Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-05-28
THE SENATORIAL QUESTION.
Another Word From the West.

observed the senselss and suicidal war
that mat has sprung up in the ranks of
the Republican party Of the hitherto polit-
ically sound Gin the true sense of that ex-
| pression) ola State of Vermont. Born.
and until recently living under the shad-
ow OF the Green Mountains, | may, per
| maps, be pardoned for saying a word in
| regard to the contest now going on in the
old commonwealth. And standing as do
ut somWhng OF n distance wholly disin-
| tereSted and unprej JUDGED, and under
standing. AS believe do, something of
the spirit and temper Of the people as
well as the Influences that are being
! brought to bear upon them at this time, ]
may be justified in Offering a word upon
| the situation. The issues of to-day are
not the issues of a quarter of century
ago. To day the one thing prominent
above all others to which the attention Of
every thinking man is directed, is the dan
ger to which our American institutions
are subjected and the ever growing pro-
bablllty that unless measures of a strong
conservative Character (backed and sup
ported by men of profound craftsmanship
ana uhquestlonable integrity, having at
heart the highest interests of our own peo-
pie ana knowing something of the needs
of modern social organization) are not
brought forward to meet the coming
crises, all that personal and political liber-
ty, all that freedom of actor and opinion
for which our fathers fought and the men
OF 1860 struggled will be irrecoverably
lost. When the blind lead the blind they
both fall. Because man is efficient in
one department is not by any means a
demonstration that he is at all fitted for
another. W hen we, as people, place the
delegated power of government in the
hands of men whose only aim is self ag-
grandlzement and the furtherance of their
own selfish ends, we prostitute that which
! of all THINGS SlpIlin bp hold
to every true American. Such men whom
we are instrumental in placing in these
positions of sacred trust" words often
used, but now little considered) are not
alone guilty of great crimes, but we, our
selves, are pdfttcepS cTtm{utS with them
and subject to equal condemnation. Let
us not Halter ourselves that the future
will hold us gultless. objectionable as
1t may be for the individual to allow per-
sOnal feeling even if in main we'll ground
ed, to warp his sound judgment and con
Vlctlon OF night; doubly perlidious is the
man or combination of men who will sac
rlfice the general good to the qualification
OF party pride, or political and party pref
udlce. If any thing could be suggested
as marking the decay and downfall of a
party, this would surely be a most posi-
tive indication II anything could midi
cate that prejudice had usurped the place
OF principle 1t would be such an act.
And when, if in addition to this a party
and most capable man If it should allow
itself to be led on and dictated to by
political ring the memory of whose crook
ed methods is still fresh in the minds of
not few; II it should allow itself to be
urged to take this course by the worst
elements of an opposition party whose best
elements will not stoop 50 low as TO min
gle in the conflict; if it should then allow
itself to be hoodwinked into believing that
all this was Il mark of political cOnslSten-
r "a ar n mil lao lad
to believe, either that dissolution was at
hand, or that the people had not been
fully awakened to the true situation of
things
l am, in looking at the action of the Re-
puDlCans OF vermont, strongly inclined
to accept the latter conclusion. | am not
yet prepared to believe that old Vermont
is on the eve of a deliberate and voluntary
destruction of the power she now holds
in the United States. am not prepared
to believe that she is eager to surrender
that which the great West, with its for
eign civilization, is eagerly and rapidly
depriving New England of-all too soon
believe for the good of this country.
am slill less prepared to believe that
she is about voluntarily to substitute in
the place OF the statesmanlike power she
now has, another force which is hurrying
us on each hour TO meet the greatest and
most difficult question any people were
ever called upon to solve That force rep
|
and which now SO largely predominates
in che highest legislative department of
our government. II this is a voluntary
choice of the people, have nothing fur
ther to say, but il it is the result of local
political despotism, ! think it high time
that such fact was understood.
Because man of statesmanlike charac-
teristics did not for reasons best known
to himself enter holly into a campaign led
by Il man whom the best elements of his
a. tod
quent course of events showed to nave
been most unfortunately nominated-be-
cause Geo +. Edmunds did what almost
every statesman in this country has done
at some time or other in his career re-
manned silent when certain element of
his party desired him to speak, is he to be
branded rs a traitor to that party of which
| he has so long been prominent and pow
erful members The man to-day is more
than the party, rs the past few years of
American. and especially OF English his
tory should convince every one.
The best counsel any man who has the
true interests of old Vermont, the Repub-
hcan party and the country at heart can
give is that Geo. +. EdmunCs be reelected
! United States senator from Vermont and
this | say without Il personal acquaintance
| with either himself or his opponent Let
the voters of Vermont think twice before
they consent to weaken their present
strength in the Senate.
JOHN ARNOLD KEYEs.
Our correspondent interest in this ques-
ton, and earnestness in deprecating the
folly OF an attempt to retire statesman
like Mr. Edmunds at the present juucture,
are most commendable. He has, how
ever, been unduly disturbed. The echoes
of the controversy here, rolling out TO the
Northwest, have given him an idea of
much more serious contest than actually
exists. Let him be treasured. The fac
ton which would strike down Mr., Ed
munds is comparatively small portion of
the people of Vermont. The Republican
masses have indicated NEST distinctly
their purpose to stand by their senator;
and they will not permit their purpose to
| be defeated.
! What the Strikes Will Cost.