Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-07-17
THE ANXIOUS VERMONT BoURBoNs
Their Leaders, Atkins and Smalley-Gen.
Logan's Boom.

Logan booHh'
ICorres pondcnce of the N. Y. World DemJl
Gen. Logan is at present having quite
a boom in New England. EX-Congress-
man Hendee of this State says that he was
the other night upon one of the returning
trains from Portland. The train was fill
ed with veteran soldiers and their families.
Every man, woman and child on the train
was talking about Logan. They could not
open their mouths wide enough to shout
their admiration for him. Mr.. Hendee
saws that he has noticed since that
the people throughout the back districts
of New England are wonderfully stirred
up over this veteran soldier. He does not
know whether this popularity Will last
but he thinks that there is no Republican,
to-day who is in active politics who would
be more popular throughout New Eng
land in 1858 than Gen. Logan.
There is very little in the way of poll
teal talk in Vermont; The people here
are rather disposed to be friendly to the
new administration. Mr.. Cleveland is
popular in this State. Even the most par
tisan of Republicans here are willing to
admit that he is making good, safe Presi-
dent The Republicans, however, take
great satisfaction in jeering at their
Democratic friends in this state over
their failure up to the present time to
receive any substantial acknowledgment
of the change in the administration of af-
fairs To be a Democrat i'll Vermont re-
1uires much courage for in the good So
ciety of Vermont Democrat is consider
ed barely respectable. IT it is admitted
that he is respectable it is in spite of his
being Democrat. Up to the present
time the principal Federal offices here
have remained in the hands of the Repub-
licans. The best Office in the State is that
of collector of customs. The office is locat-
ed at Burlington. It's salary is between
five and six thousand dollars year. 1t is
the high post of Federal official honor.
Naturally the leading Democrat of
Vermont, b, b. Smalley, its rep
resentative upon the National com
mittee, has been acknowledged by
all of his associates to be entitled to
this place There is no doubt that Secre-
tary Manning and President Clevel and
are willing to appoint him. 1t was given
out some days, ago by the friends of Mr..
Smalley that he would be appointed by
the list of July. There has been hitch in
the matter, Gen. Wells, the present in
cumbent, is a good man. Both sides con
cede that his management of his office
has been honest and capable Dir.
lantry, has said that he would be
no party to making charges against
the general. The only basis then left
for removing him would be offensive
partisanshp. But the general has never
been partisan. He has always
taken any active part in politics. Senator
Edmunds is interested in him and will
not permit him to be removed except for
good cause. Without anything being said
upon the subject it is very clear that Sena-
tor Edmunds could prevent the contirma-
ton of any successor to Gen. Wells unless
some good cause eau be shown for Il
change
The Democrats of this State think that
the administration is pursuing wrong
n1rt,, lie lu for
cause They claim that where a Federal
officeholder is a Republican that should be
enough reason for his removal, and to
establish any other standard is
simply to place. mealis III the hands
of the Republican Senate to hold
Officeholders of the country in place. The
most important Federal appointment that
has been made in this State was that of
United States district attorney. This was
an appointment to fill vacancy caused
by an expired term. 1t was given to
Clarence Pitkin. Pitkin has always been
Republican. His father is one of the
strongest Republicans in the State. Pit
KIN is young man i'll the neighborhood
of thirty years of age. a little over a year
Montpelier as an Independent Demo
crat. He was the candidate of
the Democrats, Greeubackers and
the dsaffected Republicans. Last year he
voted for Cleveland. He Is Mugwump.
The Mugwumps are very few in number
in Vermont. They do not represent any
real political force. To pass over, then,
all of the rock. ribbed Bourbons of the
State, who served up here through years
of encouragement, to pick up young
Mugwump whose family associations are
all Republican is subject of great bit
terness to the Democrats of the State,
They still further criticise the appoint
ment because it was obtained through the
railroad influences of the State. This
railroad influence is Republican, and
picked up Pitkln as a man who would
serve them as faithfully as would the
most partisan Republican in the State.
The two leading Democrats of this State
are B. b. Smalley of Burlington and Hi
ram Atkins of Montpelier, editor of the
Montpelier Argus and Patriot. Smalley
is a man in the prime of lite and the pos
SCISSOR of comfortable fortune. He is a
thorough man of the world, and is as well
known in New York rs he is i'll Vermont,
The Democrats OF this State took 1t FOR
granted that Smalley and Atkins would
have the diSpenSatlOn OF the Federal pat
ronage. So Tor time every application
made for an office in this State down tC
the smallest pOstOilice was sent direct &c
Smalley or Atkins, as if they had absolute
control in the matter instead OF being
sent to the President or to the heads OF
the departments. Naturally these gen
tlemen have been ANXIOUS to justify
the confidence of their Democratic
associates in their influence at Washing
ton But the President has never display
ed any special anxiety to build up bosses
in any State. AS nearly all of the applica
tions for office thus far made in this Stat,
have not been acted upon, the Democrat!
here are becoming very restless. The.
are beginning to doubt the power of the
leaders. They see that Mr.. Smalley doe
not get his collectorship. They argue tina
if he can not get this place for himself h
may not be successful III helping them. ;
appeals are now being daily sent out b.
the Democrats here 10 the President d.
rect.
The Obiect of prntection