The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-10-19
A Characteristic Slur.

The New York EUening Post is al
ways on the hunt for an opportunity to
make out case of apparent hypocrisy
against the republican party or some
one of its leading members. A few
days ago it thought it had discovered
one in Vermont in the utterance of
Governor Fuller, in his message, on
the new ballot law. The Post will have
it that Governor Fuller is ali enemy of
the law. There is nothing in the mes
sage which by any possible interprea-
ton that is actuated by purpose to
get at the governors views can be
made to say this, but that does not in
the least dampen the ardor of the mug
wump organ for scoring point on the
wicked republicans. Give the Post
any political subject whatever, and its
airy and distorted imagination will
wiring republican vilainy, corruption
and greed out of it. 1t is quite unique
in this art, and it is only fair to give it
credit for considerable success in what
it attempts.
The Post indicts Governor Fuller on
this sentence of the message: "That
this law has operated to defeat the will
of many voters, there can be no ques-
ton" Out of this is drawn the infer
ence-and it is here that its magma
ton soars-that "he can hardly con-
ceal the fact that he would be pleased
to get rid of the system, although he
contents himself with suggesting fur
Their legislation to perfect and carry
out this REFORM" What logicl What
fine analysis! What broadness of view
and scientific receptivenessl In truth,
this is about as good an illustration of
an attempt to adapt facts to an a priori
assumption as can be easily found.
Let us look at what Governor Fuller
really says about the law. Here it is:
In 1890 the legislature enacted law to
promote purity of elections and secure Sc
crecy of the ballot, the better to enable
every person who has right to vote to ex-
press his will at the polls with precision and
certainty. 1t was found necessary to make
some amendments to this law at the special
session in 1891. The entire state has now
had trial of the same, and you have all had
an opportunity to witness and test its work.
ings. Any law to carry out these measures
should be plain and simple in its provisions,
will an tnt11tt ~
or uncertainty as to results. That this law
has operated to defeat the will of many
voters, there can be no question. Many
states that have tried laws similar in design
have so far perfected them that the will of
the voter is easily recorded, and accurately
and quickly ascertained. Every voter
should have certain and easy means of in
dicating his preference; he should have
reasonable time and a suitable place in
which to prepare his ballot, and ample OPP
portunity to deposit the same. The present
law requires such an amount of clerical
skill that a voter, in spite of the exercise of
ordinary care, may be deprived of his fran
chise. Any trifing with the ballot is a Sc
rious matter. The sanctity of the franchise
must be respected. Your attention is called
to the need of further legislation to perfect
and carry out this reform.
We should say that no man need be
ashamed of the position taken in these
words, and that no one, unless he will
fully shuts his eyes, can fail to see what
is intended to be expressed. /" Many
states that have tried laws similar in
design have so far perfected them that
the will of the voter is easily recorded,
and accurately and quickly ascertained."
Governor Fuller would hardly have
written that sentence if he had been
opposed to the spirit of the law.
1t is desirable to get at the truth of
things. Not only is it quite certain that
the governor of this state has taken no
antagonistic position with respect to
the ballot law, but it is also certain that
but one paper in the state has actively
advocated its repeal. The Post sees in
Governor Pages message a " severe re-
Duke to those politicians who, under the
lead OF the chairman OF the republican
state committee, have been calling for
the repeal of the law" The chairman
of the republican state committee hap
pens to live in the town in which the
only newspaper opposition to the law
exists, and, so far as one can judge from
the newspaper talk in other parts of the
state, and from the expressions of opin-
ion by the members of the legislature,
there is substantial unanimity in the
republican party in favor of the prin-
ciples of the new law. Yet the Posi-
feigns to believe that " the party man.
ayers would be glad to repeal the law
Christopher Columbus.