Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-02-26
Thn r,rh, Araln., Ehmund..

The plans Of the handful Of political bosses
and self-seekers who are bent on defeating the
r. election Of Senator Edmunds have been de-
veloped and taken definite form with sud
denness and rapidity which even those who
we're best posted were not prepared for.
Barely two weeks ago the st. Adams NJ sssen-
ger opened the campaign with covert attack
on the Senator in the guise Of an article
which pretended to show how his influence
in Congress has "waned." Last week Hiram
Atkins, in Washington openly divulged the
whole scheme and this week the Montpelier
Waterman takes occasion to let its dissfec-
ton be known. The almost simultaneous APP
pearance of such trio of declarations is sig
nifcant and has all the appearance of being
by mutual understanding and pre- arrange
ment
The attack in the Watchman takes the form
of an anonymous letter under the heading,
"Ought Senator Edmunds to be Re Elected p
the writer Of which accuses Mr.. Edmunds of
deliberately poisoning the minds of leading
Vermont Republicans against Mr.. Blaine in
1850 and thus preventing the election of
Blaine delegates to the Republican national
! COuNeuilOu VI tuht year. hlthouBu 'Sihohf
was really Blaine state" Mr.. Edmunds's
browning infamy, according to this writer,
was perpetrated in 1884 when "he stabbed
Blaine to death with the steslthy dagger Of
his subtle silence" This is the gist of the
whole letter OF it it is only necessary to
say that Vermont never was q Blaire state
and there was therefore no occasion for Mr..
Edmunds to attempt to poison Vermont
Republicans against Mr.. Blaine, even had he
been so disposed, and there is no reason Ia
believe that Mr.. Edmunds ever undertook
such a useless task. Furthermore If Mr.. Ed
munds in 1884, single. handed and alone, with
no other weapon than his Subtle silence,
could defeat Mr.. Blaine's election, the fact il
magnificent tribute to the Vermont Senator
personal power and influence and it ought t.
be a solemn warning to the Republican party
to never again nominate a candidate wht
could be thus easily killed of. The Watch
mans comment on the letter is the following
in substance
"While we disclaim responsibility'for the tone o
the communication and the sentiments espresso
therein, admit that the facts cannot be ignored
We have desire to eyade discussion Of the matte
when 1t seems needfu; but the discussion OF the suit
ject at this time may be premature and Of littl
purpose, for do not understand that any cauddat
has yet appeared IN the field against Edmunds. /
tue absence Of positive information, We have interre
that Mr. Edmunds would be a candidate for re-elet
ton If the circumstances propitiuus, but that
would not to risk the chances Of defeat. We haV
abundant evidence that the Republican opposition
his reelection is much stronger than his partcula
driends willing to concede."
This is neither more nor less than an eva
, sive, ld-blooded way of saying that tn
Watchman sympathizes with the movemer
against Mr.. E1munds and hopes it will SUI
coed.
{ Our only purpose at this time is to sho
how the fight is developing, and comment o
the facts which wa have given is unnecessary