The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1884-04-11

Northern Politics-Ex-GOv Smiths Ambi-
tion for the U. s. senate-Nichols VS. Pin
gree-A Political Lie Nailed-A Stirring
up in County Finance-Return of one
Supposed to Have Been Murdered-Firc
and General News.
(From our Special Corresponding
ST ALBANs, April 10, 1884.
The many admirers in this county of the in.
dependent stand taken by the REFoRMER in
dealing with the economic and political ques
tons which are filling the minds of Vermont
sufIragists at the present time, are highly pleas
ed with the ''new departure" of the progressive
management of the paper, in printing state
edition to devoted exclusively to the presenta-
ton of state and current local topics in the sew
eral counties The great need Of our present
political bodies is Independent and courageous
newspapers which are not at all afraid 10 speak
the truth concerning the performances of indi-
yiduals or parties. The Democratic party for
many years looked up to the Montpelier Argus
for political light, but latterly many staunch
members of the party have become convinced
that Mr. Atkins has allied himself to the Central
Vermont machine and is doing the Republican
dirty work in a sly way. This has greatly i'm.
paired the power of the Argus, and its follow
ing is diminishing The advent therefore, to
the state field of a thoroughly independent pa
per like the REFoRMER is hailed with sincere
Joy by Democrats in this section who are pretty
well disguised with the twaddling course of the
Argus.
There is little of interest, politically or social
W. to chronicle What is known here as ''the
ring is very quiet concerning political matters
This am given to understand is due to de-
sire on the part of Gov Smith to ally as far as
possible the strong feeling which is known to
exist against his political management. In the
eastern part of the county a s.r0ng opposition
to the railroad ring is being built up. and the
ring managers here know from their 1874 expe-
rience what the county can and will do when
thorou ghly aroused. This year it is said the
railroad influence will exert itself strongly in
favor {, { certain candidates for county senators,
and will also seek to capture as many town rep
resentatives as is possible by secret work. The
purpose of this is plain. Gov Smith has strong
hopes that Senator Edmunds will be successful
at Chicago. If SO there will be vacancy in
the senate for the next legislature TO fill. If
Smith can manage it SO as to Q elected to the
vacancy, IT will give him pr stig which can
not well be overcome at the ect IN Of a sue
cessor N 1886. Edmunds, ana old, feels un
der obligations to Smith ano rat Ter favors him
as his successor; bat during the past half dozen
years Edmunds has madei " fl ends and many
enemies in the stat,, and I'll Is somewhat dis
couraging to the Smith project of going 10 the
legislature for an election. IL the legislature is
nnfav orable to Smith. Edmands will net resig
until after the legislature adjourns. This is
why the Central Vermont ring is so terribly
anx ious to have DIR Nichols nominated. OF
course Smiths chances for the senatorship
hinge on Edmunds' success at Chicago in June,
and throughout the country in November, and
the possibility of his getting the nomination is
so remote it Is hardly worth discussing.
To an outsider who is given an occasional
glimpse into tie ''machine" II is highly anus
ing to note the efforts being put forth by Nj
rhols' friends TO lead people into the belief that
Col Pingree is not in any sense a candidate for
he covernorship. And these efforts are supple
mented by the very bold lie that Pingree has |
written letters in which he promised not to be