St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-04-05

fee. Nevertheless the methods used
to bring him out, and the treatment
Mr.. Harris has received in the matter,
we believe open to just criticism.
One thing more : 1t is noticeable
that although Mr.. Harris's letter bears
date of March 10, it was two full weeks
before it saw light in the Free Press,
and yet that paper is a daily. This
little circumstance may mean some
thing and it may not. 1t is sugges-
tive from the fact that in two days af-
ter the letter was published, and be-
fore the people could possibly be heard
from in any way except through the
daily press, a state convention met al
Burlington, made up of delegates from
all over the state. If the letter was
not intended for publication at this
particular time it could hardly have
been planned better in order to accom-
plish the object for which it was in
tended.
Up to this point this episode in state
politics has been treated from the peO-
ple's standpoint. The average reader
nnacquainted with political methods
the laying of pipe, trades, the "you
tickle me and I'll tickle you" policy
cannot understand why the represen
tatives of the people cannot go to the
70 llk
man who seems to them at that time
to be the best man for governor. They
look upon any interference with sucf
way as officious impertinence. Here
is where the people show ignorance
not only of men but of political meth
DDS. Those acquainted with Mr.. Ben
edict know he is the last man to steI
over the bounds of propriety and ad
dress an impertinent letter to any one
Besides, careful study of Mr.. Bene-
diets letter and Mr.. Harris's reply
will convince the reader that this was
not a sudden impulse on the part Of
these writer's, but something that had
been planned for and in which proba-
bly, the leading politicians of the state
had IA hand.
What TRANSFERRED to bring about this
sudden coup d'etat, of course a man
who holds an Independent position
and does not fall in with every politi-
cal scheme made for him, has no right
to know. Probably there were many
influences. at work. Col. Fuller Of
Brattleboro never seemed to accept
with entire equanimity the hole into
which his next friend, Col. Hooker
placed him at the last state cOnven-
convention that if they would then
nominate Fuller for lieutenant COVER
nor, he would not be a candidate fol-
governor in '89. Again, Col. Hooker
himself has the credit of having a pref
ty good sized political bee in his bon
net. And then there is Mr.. Martin and
other Windham county politicians who
cannot receive with complacency the
idea that Mr.. Harris is to be governor
this year. Knowing all these facts
and being the size of man he is, Mr.
Harris declines to enter into a scram-
BILE for the office.
Then there is the Dillingham; side OF
the question. A half dozen men are
impatiently waiting for Gen. CIRCUITS
congressional shoes, and Mr.. Dilling-
ham wears just about that size of shoe
To make him governor this year dis
poses of leading man for Gen. CIRCUITS
place, and makes the chance so much
the better for the rest.
1t is needless to pursue this matter
further. The reader can get some idea
of the many questions and parties that
enter into political canvass. There
is one comfort in this case: Mr.. Dill
lingham is a good man for the place,
and while it is in order for him to
write out just such a platform of prin-
ciples as Mr.. Harris has given the pub
lie there is at the same time not the
slightest danger of his doing it.