The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-03-17

Rutland headed the reform state ticket
! in 1884. The bulk of the democratic party
! left at home are now filling the federal
| offices in Vermont If any of these hungry
| and thirsty patriots that are at present
| feeding at the public crib should fail of con-
firmaton, then possibly the party may be
| able to find enough men to fill out their
state ticket. just now, however, the demo-
Gratis are so preoccupied in the scramble for
the spois of Office that they can spare no
| time TO devote to state politics.
| For the first time in the history of the
| party the republicans of Vermont find them
| selves confronted at the outset of a cam
| paign by an army of democratic offce-hold-
| erS. Many of the former occupants of these
| four hundred odd offices, now in democratic
| hands, eXemplified their offensive PARTISAN
ship by serving in the Union army, and
some lost leg or an arm for cause. They
| all voted for Blaine and have the courage
| OF their convictions sufficiently to do so
again should opportunity offer. During the
| year that has elapsed since the democracy
| came into possession of the national gov
eminent the Blaine sentiment in this state
has been steadily growing. The republic
| cans of Vermont are beginning to contrast
the shams and hollow pretensons which
| have characterized the Cleveland admins
| tration with the broad craftsmanship and
| sound policy that would have made Blaine's
administration one to be proud of. Life
| long republicans assert that Blaine is
stronger in Vermont to-day than ever, and
declare that II delegates to national con-
yention were to be chosen this year the
Green Mountain State would cast solid
| vote for the Plumed Knight Vermonters in
the West write home that Blaine is more
popular than ever in that section.
Vermont republicans would have been
for Blaine in 1880 and 1884, as they really
were at heart in 1876, If the white shield of
favorite son. backed by state pride, had
not blinded the brilliancy of the Maine
statesman.
There is at least three months time be-
fore the meeting of the state convention for
the nomination of state officers For the
gubernatorial nomination there are at pres
ent two prominent candidates The friends
of Hon. James X. Batchelder of Arlington,
speaker of the house, have perhaps made
the most vigorous canvass for their favorite.
Speaker Batchelder is forty-three years of
age and is an excellent representative of the
younger element in the republican party.
He graduated from Mddlebury College in
1864. He is bright lawyer, has had consid-
cradle Legislative experience and possesses
elements which make him very popular.
Hon. E. j. Ormsbee of Brandon is fifty-two
years of age and is leading member of the
Rutland county bar He was captain of
Company G., First Regiment, Vermont Vol
unteers. He has been in both branches of
the legislature, and in 1884 was chosen
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS He also has many
warm friends.
vermont politicians are famous for trot-
ting out dark horses on campaign race
course, and among the open secrets said to
be in the possession of these political Jockeys
is this: That General William Wells, the ex-
collector Of customs, is to be the Edmunds
candidate for governor. Uncle Luke p. Po-
land is also said not to be averse to occu-
plying the executive chair.
Colonel Franklin Fairbanks of st.
Johnsbury, Hon. Hugh Henry of Chester,
on of CIV Hn11 ~
Eddy, Esq, of Bellows Falls and Colonel A.
b. Franklin of Newfane would all make good
acknowledgements. None OF these gem
tlemen are doing much, so far as | can
learn, to further their chances. The friends
of Hon. Levi X. Fuller of Brattleboro vice
president of the Esty Organ Company, will
present his name for acknowledgement
Colonel Fuller seems to have good chance
to win.
" In the first congressional district ex-
Governor John w. Stewart will be a candi-
date for reelection, and unless the friends
of General j. G. Mccullough of Bennington
make push in his behalf, Governor Stewart
will doubtless be renomnated
General Grout has made good record
in congress and will probably seek re-
nomination from the second district. Colo
mel George w. Hooker of Brattleboro has
many friends who would like to see him in
congress, as has also Hon. William p. Dill
bingham of Waterbury. The contest in this
district promises to be an interesting one.
Some of the newspapers outside the
state have been unduly excited of late over
the senatorial fight in Vermont. They
have pictured still hunt in progress
for certain candidates and have most reck-
lessly created and destroyed Edmunds and
anti-Edmunds booms.' The friends of
Senator Edmunds are also unduly alarmed.
They are beating the air, for so far as can be
ascertained no candidate has entered the
field against the senator. A seat in the
United States senate is very high honor
to be conferred on an American citizen,
and no doubt Hon Luke p. Poland, Judge
H. II. Powers, Ex-Governor j. Gregory
Smith, Ex-Governor Redfield Proctor, Chief
justice Royce and Judge w. G. Veazey have
many friends who would be pleased to see
them elected to the senate.
1t must be admitted that there is a wide
spread public sentiment existing among the
republicans of Vermont hostile to Senator
Edmunds. 1t would be folly to deny so
patent a fact. Republicans opposed to the
senator's reelection disclam all motives
looking to the elevation of any particular
man, and base their action on the mug
wump course pursued by Senator Edmunds
in 1884. This is fight on principle they
say. Senator Edmunds' friends believe
that the splendid fight he is making against
the President will restore him to public
favor and that he will be triumphantly re-
al Cd