Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1896-05-28
ncy's record that would mar his
standing as q candidate for governor.


given their honest opinion of his can
didacy, finding no especial fault with
his abilities, but deprecating hi
methods and particularly his associa-
tion with the political ring that fol
most Of the time in recent Years has
managed our state politics, these pa
pers are accused of using arguments
"utterly unworthy OF Vermont jour.
nalism, "and in default Of any other
point Of supposed vulnerability an
effort is being made to turn the al
legged fault Of his supporters to Mr..
Stickney's injury.
But there is no fault. The people
Of Vermont know how our campaigns
have been conducted. They were
served with notice long ago that Jo-
siah Grout Of Derby would be gov
ernor in '96. They were not asked
whom they preferred, but told whom
they must choose. The politicians
with one voice shouted, "Grout
Grout" But not all the people as
scented. Some preferred different
man and some, while not Directing to
Mr.. Grout personally, demurred to
the methods employed to secure his
nomination. To the call for leader
Mr.. Stickney responded. He was
recognized at once by the Grout
forces as formidable adversary. In
stead OF a smooth road to the govern
orship, or at most no more opposition
than Fuller, another ring candidate,
met with four years ago it was at
once perceived that with Mr.. Stickney
in the field it would be mighty hard
shedding for Mr.. Grout. But the
wires had been laid and the contest
was not to be abandoned. The
pledges of all the politicians and
many newspapers had been secured
enough to insure success, it was
thought, unless the people were thor
oughly aroused. With this hope the
Grout canvass has gone on. There is
little enthusiasm for him, although
his shouters are claiming everything
in sight. Their real feelings are
poorly disguised by this game Of
bluff. They dread an uprising Of the
people and it is easily conceivable why
any allusion to Mr.. Grout as ring
candidate is exceedingly annoying to
them.
In fact, the thinness of their skins
is painfully apparent. For instance,
the st. Alblns Messenger expresses
its Indignation because this paper
stated in a local item that the RAN
dolph postoffice had been flooded
with copies OF the Barre Enterprise
booming Mr.. Grout; that It had been
charged and had not been denied that
Mr.. Grout was editing the Enterprise
in his own behalf Of late; and that no
doubt Bro. Scott was we'll paid for
his service. mo part Of which, by |
the wav, the Messenger was in posi-.
ton to deny.) To our item the
Wdtchmaa added the statement that
Il was well-known in Barre that the
,x-editor and cx-editress Of the En-
e,p,9se preferred Mr.. Stickney per-
'onally but had said that the Enter
',1se was supporting Mr.. Grout for
Of revenue. Making these
acts public, the Messenger thinks, is
descending to low plane Of journal
SIN, and it calls upon Mr.. Stickney to
'epudiate such methods. 1t holds
hat circulating papers for the pur.
pose Of booming candidate is an en-
rely honorable procedure. Why,
hen, is noting an instance OF it so
leeply shocking TO our contemporary?
I the editor Of a paper prefers one can
lidate but sells himself to another for
he sake Of the few dollars he may
'calize for extra copies circulated it
certainly is not right. The public
hould be warned, so that it may be
to accept the arguments of
uch paper for what they are
worth. II Mr.. Grout is in effect ed
ting the Enterprise and using Bro.
scott as stalking horse it should be
,nown, so that editorial utterances
4 that paper can be ascribcd to their
roper source. We leave it for the
,ublic to judge whether or not call
ng attention to it is an unworthy
procedure on the part of papers sup