Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-05-23
What an Old Subscribpr Says.

What an Old Subscribcr says.
Correspondent of the st. Adams Messenger
When the campaign for governor opened
| had about the same acquaintance with
Chairman Page and Lieut.. Gov. Woodbury.
and esteemed both as gentlemen of ability,
integrity and loyalty to party. The first
thing that attracted my attention was the
letter OF the Waterman. | answered it ac
cording to my convictions, saying that /
did not believe in a rule of promotion or
non promotion, but thought the governor
of Vermont should be chosen by reason of
fitness While many others answered the
same way, in substance, we never heard
anything more about it, The Waterman
gave its own arbitrary figures of the pros
and cons, and left those of us who wero in
favor of exercising sound judgment without
fear or favor, uutrammeled by any rule,
out in the cold. Not long after sample
copies Of various papers began to put in
an appearance. and they have continued with
great regularity and are marked for a unanl-
nifty of sentiment; at first it was said that
Mr. Page had all the papers, democratic as
well as republican, and thai the people were
only waiting for the mention of his name TO
! rally around his standard in such numbers
as to discourage any other aspirant Three
months have gone by, and notwithstanding
| the papers favoriug Mr.. Pages candidacy
have every week been filled with iaudatory
articles and statements in regard to the IL
risjstible tide in his favor, the contrary has
| been and is now true and he has found it
necessary to carry on a campaign by meth
DDS that have never before been adopted
and that trust, for the good name of the
| State, will never be followed again.
The conclusion is irresistible that Mr..
! Page and his friends have been raising false
issues from the first, with view to create
prejudice or secure sympathy Although
chairman of the republican State committee,
with all the machinery of the party in his
hands, cry is raised against Col. Wood
bury because he is lieutenant governor; it
has been sounded from one end of the State
to the other and will probably have the
same Affect as the thinking cymbal.
What next? COL Woodbury's war record
is such thorn in the flesh that upon the
slightest preteXt they try to make a martyr
of Mr.. Page. | have read all that has been
written in his papers and fail to sec that
the statement in the FREE PRESS has been
materially changed. do not lust under
stand the necessity of employing a leading
crimiDal lawyer 10 look the matter up and
parading his opinion before the people, nor
do understand how the Tribune's reward
for the name of man who doubts Mr..
Pages version of the matter is to have mach
weight in this canvass People will proba-
bly, entertain their own opinions in regard
to both candidates and their past and pres
ent records, whether it pleases or displeases
Il subsidized press and the Tribune will be
enlightened upon that subject on the day OF
the state convention. What next At the
sound Of the buGle all along the Page paper
line comes the charge of ring candidate "
Well, it seems admitted by Father Marsh
that he tried to pluck some grapes, and
when he failed, Brother Page is consoled
with the idea that they are sour and that
he would not pick them up if he found them
lying in his way. | believe / have seen
Mr.. Pages name connected with the direct
orship of the Boston aud Maine system of
railroads. Is there such a difference in rail
roads that it may be honorable to be a part
of one and dishonorable to receive the sup
port of men connected with another In
Wow of the facts, how cheap it is for the
Waterman to talk about Page as the farm
er's friend and as the man who will dare to
place Il farmer upon the railroad commits
sion.
had thought for the past week or two
that this newspaper business was running
"cmptyings. but last week the dregs
seemed to have been reached and we are
bored with a lot Of calGskin literature that
may be good business advertisement, but
, it is beneath the dignity of a gubernationa
canvass
! Why do not tho Pasa papers point us tc
some patriotic act, some bit of his legisla-
tive history that shows him to be a states
man, or at least an active worker in behalf
of measures and interests that are dear t.
> Nermonters, some liberal and generous ac
= towards the unfortunate the widow anC
p fatherlesS, and anything that is broader
! than a capacity to amass dollars and cent
= and manipulate political wires. Such chap
tiers OF his biogrugraphy would be accepta
BILE, but we have looked in vain for thu
light to be tnrncd on that would disclos
them.
Mr.. Editor, | have become satisfied tina
Mr.. Page is neither hero nor martyr
that if he is not ring candidate, he
neither an ant-ring nor farmers candidate
= that he is neither philanthropist nor dis
II interested spectator in the political move
= ments now going on, but that, adoptn
/ methods never before practiced III Vermont
10 he began more than a year ago to advocat
II his own candidacy, to secure the committa
n of papers for his support, to the part
II machinery in his hands for his advance
ment, and that he and his friends hav
/ pushed his canvass with but one aim, viz. I
+ carry the State. | do not believe in sue
l. methods. ! do not believe the people of tn
State approve of such methods; if they ar
p to succeed, the man of ordinary means an
II self-respect, no matter what ability he ma
1t possess stands no chance for official recog
: milton. ! am glad that the leading paper
of the State have had courage and mainline:
t enough to condemn the course of some
= their brother editors. The press should |
A. one Of the educators of the people, and viii
N We expect difference of opinion, we have
r right to demand that it stands upon plaI
he above purchase-above suspicion. Let IL
lie people rally around the level headed, warn
1T hearted and patriotic citizen, who gave a
is arm for his country's honor and would civ
~ the other if needed in the cause of right.
rs sold SUBSCRIBER
III The Now England Farmer and Vernon
IL Politics.
VI From tho 81 AlbanS MESSENGER