The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-12-30


of the state government in manner
that would call for his impeachment.
Only HIPS closest friends excuse his
action.
TIE cry of Vermonts Worlds Fair
commissioners is still for more money.
With the $4,000 voted by the legisa-
ture at the extra session, the commits
sioners in circular just issued say
they Find themselves handicapped at
the beginning of the competitive race
with our neighbors, and urgently APP
peal for assistance, to wit, more
money. The next legislature is to be
worked for $4,000 more, but per-
adventure it may not be appropriated,
individuals are asked TO subscribe 500
each, the payment conditioned upon
the subscription of 10000, with the
further condition that if the legislature
appropriates an additional sum of S10,-
600, individual subscriptions shall not
be demanded; and if a less sum than
$4,000 is appropriated, a pro rata
amount of the individual subscriptions
will be required. The fair has degen-
Grated into an insane rivalry for dis
play, and Vermont has no business in
it. The sooner she pulls out the better
or her. No possible benefit, at all
commensurate with the money already
appropriated, can accrue to the state.
Ten thousand dollars more are wanted.
Then S25 900 additional will be wanted
to take the National Guard to Chicago
in 1898 at grand muster of the ma
tional militia. An exhibition of pro-
ducts of all kinds is desirable, but this
Chicago business is an exhibition of
vanity, and vanity doesn't pay. With
better results Vermont can put her
money into a " boom on her own soil,
rather than into boom for Chicago
real estate.
RUMoR continues to babble of Mr..
Blaine and the presidency. He will
not and he will, he will and he will not,
accept the nomination, these reports
follow and crowd upon each other from
the news centers of the nation. But
the appointment of Stephen B. Elkins
to the secretaryship of war is taken to
be a conclusive indication that Mr..
Blaine will not be a candidate. Mr..
Elkins is strong friend of Mr.. Blaine
and would not accept an office in which
he might be brought into antagonism
with his friend. There is evidently
perfect understanding between the
president and his brilliant secretary of
state. There will be no rivalry between
them for the honors at Minneapolis.
The administration will have but one
candidate. Mr.. Blaine can have the
nomination if he wants it, but he will
not want it in 1892 for the same reasons
that in 1883 he put the honor aside.
So say the political prophets, and there
is reason in what they say. Whether
Mr.. Blaine will be the candidate, or
whether it will be President Harrison,
probably depends on conditions that
will exist some six months hence. 1t is
undoubtedly true that there will be no
conflict of personal ambition between
the president and the secretary of state.
Personal ambition will be subordinated
to the question of party triumph, if an
arbitrary settlement of the case is not
forced by the state of Mr.. Blaine's
health. If, as events develop, it ap-
pears certain that Mr.. Blaine can lead
the party to victory more certainly than
Mr.. Harrison, the latter will patriotic
ally yield the palm, and every friend of
the president will be the secretary's en-
thusiastic supporter if events point to
the continued leadership of Mr.. Harri-
son, every true friend of Mr.. Blaine
will be the presidents loyal adherent.
In the matter of the candidate there
will be substantial unanimity-an omen
of success, with good cause, in No
vember, 1892.
THE Ludlow Tribune takes the eX-
traordinary ground that the nomination
for governor of any person who has
once held the office of lieutenant gov
ernor would be "to revive the old pro-
motion heresy, with slight modifica-
tion," and, as a consequence, the long
array of ex-lieutenant governors now
living would come up, one by one, to
claim the honors of the chief executive
office. The opposition to the promo