The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-05-19
Principles Greater Than Men.

III does not task the memory to any great
extent to go back a couple of years and
analyze the temper of the public regarding
the action or non-action of Mr.. Edmunds
during the last presidential canvass. Re-
publicans all over the country, especially in
the West, had come to regard his position
in the canvass as very detrimental to the
success of their ticket, and his course in the
matter was freely criticised in republican
circles. Here at home the sentiment was
more restrained, owing to feeling of state
pride in the man. but when the result was
declared and Cleveland elected, Vermont
republicans broke through that reserve, and
all over the state could be heard, almost
with one voice, hearty condemnation of his
course. 1t is estimated that if Edmunds had
come before the legislature for reelection
in 1884, out of that body-excluding the
democratic vote, which at that time felt
under deep obligation to him for the success
of their candidate-he would not have re-
ceived twenty-five votes in all: indeed. the
feeling was so intense at that time amongst
the representative republicans comprising
that body that it was with great effort on
the part of the more conservative members
that resolution was prevented from being
presented for adoption censuring in very
plain terms his conduct during the cam
paign and asking him to resign his position
as senator. Ii such resolution had been
presented, can any one doubt that it would
have been heartily adopted? This was
scarcely two short years ago. Has Mr.. Ed
munds done anything since to remove the
odium that was then attached to him. un.
less it be to make senseless fight upon a
democratic administration which he helped
to place in power? Is there a change in the
public mind since then? We think the tenn
per OF Nermonters has sadly degenerated
since the days of Ethan Allen if it has. 1t
is true that great and determined effort is
being made by some of the newspaper poll
nf 40 fntn TO 1.xN. Al.
ranks for Edmunds by raising the old howl
of railroad ring" with the new attachment
OF democratic affinity. This NAV answer
with the unsophisticated and unwary repub-
Leans, but with those of the party who be-
neve more In party principles than in man
worship, who have borne the burden in the
heat of the day, who believe that the prin-
ciples and achievements of the grand old re-
publican party should not be sacrificed in a
day to crafty the petty spite of one man.
although he be great man, it will not.
Those zealots who make use of these ar
guments lose sight of the fact that the oppo-
sition to the reelection of Edmunds was
spontaneous in 1884; that it was freely can
vassed and expressed during the session of
the legislature at that time, and by those
representative men from all over the state
who had been specially elected by their
townSmen as possessing that constitutional
requirement of " wisdom and virtue" 1t is
no more railroad ring now than it was
then, and it is the height of arrogance to
characterize it as such now. But something
must be done to counterfeit the anti-Ed-
munds principle, and what more potent
than to send forth the howl railroad
ring!" AS for the claim of democratic help,
that is equally preposterous. No sane man
can believe for a moment that that party
has single vote to give either for or
against Mr., Edmunds in favor of any other
republican candidate; but the claim serves
its purpose and makes very good one to
chink in and help to create the belief that
Blaine and Logan, the republican conven-
ton and the republicans of Vermont and
throughout the Union in 1854 were all
wrong and Edmunds all right. - Constant
Republican, in Messenger