The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-08-11
The Senatorial Contest.

[ a New Hampshire acquaintance COM
municates the details of conversation
which occurred between two men on a Cen
trail Vermont train some weeks ago-before
the republican state convention was held
He felt so much interest in the subject that
he kept his eyes shut but his ears open.
One of the men was giving "points - on
the situation to his companion The report
OF the interview comes rather late and its
chief interest now is in showing that the
Edmunds campaign has thus far been car
ried out in harmony with the original plan
The men were strangers to the reporter
and so he designates them Mr.. A. and
Mr.. b. Their dialogue was substantially as
follows:
Mr.. A.-The people must be led to be-
lieve that this movement to defeat Ed
munds is inspired by the ambition of Gov
ernor Smith to get his place. Others want
it, but they must be kept in the background.
You want to talk railroad commission and
short-haul strong, and if we can make the
people believe that it is railroad move
ment to beat Edmunds, so much the better.
They will then think less of his conduct two
years ago. See it? If we can only humbug
the farmers with this railroad commission
business our fight is more than half won.
Mr.. B.-But they say Edmunds has had a
good deal to do with railroads-had big re-
tanners from them and so on, and has made
a good deal of his money that way; and a
New York paper says he made money in
whiskey speculations. Do you think they
can prove these things?
MR. A.-Guess they will have trouble to
! prove such charges. He has been smart
enough to cover up his operations. | never
heard about that whiskey business be-
fore-think it must be a mistake. But
the way to do is to deny everything and adj
init nothing. You may depend upon it, he
has left no evidence of his operations laying
about loose.
Mr.. B-There is some talk about his in
n or
there with the temperance folks?
MIR. A.-That is rather a tough thing to
deal with "a pause) The best thing to do
is to pretend that it is a campaign lie in
vented by his enemies for political effect
Most people who have heard nothing about
his drinking until now will not take any
stock in it, They will reason that if he is
an Incorporate man why did they not hear
about it before. He hasn't been so very
bad for several months, and he ought to be
more careful until after the election, anyhow.
Mr. Bile is doing remarkably well in
congress this session-loOking well after the
grangers and soldiers, Ell?
Mr.. Ayes, he has played his cards WELL
though he has missed on some points. 1t is
having good effect in Vermont already. The
people don't see anything behind the scenes
and it is just as well they don't-a mighty
sight better for our plans. He has taken
pains to write letters to several soldiers, and
that is good thing. The soldier element is
q
shrewd man and isn't going to get left if he
can help it.
Mr.. b heard - say that Edmunds
didn't make out his inventory in Burling-
ton for two or three years. Anything in
that?
Mr.. Ayes, that is so, believe; but it
won't hurt him much now Such things
get to be old stories after awhile and don't
have any effect.
Mr.. B.-I guess it wouldn't be bad plan
! haxr oil . IN 1,a11
possible-I mean the county conventions
and get the men pledged; then they can't
well back down, even if things should after
ward turn little off color.
MIR. A.-That is precisely the plan. We
are looking after all the county committees
it is worth while to approach. Most all of
the conventions will be held early, before
there is too much talk about Edmunds.
You see there are some people looking up
his record. We don't know what discov-
cries they will make, and we want to get our
grist in first. Guess we have it all fixed ex-
cept in two or three counties.
| MIR. BY the way, what is the secret of
that overturn in the Rutland Herald;
thought it was going to be anti,Edmunds.
MR.. A.-Oh, they were afraid if il wasn't
to be Edmunds it might be Proctor, and the
- dread Proctor the worst way. If it
hadn't been for that change we should have
had uphill business down there. 1t came
Just in the nick of time.
MN D. bcdi you nave new paper
down there(?).
MIR. A.-Not exactly new; it has been run
some time got down to low ebb, and
money has been raised to set it up again in
improved shape. Seen it?
Mr.. B.-No. What is the policy? Ed
munds, suppose.
MIR. A.-Oh, it works the granger racket;
but the main thing is Edmunds, and that is
! all we care about il.
MR.. B.-What about the - and -
| Certain newspapersG
MR.. A.-They have been fixed. With
what he(?) has sent us, which is liberal for
him. we have quite a fund now. 1t is going
where il will do the most good-none TO be
wasted. That war-cry of Atkins has saved
us good deal of trouble and money Once
let the people get the idea that it is a demo-
cratic fight against Edmunds and we will
carry our schemes like wild-hre.
MIR. b. (after long pause)-I'm afraid of
! that temperance issue.
MIR. A.-Guess we will weather that
storm. The temperance people are cranks,
ANYHOW and don't have as much influence
with voters as they used to, We must make
the best of what comes, anyhow. You see
At this point the conversation was alb
ruptly broken off by the arrival of gentle