Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-09-17
Franklin County.

The strfes of the various factions in
Franklin county are complicated study.
Public aud private, political and personal,
business and social issues are so inter
woven that it would not be an easy or
profitable task to try to elucidate them
for the general reader. In the recent can
vass the United States senatorial ques-
ton was, of course, prominent, but back
of it and under it, lay the old faction
fights of railroad and anti railroad OF
ring and ant-ring-e faction asserting
that the other is the ring-of Smith and
Barlow-once opponents, then for time
allies. now at as bitter odds as ever of
Royce and anti Royce and we know not
what others. When the Republican
county convention met, the leaders of the
opposition to Senator Edmuuds, realizing
that their opposition was hopeless,
and seeing thai their attitude on
this question was prejudicing them
in reference to local issues came
sauarely down, made no objection
to the selection of candidates Tor state
Senators, committed to the support OF
Mr.. Edmunds, and even joined in in
structing them to support him, by formal
resolution This largely took the wind
out of the sails of the anti railroad party !;
| but did not reconcile them to their OPP
ponents They claimed that the snrren-
der of opposition to Mr.. E!Muads was
not made in good faith. They were pot
ready to accept candidates acceptable to
the other faction. They held citizens"
convention. and put out ticket OF their
own. The prohibitonists aud green
hackers also put full tickets in the field.
In the arrangements" which followed,
the democrats accepted the support of
boilers for a part of their ticket but did
not deliver the promised assistance for IA
part of the citizens ticket. The result is
a division OF the county Offices between
the REGULAR republicans and the dem
ocrats. Two regular republicans, Marsh
and Draper are electe senators while
Giddings, regular republican was defeat
ed by Powell, democrat, senator by nearly
400 plurality 1t is perhaps significant
that Mr.. Draper, who by Il published let
ter, publicly committed himself to sup
port Mr.. Edmunds, came out all right,
while Mr.. Giddings who though
in fact quite as strong an Ed
munds man, withheld his declaration
of his attitude from publication
failed. When prominent isU2 is before
the people it does not hurt a man who Is
on the right side, TO make his position
publicly known. II. NJ. Ste' ems, citizens
candidate, of st. Adams, fell 500 short OF
an election. Sturtevant of SWauton, re
publican candidate for State attorney
was defeated by Hamilton Of Highgate
democrat, by 300. Kennedy, democratic
nominee for sheriff, is reelected over
Strattou, republican, by 400 and Deminl
of Sheldon, democratic nominee for side
Judge was also elected Thus the demo
Gratis profit most by these dissensiOns IL
the republican ranks 1t is Il law of poll
teal life that bolts breed bots-and it il
perhaps too much to nope that peace ant
harmony will very soon reign in the re
publican camp in Franklin county; but
it is certainly time tor the discOrdant
wings OF the party there to consider
whether it pays to continue these contests
inside of the party. The republicans OF
Franklin county can enjoy the luxury o
fighting each other, or the luxury of sue
cess at the polls, but they cannot enjO,
both these luXuries at the same time.