Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-10-30
The Lodgc-Isusscll Debate.
The Great Event Of the MNssachusetts
Campaign.


Campaign.
The long-expected and much-talked-o
joint debate between Congressman Henry
Cabot Lodge and ex-Congressman John E.
Russell in the Massachusetts campaign
came off according to program i'm Fremont
Temple, Boston, last Friday evening. The
arrangements were made by the Democrats
and Republicans jointly. The seating ca
pacity of the hall is 2GOO, and accordingly
1900 tickets were placed in the hands of
the Republican committee and 1900 in the
hands of the Democratic committee to be
given out as called for, or in their discre-
ton. The rush for seats was greater than
the capacity of the hall. Holders of tick
cts readily got So for them on the night of
the debate and it was said that even $50 or
S25 was offered for tickets. According to
the arrangements in the hall when the audi
ence was seated one side of the house was
solidly Republican and the other sOlidly
Democratic, and each We'd with the other
iD showing enthusiasm over its own speak
ers and candidates.
Promptly at o'clock the disputants en-
tered the hall, and were enthusiastically
cheered by their respective parties. Hor-
ace G.. Allen, eX-pTesident of the Boston
Common Council, called the meeting to or
der and stated the regulations under which
the debate would proceed. The subject
was "The Administration of Governor
Russell 1t was arranged that Mr.. Rus
sell was to have 4j minutes for opening,
Mr.. Lodge to follow in the same time, and
then each to have 30 minutes for his reply.
Each side claimed the victory for its own
speaker, but the weight of testimony seems
to be that Mr.. Russell proved to be no
match for Mr.. Lodge, either as an orator
or in the possession of convincing facts to
sustain his position. He was nervous,
hating and poorly prepared; while Mr..
Lodge was well primed with facts and
pointed arguments. He never hesitated
nor stumbled, but kept right on pouring
hot shot into the enemy's camp. His ar
raignment of Governor Russell was sharp
and incisive He gave the names of four
men appointed to responsible offices who
hal criminal records. In one instance IL
criminal indictments had been found
against man appointed to the state police
force i'm Lawrence. In another case, the
man appointed AS trustee OF the hospital
for dipsOmaniacs was shown to have a bad
record Governor Russell declined to with
draw the appointment, but the man had
the good sense finally to retire. In anoth-
er instance man appointed to "A district
judgeship, was not a lawyer, and his only
qualifications for the office were that he
kept a corner store, and sold rum.
Just before Mr. Lodge took his seat he
referred TO the charge made by the Demo
Gratis that the Republicans supported the
police commission of Boston for the pur
pose OF controlling the liquor interests.
Holding aloft piece of paper, he said: Il
hold in my hand letter from the Demo-
cratic state committee, in which an appeal
is made to Boston rumseller for a sub
scription to the campaign fund. That let
ter was addressed to Michael Shay, who
= runs saloon on Eliot street. This
bombshel caused dismay in the Demo-
cratic ranks and corresponding enthusiasm
on the Republican side of the hall.
Mr.. Russell in answering these charges
stoutly defended Gov. Russel's action and
maintained that the general course of his
administration had been above adverse
criticism.
Mr.. Lodge closed his second speech, and
the debate, with a magnificent tribute to
the grand old commonwealth of Massachu-
sets, saying in conclusion, 1--WE want for
our governor not the hero of the fair
ground and the muster field, but the dill
gent chief magistrate. We want not flu
ent lips and glib promises, but the sober
performance of official duty. We want a
ruler of men, not fisher of votes. We
want a man who, when he passes beyond
the borders of the commonwealth, will for
get his party, forget his politics, forget his
own personality, and remember only that
he is the governor of Massachusetts, the
head of great commonwealth, the chosen
chief of proud people