davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09
Ministers in Politics.
THEY DISAGREE JUST LIKE OTHER MEN.

THEY DISAGREE JUST LIKE OTHER MEN.
At the Boston ministers meeting
last week the topic for discussion was
the political situa ton. At IA previous
meeting when the same subject was
discussed, two of their number had
spoken very heartily for prohibition,
and at this meeting Rev. DR.. Webb
proceeded to state why his conclusions
differed from theirs. He hated the
liquor business with a perfect hatred
but did not regard the temperance
issue as supreme. The question of the
family and Cleveland's relation to it
was at issue. He reviewed Mr.. Blaine's
letters and defended him from charges
of duplicity, dishonesty, and dishonor,
expressing entire confidence in his per
sOnal character and admiration for his
public career. He characterized
Blaine's correspondents, Caldwell and
Fisher, from personal knowledge
Hon. Lot NJ. Morrill, told him (Dr.
Webb) that Mr.. Blaine paid back to
him and other buyers of Fl. Smith
bonds every dollar he received from
them. Blaine gave his word that the
bonds were good" and he paid for
them when they deprecated.
Rev. w. II. Thayer gave reasons
why a prohibitionist should not vote
for st. John. 1t would he half vote
of confidence in the Democratic party,
which had always favored the liquor
interest. The only practical out
come of vote for st. John is the cleo
ton of Cleveland. All the whiskev
and brewers associations, with their
periodicals, oppose Blaine. The South
is solid for Cleveland, made so by the
suppression and miscounting of negro
votes. Rev. Drs. Meredith and Quint
followed in the same line. The latter
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09
The ConnectIcut Election.

At the election in Connecticut on
Monday, the constitutional amend
mcnt providing for biennial sessions of
the Legislature was adopted by ma
iority of over $1,000, although the
same amendment was rejected several
years ago 10y a majority of $1,000.
The amendment goes into effect in
ISS6. As the governor is elected for
two years, there seems to be no good
reason why the members of the legis-
lature should not be elected for an
equal term of service. Hartford, where
the sessions are held, and adjoining
towns very naturally voted against the
amendment, while New Haven, with
possibly some Of the old-time capital
jealousy, voted in favor of it. The
town elections showed small democrat
ic gains. More than one-half of the
smaller towns, under the operations of
the local option laws, voted against Ii
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09
The Prohibi,ion convention.

As will be seen by call ut the head
of these columns, the prohibjtionists
will hold state convention at Mont
pelier next Wednesday, to nominate a
st. John and Daniel electoral ticket.
In recognition of the great interest felt
liz the Temperance cause by the women
of Vermont, they are included in the
call. This movement is in response to
IL general demand from all parts of the
state from temperance men. who, either
not liking the candidates of the two
great parties or their attitude on the
Temperance question, feel that this is
ais oppurtune time to make move for
independent political action upon the
most important question before the
American people to-day, and at the
same time have the satisfaction of vOt-
ing as their con<ciences dictate-fOr
men against whose public and private
life the finger of suspicion has not been
pointed. The idea transcends state
shHSAiltH htNiOhfti
importance. Political history has
shown that the two great parties have
only conceded temperance Legislation
when their interests would thus I've
best subservcd.
All who believe in the principles rep
resented by st. John and Daniel, and
desire to protest against the unwise
nominations by the other parties,
should make next Wednesdays con-
veDtion notable one in point of num-
beers and the character of the gentle
men nominated for the sutfrages of
the people. There are many cOnscien-
tious men who are opposed to Blaine
and Cleveland, who would gladly vote
for st. John. were there the slightest
possibility of his election, yet they will
do well tn bear in mind that vote for
the right is never lost, and that politi-
clans of either party care very little
how much voter protests against bad
nominations so long as his protest is
not enforced by an Independent ballot.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09
WINDSOl
Legislative Notes.
STANDING COMMITTEES,


Speaker Batchelder announced
Tuesday these chairmen of standing
committees in the house: Judiciary,
w. II. Walker of Ludlow; military
affairs, F. o. Stranahan of st. Adams
education, NJ. o. Perkins of Windsor ;
manufactures, w. p. Fairbanks OF
st. JOhnsbury highways and bridges,
G. A. Walker of Bridgeport corpora
lions, Josiah GrOut of Derby distrib-
uting, C.. E. Claffiin of BrOokfield
mileage and debentures. F. A. Hall OF
Bolton; agriculture, F. ID. Douglass OF
Whiting; claims, Hugh Henry of Ches-
ter.
A bill was introduced in the Senate
similar to the one offered by Senator
Walker two years ago providing for a
railroad commissioner to be appointed
by the governor and confirmed by the
senate, such commission to have con-
troll over the tariffs, etc, of the rail-
roads in the state.
A bill will be presented to the COM
ing Legislature forbidding the importa-
ton or manufacture of oleomargarine
or any of the limitations of butter.
j. b. Sanderson, the representative
from Highgate, will be detained from
duty several weeks on account of i'll
ness.
Representative Rice of Somerset.
greenbacker, stands six feet and over
in his stockings.
A bill is to be introduced to incorpo-
rate the village of Barre.
There were $50 applicants for the ~
pages places in the house and senate.
Vigorous efforts will be made in the
legislature on behalf of the residents
of West Rutland village to divide the
town of Rutland into two towns. West
Rutland people claim that they will
thereby get more improvement in their
village than they do now.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09
The October Elections.

Since Indiana dropped out of the
October states, those elections have
lost some of their wonted interest
Ohio and West Virginia alone remain
to furnish indications of the possible
result in November. Four years ago
the election of Garfield was virtually
settled by the election of the republi-
can state ticket in Indiana, which
then held its election in October.
The contest in Ohio has been waged
with great vigor. The situation was
considered so grave that it was
deemed best to dispatch Mr.. Blaine
there, forthwith, and he is making
speeches ut the principal points
throughout the state. 1t is hoped
that the enthusiasm aroused by his
magnetic presence will wake the par
ty from their lethargy and inspire
them to Il vigorous effort to carry the
state by an old-time majority. The
German vote which has heretofore
been largely republican, is an I'M
known quantity this year, and this,
combined with the stay at home and
prohibition vote, invests the result
with II great deal of uncertainty. The
wool growers are dissatisfied with the
refusal of the democrats in congress to
restore the duty on wool, and this is
likely to prove an element of weak
ness among the democrats, which will
probably be offset by the Germans
who will follow the independent lead
of their distinguished countryman,
Carl Sehurz.
At the state election in September
1880, Ohio elected the republican state
ticket 10y about 10000 majority, and
this majority must be duplicated this
year, if the republicans hold their own.
Ohio is naturally republican state
in an election when national issues
are involved and there is no reason to
expect that it will go back upon its
record of over thirty years. Anything
short of 81, 900 majority will he set
back to the republicans, while any
thing over that figure will be equally
so to the democrats
West Virginia will probably remain
true to its past history and enroll it
self in the democratic column. This
will lpaVe thp Stains of the n1rties the
same as it was before the elections
were held, and the national contest
yet to be decided on the first Tues
day in November.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09
why He supports ST. John.

Mr.. Editor "A few days ago | re-
ceived letter from patron of yours,
and friend of mine, requesting the rea-
sons why | stood for separate political
action on the single question of prohi-
bitiOn. For the sake of reaching him
and many Others who think as he does,
you will confer a favor by publishing
in your paper these reasons which
have led me to this course of action.
If they are sound they ought to be
known; if not your correspondents can
tear them to pieces and scatter them to
the winds and all parties will be bet
ter for the discussion.
General principles in the political
economy of to-day:
l. The question of the management
of the alcoholic liquor traffic will finally
resolve itself into the unrestricted sale,
or total prohibition of the same.
2. The question is so vast that it
enters every household in the country
either financially or morally.
3. Being of this nature it follows
that it is one upon which every voter
must take his stand, either upon one
side or the other, as indicated above.
4. No party can carry a question
that is large enough to make an issue
unless it has a majority of all the votes
of both parties on that issue, and
neither of the national parties has that
majority.
The following can also be shown to
be facts:
|. The democratic party has given
to the people more prohibitory laws
than has the republican party.
=. The republican party has re-
pealed more prohibitory laws than has
the democratic party.
3. AS the rum elements are
ashamed of the cause they defend,
they invariably take their stand in
side of the old political parties and
make their fight there. Every saloon
in the land is political club house
where temperance candidates are as
sassinated and those known to be "all
right" are doomed. They can then go
into an election and use the whole
temperance element of the opposite
party to help cut down their man.
More than this, they get all the respect
ability they have from the temperance
men who work with them at such
times. (For shame y
4. The republican party is respon-
sible for the national partnerships in
the liquor traffic and by its chosen
leaders proposes to make the rum
sellers the collectors of money from
the most degraded class of our citizens
to be distributed in the one case to the
several states, and in the other to the
school fund. Or to put it in another
shape Both of these great leaders
would have our success in building up
our states and schools, financial and
moral prosperity depend on the success
of the rumsellers, in pulling them
down.
5. Both of these great parties vir-
tually declare against prohibitory laws.
6. The national prohibition party,
lead by st. John and Daniel, is the
only one that advocates and supports
the suppression of the liquor traffic by
prOhibitory Legislation.
Some of these propositions may APP
pear to some untrue, but full dis
cussion will establish them as facts.
EDWIN GUILD.
WalpOle. n. II Oct. 6. 1881
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09
Public Opinion.
scHURz's OPINION OF OHIO.

| SCHURZ'S OPINION OF OHIO.
Ohio has always gone republican in
| presidential contests since the birth OF
the republican party, and if it does not
do so this year, the fact will be very
extraordinary. Nevertheless, many
symptoms Indicate that majority of
the voters of the state are opposed to
! Blaine. The German vote there is
heavy, and very large majority of
that is against Blaine, OF course the
republicans know that if they lose
Ohio i'll October, the presidential cam
paign will be practically ended and
they will make every effort to secure
success at the coming election. Mr..
Blaine is now on the ground himself,
and what he doesn't know about po-
litical tricks is not worth knowing. 1t
is said that he has ample pecuniary
means at his disposal and was told
in Ohio that the circulation of the re-
publican campaign fund could already
be traced there. The effect which may
be produced in this way between now
and election day of course / am not
able to tell. If Ohio goes against the
republicans in October, by however
small IA majority, | foresee the posi-
bility of general anti-Blaine land
slide in the northwest; but this is IL
campaign throughout of unknown
quantities and do not think that any
body is well enough informed to make
any prediction with certainty. OF the
Butler movement / could not see much
anywhere, except i'll Michigan st.
John is likely to poll an unexpectedly
large number of votes from dissatisfied
republicans who do not wish to 20 the
full length of voting for Cleveland, al
though they may care nothing for pro-
hibition. As for the Irish detection
from Cleveland, wherever ! went | al
ways found it was in the next county.
-[Carl Schurz in an interview.
FREE PASSES TO JUDGES.
Governor John l.. Barstow of Yer
mont, i'll his retiring message, recon-
mended that the salaries of the Judges
OF the supreme court, which are now
but $500 a year, be increased S400,
that an allowance be made for their
travelling expenses, and that they be
prohibited from accepting free passes.
There was a remarkable libel snit tried
III one of the counties of that state
week before last. An editor had ac-
cused Chief Justice Royce of accepting
favors from leading litigants. There
was another accusation, but it is not
pertinent to this question. Three rail-
road managers testified that they had
given him and other judges free passes
for themselves and families for years.
Two of these managers admitted that
they and their roads had, during this
time, been litigants before the chief
justice. One of them had taken him
5000 miles in his private ear, and had
also given him and his family a ride to
Quebec and return, to see the mana
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09

ger and his family sail for Europe.
But these "courtesies" were justified
by custom, though the president of the
Central Vermont went further, and
said he had extended them "to make
some return to the people for the fran
chise granted to the railroad.r Wheth-
er or not this was sincere reason may
be judged from the fact that the cor
poration IN question has always re-
sisted the taxation of the property by
state or municipalities until, under q
very recent statute, resistance has be-
come useless. One of the other mana
gers gave an explanation which rail
road men will consider as coming II
little nearer the truth-that is, that it
was "the policy of the road to pass
prominent men, because it helped to
advertise the line" Here was an adj
mission that some sort Of favor in re-
turn was expected The conversion of
judges into advertising agents may
not be fully relished by them, but
probably most of them, in Vermont OF
any other state. would prefer this to
the alternative reason, which is the
natural one, that railroad favors are
given for judicial favors granted or pX-
pected. In the case referred to, the
jury found the editor guilty, which
compels the conclusion that they were
led To believe that passes are not ff-
vers. The recommendation of the re-
tlrlng governor, however, and its en-
dorsement by the leading papers of the
state, and the early introduction of a
bill in the legislature to prevent such
"courtesies,n indicate that all knoWl-
edge of human nature has not departed
| from Vermont, and that there is Il pos
| sibility that "custom" will be '.more
honOred in the breach than the Observ
ance." Boston Advertiser.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09

W IL ltilltl MIltNtl NV MN Ill ICCO, HAS
sent to the Chicago Tribune the com
plete correspondence which is as fol-
lows:
MADISON, Sept. Is, 1884.
My Dear Sir: You have always an
swered promptly and fully all the
questions when an opinion was wanted
from one highly esteemed throughout
the nation, have asked of yon upon
political or other subjects. Here is Il
paragraph that has been published and
republisned in every bourbon organ III
the west
Senator Edmunds of Vermont, in
letter, 1880: 1t is my deliberate Opin-
ion that Mr.. Blaine acts us the attor-
ney of Jay Gould. Whenever Mr..
| Thurman and ] have settled upon leg
islation to bring the Pacific railroad to
| terms of equity with the government,
up has jumped James q. Blaine. mus
ket in hand, from behind the breast
works of GOuld's lobby to fire in our
| backs.
Is this true extract from any letter
of yours If so, did Mr.. Blaine, as such
attorney, ever do anything wrong or
diSreputable, or contrary to public in
| terests2 When, and for what purpose,
did Gould engage Blaine for his at
torney What salary did he receive
from Gould Has his term of service
for Gould terminated If so, when did
it terminate If Mr.. Blaine was
GOuld's attorney, when did he "fire
into the backs" of yourself and Mr..
Thurman giving dates and subject
matter under consideration when the
firing was done ? If Mr. Blaine was
ever the attorney of Gould, is that suf-
ficient reason why the republican par
ty should he defeated in the present
contestP Did Mr.. Blaine, to your
knowledge and belief, ever do any
thing that would render it advisable
for old republicans to turn back on
their lives and their records and make
Grover Cleveland, with all that i'm
plies, president of the United States ?
With the highest respect, | am truly
your obedient servant,
FRANK A. FLOWER.
Hon. George F. Edmunds.
Private.
BURLINGTON, VI, Sept. Is, 1884.
Dear Sir: have yours of the 18th.
AS am not in the letter writing bust
ness, | mark this, as have some SINH
lar ones, private" am sure that |
never wrote or said that the gentle
man sou refer to Facts us the attorney
of jay Could" for | am not conscious
of ever having thought so. | presume
it is true, althO' can find no copy of
the letter, that in 1880 | did write to
some constituent adversely to the nom
nation of the gentleman named, and
| believe it to be true that he was on
the sideo f the railroads in the struggle
of 1873, and it is my belief that said
so. AS have publicly stated, expect
to vote the republican ticket. Yours,
GEORGE f. EDMUNDS.
Frank A. Flower, Esq.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09

headquarters in Boston, with Saturday
social meetings. They have some good
speakers on the stump.
The New Haven Independents keep
an open reading room at ISL Chapel
street and are very busy distributing
documents and doing missionary work
generally
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09

and make useful, if they move to the
music of His will and providence, as
the anthem of redeeming love is sung
down the ages.
Steamship Alaska, Sept, 1884.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09

The Brattleboro independents pro-
pose to let their influence he felt in
the November election, and if their
vote corresponds with their claims as
well as it did in September, they will
poll Il vote that will command respect.
They have recently made Il canvass
and find that they can depend on over
300, aud they are hopeful of 80 or
more. No effort is made to pledge
them to any party or any candidate,
but the vote will be divided between
st. John and Cleveland. The indie
pendents of Brattleboro are so numer-
Gus that the moral bulldozing 50 prev
alent i'll some parts of Vermont has no
effect on them.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09

The total insurance on the Glen
house aud furniture lin the White
Mountains) was Sl24 $50, distributed
among 81 companies, the amounts
ranging from $1,000 to $4,000.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09
Walpole, N. II , DC
Is il Authentic D.!

Gustav Kobbe of New York, a rela-
tive of Warren Fisher, read at a pOlit-
zeal meeting ut Fairfield. N. j., last
Saturday evening, the following letter,
which he says he received from Mr..
Fisher:
WINDSOR, W., July IL, 1884.
In April or May of 1880 Blaine sent
word to have me meet him at the Fifth
Avenue hotel. He then authorized me
to get the letters from Mulligan, pay
$4,000 if | could not get them for less,
and then wanted Mr.. Mulligan and
myself to go to Europe and remain I'm
til after election at his expense. Mr..
Mulligan declined the offer. He said
Blaine had stolen his letters in WASH
ington he never should have what he
held at any price. WARREN FISHER.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09
Prohibition Convention.

The prohibitionsts Of Vermont. including ladies'.
who .favor;the' candidacy Of the nominees of the
National prohibition party, ST John and Daniel,
are requested to meet in mass convention al Mont
pelier Wednesday. Oct. Is, 1854, at p. m. q
nominate electors to support said nominees at the
coming presidential election, and TO transact any
other business pertaining to the organization OF the
party which may be deemed expedient. The place
of meeting and other details of the convention will
be announced a. soon as the arrangements are
completed. J. r. BARriETT
For the State Committee.
MddeseK, Vt, Sept. ~ Iss4
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09

Paper has taken quite jump up
within Il short time. The excuse given
is the stopping of the importation of
rags on account of cholera but paper
has been very low for a year or two
past and the profit of handling has
been small as well rs of manufacture,
and paper men resolved on an adj
vance regardless of cholera. 1t will
probably go still higher.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09

Mr.. George TicknOr Cnrtis contrib
utes to the November Century paper
on "How Shall we Elect our Presi-
dents r.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09

EX-GOv. st. John thus gives chap
ter of his personal history: ain Hi
nois % years ago was tried for be
friending poor colored boy. And
the man who was instrumental in max
ing the law and in having me tried, is
now the candidate for vice president
on the republican ticket"
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09

There is one feature of the Royce
Maloncy libel suit which the public
should make note of 1t has been
proved that when one party is II poor
Irishman and the other the chief JUS
tice of the state Il suit can Ice tried
promptly and verdict rendered. Per
haps those who have had suits drag
ging along five, ten or fifteen years,
will appreciate the precedent thus es-
tablishcd.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09

cense, while the cities and larger
towns voted in favor of license.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09

1t will Toe gratifying to Il good many
people to learn that the temperance
men and women of Iowa do not quail
ut small obstacles. They are taking Il
good deal of temperance in their poll
ties this year. The new law has been
declared constitutional, and the tenn
perauce folks are enforcing it so as to
close many saloons and drive some
keepers out of the state. Judge Hayes
of Muscatine has just charged grand
jury to the effect that buyer as well as
seller should be punished, point
which is we'll taken and must eventu-
ally prevail.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-09
Edmumds's Letter on Blaine.

Senator George F. Edmund's, having
seen published an imperfect copy of
his letter to IL western man in regard
to Il letter written 10y him in 1850, has
sent to the Chicago Tribune the com
plete correspondence which is AS fol-
lows: