Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-03-14
Thc'Govcrnor Question.
NH'T VONUI IIVT VH07ITNIT'
| From thc II. Adams Messenger

" atchman TO stay the advance Of Col
Woodbury., Ill the form of interrogatories
addressed to the leading republicans OF the
state, the burden of which related to So
called promotions. Mr.. Woodbury. had
made many friends through the able and
diEniiied manner in which lie had filed tao
Office of lieutenant governor, and probably
presuming that he would be made a candi-
date for the governorship which somebody
else wanted. this move was made to head
him Off. There was method in the move
mont Since then, and until quite recent
~, desutory firing has been kept up by Il
few state papers in the interest of the
chairman Of tho republican state commit
tee, which finally eliminated in grand
charge all along the line two or three
weeks ago.
Such Il scene at this remote period in adj
vance of the nominating convention has
seldom if ever before been witnessed i'll Yer
mont and conveys the impression that "A
literary bureau, new thing altogether
in the State, is ut work The movement
has the appearance of having been instituted
for the purpose of forestaling public opln-
ion, to cut off the approach of other candi-
dates, aud to effect an organization as
speedily az possible in support of the per
son who may desire to reach the coveted
position This early organization i'll Yer
mont is unnatural and distasteful to very
many republicans 1t seems to be too much
like machine work. 1t cannot be possible
that any one man in the state is so much
the superior of all other1 as to have this
movement accounted for in any other way.
Hon. c. s. Page Of Hyde Park. the pres
ent chairman of the republican state COM
mittee, is a good citizen. lie has made
good use of hi, opportunities in business
from the first. Nes. while very many other
young men sacrificed their business pros
poets in the nations turmoil he chung to the
rudder of his ship and laid the foundations
Of his future success. lie has been pros
porous in building up Il speciality, to his
great credit. He is a man of ability, gen
teman, and far be it from our purpose to
seek TO detract a single iot from his honor
able career and standing as n man. The
state should be proud to reckon him in the
front rank of her sons. who have remained
at home and contributed to her prosperity
rs well us his own. He averages well with
the hundreds of others OF our foremost
Nermonters He is good business man.
as we have said, and has devoted himself
exclusively to money making. except as he
may have engaged in politics. He has been
u member OF the republican State commit
tee longer than any mHn on the board save
one: is an astute politician. and knows 1.-THE
ropes better than any of the present mem
bers of the committee. Mr. Page is an
| honorable politician, and we have had &C
cason more than once to defend him in this
paper. He is ambitious in politics, and this
is not to his discredit
Mr.. Page in some sense has a right to be
q candidate for governor, but he has no
.,r,l,t IL.
which belongs to the party, TO advance his
own personal candidacy or to prevent the
SUCCESS of another. In his present position
as chairman OF the State committee he
should be neutral in the matter of nomiua-
tons the State ticket, leaving to the
party its own prerogatives. There are
scores OF men on tho ''west side' of quite
as high business standing, as well qualified
| for the governorehip and us meritorious,
! whose friends will have reason to feel that
so far as the party machinery now in motion
| is concerned the door to the nominating
! convention has been closed against them.
| This should not be so, and no republican
committeeman has right to stand in this
relation to his party.
At this time the name of Col. L. A.
Woodbury. of Burlington, who was also a
Lamolle county boy, is prominently men
toned in connection with the governorship
in spite of all efforts to squelch him. His
friends have n most unQuestioned right to
place him in the field for the highest State
Office, and the choicest honors the State can
bestow upon him. The history of his no.
table career has long been treasured by his
more intimate friends, and within short
time it has been given wider publicity. 1t
is such as any man might well be proud of,
oil
and Col Woodbury. should now be gratified
that he had the courage to make it. He
stands pre- eminently high in all these par
ticulars beside he has State qualifications
by education, training, ability, dignity and
experience the superior of most.
We have had the pleasure Of Mr.. Wood
bury's personal acquaintance for score or
more of years. We esteem him for what
he is and has proven himself to be in great
emergencies. He has everywhere acquitted
himself with honor. Franklin county es-
pecially has reason to remember him as
'orderly" sergeant of the Fletcher company
in the Second regiment, who left the first
Vermont arm on the 'sacred soil of Viz
gina, where many of our friends tarried
and brother of the writer, who was with
him, sleeps. A little later we followed hin
to Richmond, Va, as prisoner of war and
partook Of his fare. Under the circum
stances, and among political friends, be
lieving that Col. L. \. Woodbury. has SUI
perior qualifications for the governorshil
and would do honor to the position, we shall
esteem it n privilege to support his candi
dacy above that of any other now prom
inently before the people
The name of Judge Royce of St. Alban
has been mentioned by number of Stat,
| III T,, L.