers within the
ring will appear to be at loggerheads; one will
seem to favor the denomination Of the present
governor, another, perhaps will show a leaning
toward the acknowledgements, while third
will mildly suggest the name of the secretary
of state But the machine will have but one
candidate, and when the time comes to APP
point delegates the local bosses will see to 1t
that they are all of the right stamp. Does
anyone doubt the existence of the machine We
have been describing? Let him go back and
consider the movements of the republican
party for the last twenty years, and see II they
can be explained or accounted for on any other
hypothesis. And now the question will come:
- ii THESE tnlngS are so, what are you going 10
do about 1t ?" What can be done? The an
swer is: "Smash the machine" and do 1t at
the next state convention by Nominating Fred
erick Billings for governor. He has not fl ttly
refused to be a candidate, and II his friends
show themselves in earnest and willing to work
for him, it is believed he will allow his name
to be used. Let us have a governor this time
who will honor the office and be a credit to the
state. The state owes nothing to George Mich
OILS True, he has been an able and efficient
secretary of state, and has performed its du-
ties to general acceptance. 1t is also true that
he has been not only fairly, but lucratively,
paid for his services. He has already been
paid over thirty thousand dollars Of the peo-
: pies money, and surely ought now to have the
magnanimity to cheerfuly step down and out.
without being bribed to do so by the gift OF
! higher office. The writer Of this article is an
old republican, close vergng on four-score, and
has therefore no axe to grind; nor has he any
, political prospects to be damaged by hurting
out unwecome truths. II he succeeds, in
some small degree, in awakening the republic
: can party to u sense of the " true inwardness
! OF its present situation, his object will have
been accomplished. &c.
, FOR GOVERNOR, JOHN A. PAGE.
Mr. Editor Amid the many names that
: have been mentioned as suitable to head the
republican ticket in the approaching campaign,
and against each of which some objection, real