St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-05-15
THE REAL POINT AT ISSUE.

organs, but subsequent developments
have shown that we were correct
Mr.. Woodbury. himself practically
admitted the fact in his recent open
letter to the Burlington Free Press,
claiming at the same time that the
Central Vermont's favor was volun-
tarily bestowed, while Mr.. Page was
in the humiliating position of an I'M
successful suppliant for that which
came to his rival unsought. How
much there is to this story of Mr..
Pages effort to secure the railroad
influence is clearly shown in an able
article in the Brattleboro Phoenix
which is reprinted on the second page
of this paper. and is commended to
the careful attention of all our read
ers. 1t was the voluntary interces-
sion of a friend, not asked for nor yet
discouraged by Mr.. Page.
The Woodbury. organs are trying
to blind the people to the real point
at issue. To have the support of the
Central Vermont railroad is no dis
credit to Mr.. Woodbury. personally.
To have preferred the friendship to
the enmity of that powerful corpora
ton, if he could have that friendship
without any sacrifice of his own
honor or independence, was no dis
credit to Mr. Page. There is no ques-
ton of dishonor or corruption here.
The real question that the people of
Vermont are interested in is as to
which man the Central Vermont
managers prefer to have in the gov
ernor's chair; which man that cor
poration thinks would be most
amenable to its influence. This rail
road has a way of taking care OF
itself first, in politics or business, and
that is why the people want to know
where it stands in this canvass. We
are not left in doubt on this point.
Candidate Woodbury. informs us that
he is the favored one. The st. Adams
Messenger, which is controlled by
men high in influence with the Cen
trail Vermont, has Enthusiastically de-
clared hostility to Mr.. Page, pursu-
ing him with savage malevolence. A
close connection may be found be
tween these facts and the following
bit of political history of the last
state campaign, which was first pub
Iished in last weeks Montpelier
Waterman:
After the adjournment of the state
convention at Burlington in April,
1SSS, for the choice of delegates to
the national convention at Chicago,
the state committee held meeting
to arrange for the convention for
nominating the state ticket. The
question of the temporary chairman
ship of that convention came up for
considera ton. The name of George
T. Childs, Gov Smiths private score
tary, was suggested. One by one the
members expressed their approval,
with a single exception. This mem
Der expressed his objections frankly
If anyone connected with the Central
railway were to be chosen he pre-
ferred Gov Smith himself The chair
man was the last to speak. He re-
ferred to the political situation in
Franklin county. The fact that the
republican party there was divided
into two hostile camps, resulting in
republican weakness and defeat, was
reviewed. We are entering, he said,
upon a canvass in which vast inter
ests are at stake. The republicans of
the nation will elm the result of the
election in Vermont a sign of victory
or defeat-of victory, as in 1880, if
that splendid majority shall be re-
covered; defeat, as in 1854, if there
is discord and division and Vermonts
historic majority is again seriously
impaired Chairman Page pleaded
for concord i'll the party in every
nook and corner of the state in which
the first battle of the campaign was
to be fought He argued that it
would be unwise to choose for the
man who was to sound the first bugle
note of a campaign opening with
such promise q repreSentatlv Ofeither
of the warning factions in Franklin
county, or of an interest which, justly
or unJustly, was regarded in this
state with widespread jealousy. The
force of the chairman's reasons and
the practical wisdom of his counsels
prevailed, and his suggestion that
the selection of chairman be de
Ill
this sagacious act Chairman Page
justified the wisdom that had made
him the republican leaderin Vermont.
His subsection of personal cOnsidera-
tons to the dictates of official duty
was characteristic of the man. Yer
mont's splendid canvass and the ma
tional triumph that was foretokened
was unquestionably attributable, in
some large mea sure, to the quiet res
olution and wise foresight, at that
time, of the chairman of the republic
can state committee. But by that
act of duty and courage he incurred
personal adherents-whoSe ambition
had been disappointed. Angry
threats of vengeance were made, and
the parties believe the
time to execute those threats has
come.
These revelations show how and
when Carroll S. Page made enemies
of men who seldom forget opposition.
He did it by standing up for the peo-
pie and the republican party as
against the wishes of the Central
Vermont magnates. A contempor-
airy has well said that the Central
Vermont has no use for a man of