The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-05-12
Superserviceable Friends.
From the New York Tribune. May /.


There began some time ago a little ripple
of discussion through the newspapers as to
whether there would be any opposition
among the republicans of Vermont to the
return of Mr.. Edmunds to the senate. The
fountain and source Ot this debate we do not
know. 1t may have started in the Green
Mountain Businesses themselves, from local
and natural causes, or it may have been set
running by the drill of some Washington
correspondent boring through the provin-
cial press AT any rate, it went purling
along for several days, in mildly proper
way, without bOiSterOuSneSS or disturbance,
and nobody got excited. AS Mr. Edmunds'
term is about to expire and it is as certain
as anything in the future can be that the
legislature which will elect his successor
will be republican, the question was raised
in tentative way whether the ardor and
enthusiasm with which Vermont republic
cans supported the republican candidate
and party in the last presidential election
would appear in their support of Mr. Ed
munds for reelection, or be chilled in the
measure in which they remembered that
gentleman's mastery inactivity during the
same campaign. That was all There was
nothing strange or unusual in it. 1t was
sort of family debate inside the republican
party over little matter of domestic disci-
pine. Such things are by no means infre-
Quent in political parties. Parties being
ganized for the carrying out of certain prin-
ciples and ideas, and their success being
dependent upon the harmony with which
the leaders pull together, it is perfectly
natural that any proposition to continue in
office leaders who have manifested dispo-
sition to kick or set back in the harness
should excite discussion. To the superior
persons who view with alarm anything like
party harmony, believing that the world
gets on, not by keeping step, but by kick
ing this Is sad and solemn circumstance
1t is none the less true.
This discussion was not in the nature Of a
political racket. 1t was placid, calm, dis
passionate. 1t seemed to be admitted by
everybody that the Vermont senator did not,
as ii We're, carry torch during the cam
paign. 1t was not claimed for him that he
had lain awake nights, worn out his shoes,
or hurrahed the rim off his hat for the cause.
This was not expected He rarely does it.
1t is not necessary in Vermont. 1t was said,
however, that, having been candidate him
self for the nomination, he might at least
have said something to indicate that he
knew the result OF the convention and the
name of the successful candidate. To this
it was answered, first, that he was not feel
ing we'll during the campaign; second, that
he was not apt TO get excited anyhow; and
third, that whatever he did or failed TO do,
as a party man, he was so great man that
the government could not get along without
him and he must consequently be reelected.
All at once, as the debate went simmering
along there was a sound of Gathering hoofs
and canking spurs and Hiram Atkins of
Vermont, newspaper editor and democratic
party manager, plunged in, mounted and
red-hot 1t is hardly too much to say that
Hiram Atkins was surprise. He was not
expected TO take part in this entertainment.
For this was, as before stated, purely fam
ily matter inside the republican party, and
Hiram Atkins is Vermont democrat, hide
bound and copper-fastened. With whoop
and yell Hiram Atkins seized the ball of
discussion which had before bpen uuiatly
passing back and forth among the repubi-
cans and whirled it high in air. In an out
burst of rhetoric, red-headed and fitful, he
contended that Mr. Edmunds should not be
returned TO the senate, because he had been
his election under the circumstances would
break up the republican party. He was
joined by chorus of democratic editors in
the same strain. Before any republican had
recovered from the shock of this Eruption