The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-04-23
Hope for Vermont.

Mr.. Editor Il have been much interested In
your manly opposition to the rule of "the
machine" In state politics, and have found
myself TO great extent in sympathy with
your positions; but / do not feel as hope
ful as some OF your correspondents seem
to be in regard to beating In the race those
who have long had the great advantage Of the
inside track. In other states, where the COM
petition between parties Is closer, self-seeking
managers have more reason to fear the failure
OF their shrewdly-concocted and far-reachiDg
plans, when murmurings Of dissatisfaction and
threatenings Of breaking the slate" are
heard, than in Vermont, where the republican
majority has been for many years so large as
to make republican nomination for a state
office equivalent to an election. And still,
enough has occurred within a few years to
cheer the mind Of An independent" even in
this state, and encourage him to hold fast his
integrity. Scattering votes votes that do not
elect, votes transferred for cause to the demo-
cratic nominee though the republican candi-
date wins the day, are not without significance.
There turks warning in them to which those
who are laying pipe for another election must
pay some heed. have read with great graft
fication In the Boston Journal the recent letter
of Congressman Lyman Of Massachusetts, in
reply to an invitation to join a republican
club. May the day be hastened when the con-
troll of legislation at Washington shall be in
the hands of such broad-minded, non partisan
men as Theodore Lyman. | enclose his letter,
in the hope that IL the demand upon your col
umns is not already too great, you will set it
before your subscribers, among whom am
confident that it will be greeted with applause
by many besides, yours cordially, PULPIT.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
WASHINGTON, D. c., March II, 1884.
George Fred Williams, Secretary Of the Nor
folk County Republican Club:
DEAR SR:-Pray excuse my delay in an
swering your kind letter, in which you ask me
| to join the new Norfolk County Republican
| Club. | cannot accept such an invitation with
| out first giving you chance to withdraw it,
after learning my political opinions 1t is true
| that since the dissolution Of the Whig party,
| have regularly voted the republican ticket, and
can be called republican il that act makes
me one On the other hand, the importance Of
independence in politics was impressed on my
mind some years ago. This first thing that
| called my attention sto this matter was the
nomination by the republicans Of Benjamin F.
Butler as member Of congress. knew and
| they knew that he was a man unfit to hold
any public office. Nevertheless, they nomi-
mated him because they thought he would
draw votes. This act was so scandalous that
| Judge Hoar vas put up by the independent re-
publicans as a protest. During the canvass
spoke against General Butler The answer
| was everywhere the same: He is not good
man, but he is the regular nominee, and we must
vote for him." General Butler was elected
| ulsBEdColul COuISo III COukEcSS anu Llo uu-
| initiation of his constituents are matters of his.
tory. The effect of the entire affair was tc
draw my attention more than ever to the dan.
gers of mechanical politics. In the autumn ol
1882 it became necessary to do something de-
cided in the matter Of civil-service reform, and
was nominated as q member OF congress or
that ISSUE My nomination was, in the politi
cal sense, entirely irregular. The democrats
in their convention endorsed this independent
nomination, and l was elected by the combined
votes Of independent republicans and demo
Gratis. So much for the history of my politica
beliefs. Those beliefs are just what they vert
year and half ago, to wit: That, so far al
deep political principles are concerned, there
has been very little difference for the last hal
dozen years between republicans and demo
Gratis. There are hard money men and civil
service reformers and protectionists in boil
parties. The real difference between them il
one Of proportion. My observation in Wash
ington and elsewhere convinces me that Their
is larger proportion of men who are sound oil
great public questions in the republican than il
the democratic party, and therefore, II one o
the other Of them must rule the republican
| party would be the better. You will readil,
infer from what has preceded that, so long a
| hold Office, shall vote ON each measure b.
its merits, and not because 1t is the peculia
measure Of the republican party. II, after yol
have read these opinions, you still consider m
proper person to belong to the Norfolk Count
Republican Club, | shall be glad to join il
Very truly yours, THEODORE LYMAN, M. G.