The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-06-01

requisite, fully and satisfactorily to dis.
charge the duties of the office. The
fact that the office of treasurer is now
held by citizen of Rutland and will
unquestionably be continued in his
hands should not necessarily operate as
bar to General Kingsley's nomination;
nor should the further fact that lieu
tenant-governor has been taken from
Rutland county since some other county
has possessed the honor. If General
Kingsley is believed to be the best man,
or if, as between number of equally
acceptable, men considerations of pub
lie policy renderit advisable to nominate
General Kingsley, he should be selected
and his nomination should not be preju-
diced by the fact that Treasurer Field
lives in Rutland, or tina. Governor Orms-
bee hailed from the county of Rutland.
The Free Press of Monday morning
practically took Mr.. Taft out of the can
vass. If candidate does not have the
support of the press or the bulk of the
voters of his own locality, whatever his
merits or qualifications, his candidacy
lacks the first condition of success. But
this is not saying that Mr.. Taft is not as
popular or as well qualified for the office
as any other candidate. He was men,
Der of the senate of 1888, is a lawyer of
ability, man of culture, and seems to
be the leading newspaper favorite, des-
pite the opposition he encounters at
home.
G. p. Hogan's equipment for the Office
and the possibilities that exist in his
candidacy have been discussed in the
WATCHMAN. Very likely he hasn't the
ghost of chance of receiving the sup
port of Franklin county, but certain it
is that the republican party can go
further and fare worse in its search for
candidate for acknowledgements
Mr.. Hogan is good stumper, and his
friends believe there would be many
votes added to the republican majority
by virtue of his nomination.
The person having the strongest back
ing for the office is undoubtedly Colonel
Stranahan. He has the Messengers
support, although he is not exactly a
representative farmer" We assume
that he is also the favorite of Franklin
county. The WATCHMAN some weeks
ago expressed its appreciation of the
quality of Colonel Stranahan as a man
and as candidate, and we repeat that
he will be candidate without reproach,
if the republican delegates decide to
make him the second in command in
the coming campaign. Franklin county
has furnished the state, within recent
years, a brilliant governor, distin-
guished chief judge of the supreme
court, judge of that court, and for
fourteen years an auditor of accounts.
So that the logic the Free Press employs
to shut out General Kingsley in Rut-
land county is not entirely without force
when applied to Franklin county and
its candidates. Possibly it is a little
stronger against the latter than against
the former.
For the offices of treasurer and of Sec
rotary of state there will be no contest.
Treasurer Field and Secretary Brownell
have fully met popular expectation in
the discharge of the duties of their re-
spective offices. They will be renom-
mated with enthusiastic acclaim.
For auditor Mr.. Powell declines to be
again candidate. Hon. F. D. Hale of
Lunenburg, Hon. Norman Paul of
Woodstock and George w. Wing, Esq,
of Montpelier are rivals for the favor
of the convention. All are lawyers.
The WATCHMAN makes no disparage-
ment of the abilities of Mr.. Hale or
MIR. Paul. 1t believes, however, that
Mr.. Wing is peculiarly fitted and quail
fed for the Office, as was set forth in a
former issue of the WATCHMAN, and
that the considerations there presented
will prevail before the convention.