Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-06-06
The Democratic Convention.

The democrats held their State conven-
ton in this city Thursday. 1t was n lively
affair, full of interest and significance.
The amount of dirty linen that was washed
in the meeting was surprising. 1t has gen
orally been given out that the democrats,
though few, made up in excessive harmony
what they lacked in numbers. This was so
to some extent before Cleveland was elected
president, and before the party got
taste of the sweets of being Gin. "
Since then trouble has been brewing.
The cloud was only the size of mans
hand at first, but discomfort has been in
creasng, the young blood in the party be-
gan to assert itself, and Thursday the cloud
burst. Some of the speeches in opposition
to Atkins dictatorship were of a very high
order. The best of them sounded very
much like extracts from the republican
newspapers of this State. The FREE PRESS
and other republican papers of Vermont
have been showing up Atkins and his
methods for years. Thursday his brother
democrats took hand at the business, and
not only confirmed every word that has
been said against the Vermont boss but said
much more. Some Of them denied any in
tention of attacking Atkins personally, but,
in the language of the street, they got there
all the same. Particularly sharp and Incl
sive was the address delivered by Judge
Haselton of this city, all the weighter be
cause so candid in its treatment Of tho sub
iect in hand. He openly charged that the
course pursued by the democratic party in
Enrp,ont un6ar Atlyins'S had
driven capable democrats and good men from
the State. Mr.. McGettrick also drove in
some sharp wedges and told some unpalata-
able truths in a manner that brought loud
and long continued cheers from the disaf-
fected members of the democratic house
| hold. No ambitious young man, he de-
cared, can ally himself with the democratic
party Of to day and hope to succeed in
politics unless he is willing to bow before
Chief Atkins. The people seemed to fairly
revel in their new-found liberty, the liberty
Of speech 1t must have been something of
a revelation to the man who has carried
the party in his pocket all these years, who
! has played the part of dictator IN their
councils, and who has only had to say go to
any man in his party and that man has
found it convenient to start instanter. AS
for Mr. Atkins he made a feeble speech in
self defence, almost pathetic in its appeal
to the members of the convention, and in
striking contrast with some of his imperious
and dogmatic utterances in previous State
conventions.
The situation in brief was this At the
State democratic convention two years ago
MIR. Atkins declared his intention to retire
from the craftsmanship Of the State demo
cratic committee this year. AS the time
for the convention approached, it was evil
dent that he had no notion of letting go his
hold. AS was intimated in our news
columns, those who had tired of
his rule were determined to cross swords
with him in this convention. The first
move on the part of his opponents was an eff
fort to secure a vote making the rules gov
erning the national democratic convention
prevail at this convention, the point being
that a two-thirds vote would be necessary
to elect any officer. This was defeated. In
the afternoon the battle was fought directly
and on its merts, the discussion being on
the question shall the convention elect the
|
mer practice being to elect the chairman in
the committee. AS we have already noted,
and as our report of the convention shows,
the debate was sharp and interesting.
While there were numerous places where
the discussion seemed to have roach
ed its climax, no small degree
of excitement prevailed when Mr.,
Meldon of Rutland courageously and fear
lessly faced Mr.. Atkins in open convention
and called upon him TO make good hi:
pledge to the convention Of 1885, holding
that he was in honor bound to keep mis- word
Few men in the State of Vermont would have
had the hardihood to keep silent under sucl
words, but Mr.. Atkins kept silent and hi
seat-and proposed to keep his office if ht
got it again.
The gist Of the whole matter Is that Mr..
Atkins and his friends, having once enjoy
ng the pleasures and possibly the emolu-
ments accompanying the distribution o
official plums under Cleveland's admnistra
ton, and deluding themselves with the
hope that somehow Mr.. Cleveland and hi
party may return to power and that thel
another distribution of plums will TAX
place, propose to hold on whether they ar
wanted or not. Just what satisfaction
Mr. Atkins and his friends can find in
vote that sustained him by one majority
later crowded up to 10, it is difficult t.
see. 1t was tremendous blow in the face
, victory he can hardly afford to CROW
over. There will be few to sympathiz
with him in his humiliation, for such
really was
The platform is not particularly note
worthy. Few will object to the call 70
ballot reform, which the republicans wi
very likely give the State The democrati
, party is and has been for years the hea
and front of the license movement in Vei
mont, and the call for a license law come
naturally from the democratic State con
vention. The platform gives no indicatio
of change of mind or change of heart on til
, part OF the democrats in other directions
and will attract no particular attention.
The convention leaves the democrati
party of Vermont where it found Tin IL
70 pocket of Hiram Atkins. Whether the +,
t volt means that his power is broken an