Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-04-27
The Method. which 1t object. to.

From the St Johnsbury Caedouian
The Montpelier Waterman, of which il
can be said that, if it is not one of the ac-
credited organs of the Central Vermont rail
road ring, it certainly has a curious habit of
sneezing every time that Governor Smith
takes snuff, says that ''the ST. Johnsbury
newspapers are disgruntled about the poit
ical situation in Vermont, but it is not clear
what they can do about it,
For our own part we are free TO say that
we are dissatisfied with the methods by
which our state politics are being managed,
and, moreover, judging from the comments
of the state press ON Mr. Harris's recent
letter, we believe that our dissatisfaction
is shared by very large proportion of our
Vermont Republicans.
What are the methods to which we oh
ject
Well, let us see. 1t is known of all men
that Senator Edmunds's reelection in 1886
was the Interest disappointment of Gov
Smiths life and for the past two years he
has been waiting for an opportunity to pun
lsh Senator Edmunds's friends and support
ers. Mr.. Harris was an active Edmunds
man, and furthermore has always been rec
ognized as an opponent Of the Central Yer
mont railroad ring. When, therefore. his
friends brought him out for Governor. Gov
Smith Immediately made preparations to
run him off the track The easiest and
quietest way to do this for Gov. Smith is a
very polite NAM was to take up the cud-
gels for another candidate The only other
candidate really available was w. ?. Dill
ingham, of Waterbury, whose name had al
ready been mentioned, and had been re-
ceived with more or less favor He was
taken up, not that Gov. Smith loved him
more, but because he loved Mr.. Harris less
for Mr.. Dillingham; was an Edmunds man
in 1856 and did gallant service for the Sen
ator. But the st. Adams people recognize
the fact that Mr.. Dillingham; is a Younger
and perhaps more impressonable man than
Mr.. Harris andsthey are now trying 10
make him their own by hattery and adua-
ton. In former years they thought they
owned him, as is evidenced by the fact that
in 1850 he was chairman of the Senate com
mittee on railroads, and in 1884 he held a
similar craftsmanship in the House. But
when he came out for Mr. Edmunds it was
a rude shock for them and that they have
now taken him up is simply because he
seemed the only available man with whom
to kill Mr.. Harris-and their calculations
have proved true. But if thew Thought
that they could nominate one of several
gentlemen whom we might name but won't.
they would drop Mr.. Dillingham; as PROMPT
ly as they did Mr., Batchelder in 1856.
Now we have nothing against Mr.. Dill
ingham. On the contrary, we heartily
agree with one of the most distinguished
Republicans in Vermont who wrote us the
other day that Mr., Dillingham; is an "hon
orable, honest man, of rare tact and discre-
ton and Of ability superior to most men in
Eastern Vermont But we do object u
Gov, Smith and his strikers nominating a
Governor for us. Because, in the first
place, the people ought TO name their own
Governors; and in the second place the in
terests of the people and those of the rail
roads are largely antagonistic, and we need
a Governor who is able and willing TO take
an aggressive leadership in favor of popu-
lar rights and against their enemies. I'VE
want to see our Vermont Republicans roll
up the biggest vote they ever cast, next
September; and we believe the way To
bring it about is to nominate for Governor
a man who possesses the spirit and intelli-
gence Of reform, whom the 'plain people,
know and have confidence in.
We say these things not to provoke en-
nifty nor 10 stir up strife, but simply he
cause the best interests of the Republican
party demand that they he aid. We have
no candidate TO boom and no ultoror pur-
poses to subserve.