The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-06-17
Two Notable SuggestiOns--.And
a Third.


With faint suggestion of sneer,
the Brattleboro Rgormer (democratic)
says:
"The Montpelier Waterman is greatly
stricken with admiration of Farmer Will
lam Chaplin, and words are hardly suffi-
cient vehicle for the expression of its adj
miraton. If it can't have a chance to sup
port him for governor-it will be very sorry"
A farmer correspondent, also demo-
crat, but whose democracy is not of the
false modern democratic stamp, is also
"greatly stricken with admiration of
Farmer Chaplin" and with real sim
cerity and genuine enthusiasm ex-
presses his views and feelings as fol-
lows:
"A thousand thanks for your editorial and
your good report of the farmers meeting. l
read Chapin's speech twice then l read it
aloud to my wife, and she Immediately
nominated him for the vacant seat in the
United States senate. And why is not this
feasible? He is good enough republican
for the dominant party, and good enough
! democrat for democratic farmers like me.
With this speech as campaign document,
he ought to go in with rush, and 1 think
he would do us credit in Washington. We
need him there to riddle the absurdties of
some of the chaps that the western men are
sending, and give responsibility to the
farmers cause before the world / believe
he would be immensely popular all over the
country. Jerry Simpson is the best man
the western farmers have got hold Of but
Chaplin would lay over him in every direc-
ton, and give power, consistency and force
to the farmers movement such as it has
never yet had. You characterize him
splendidly in your editorial, and his speech
justfes your eulogium."
An address like Farmer Chapn's
speech of welcome, by whomsoever
spoken, from wheresoever he halls,
commands our sincere and unqualified
admiration, and we gave him the need
of praise that is due I" a plain, blunt
man." bright, original, thoughtful
level-headed representativ" of his class,
with no thought or purpose of "boom-
ing" him for any office. Al that our
correspondent says of Mr.. Chaplin in
the character of a representative of the
farmer interest is true, true as words
of Holy Writ, and the governor or legis-
lature, in choosing senator, might 20
further and fare worse-and probably
will. The ranks of senatorial aspirants
are said to be already crowded by can
didates who may be " handsomer " than
Farmer Chaplin, but we doubt if they
"know more about many important
things. Furthermore, Farmer Chaplin
is, politically, on the wrong side of the
Green Hills in the pending contest,
though geographically and physically
he could descend from his eyrie in the
MiddleseX mountains with almost equal
facility to either the west or the east
side of the state.
Again, the fact that the last east-side
governor was taken from Washington
county might be fatal to the Rgormer's
suggestion, unless the farmers shall
next year get up on their hind-legs and
declare that they will no longer be
muzzled by senseless costoms, but
will be free to crop political heritage
wherever it suits them best. But if
moth-eaten custom shall successfully
debar this sturdy yeoman from entering
the senatorial or executive office, and
since he seems to be in demand, what's
the matter with entering him for the
race for representative in congress?
That, it is conceded, will be sort of
free-to-all affair next year, and if the
farmers of Vermont want at Washing
ton strong champion, man who will
be in fact as we'll as name their repre-
sentative-and vigilant, fighting rep
resentative-let them be getting into
line for Uncle William. If our cor
respondent can not have Mr.. Chaplin for
senator, we have no doubt his next
preference would be for representative
and we assume that our esteemed con-
} temporary of the Rgormer, in similar
contingency, would acquiesce in this
arrangement.
, PROFESSOR A. S. HARDY OF Dartmouth