The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-12-02
The State Committee.

The Caledonidn has dashed itself into
a fury over the proposition of the state
committee that the state republican
press club with certain city weekly pa
pers on certain conditions, which were
somewhat more favorable to the state
papers than those proposed by the COM
mittee in the fall of 1887, and which
were accepted by the publishers with
substantial unanimity and good feeling
One or two other papers, though not so
wildly delirious as the Caledonian, are
roundly abusing the committee and de-
handing the head of Chairman Bald
win. 1t seems to us that there is more
rage than reason in all this clamor. The
state committee made a certain propo-
sition to the republican editors--a re.
newal in substance of the plan by which
four years ago large number of the
leading republican papers of New York
and Boston were put in circulation in
this state. There was nothing essen
italy wrong or improper in the COM
mittee's proposal. There was no at
tenn on the part of that body or its
chailm IN to force the acceptance of the
proposition upon the editors or to "bull-
doze them, as our frenzied contempt
rary phrases it. The proposition, as
made by Chairman Baldwin, was tenti-
tive, and was presented in terms that
were courteous and considerable. He
urged its acceptance, and presented
such reasons for asking favorable re-
Spouse as to him and his associates
seemed conclusive. Some signed his
proposition, among the number two
whom our agitated contemporaries are
now quoting against the committee.
The editors were free to sign or not, as
they elected. If any were opposed to
the committees plan they had only to
say so and let it alone; and if the scheme
did not on the whole commend itself to
the newspaper men, then the committee
proposed to drop it. For reasons given
last week, the WATCHMAN declined to
accede to the proposition as made by
the committee, but we discover no good
reason for abusing that body or its
chairman in the simple and innocent
fact that it was proposed to revive this
part OF the plan of the campaign of 1888.
No other paper, we believe, has the
slightest grounds for its sweeping criti-
cisms of the committee as body or its
chairman individually. We have no
interest in this matter except such as
any fair-minded person may have in
fair playa jewel our over Jealous con-
temporaries seem to have thrown TO the
Withstand our point of view is that
OF one who disagrees with the commit
tee as to this proposition, and who de-
ellned to accept its proposal. 1t is
barely possible that the real animus of
the Cdledonidn'S prolonged screeds may
be found in the fact that rival pub
Usher of ST. Johnsbury is member of
the state committee-the member who
on his own responsibility has been writ
ing some rather injudicious letters to his
brothers of the craft in Caledonia county.
Can our contemporaries exceeding gall
be attributed TO this cause? But let us
have peace; and let us indulge in the
hope that when the fight is on, next
year, we shall see our disgruntled con-
temporaries, all and single, displaying
equal ardor against the common enemy,
and filling their columns with an equal
amount of red-hot campaign literature.
Then, indeed, will have disappeared one
great reason for introducing into the
state papers like the NeW York Tribune
and Boston Journal.