Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-05-28
WILL STAND BY M'KlNLEY.
Senator Proctor Has no Doubt About the
Action OF Vermont DeIecates.

Senator Proctor Has no Doubt About the
Action OF Vermont Delegates
Rutland VT, May .5.-United states
| Senator Redneld Proctor, who has been
! spending a short time trouting at Lake
| Pico, returned 10 his home in Proctor yes
| terday to take short rest before return-
| ing TO his duties at Washington.
The senator was seen by n Boston Jour
nal Representative yesterday afternoon
with regard to the feeling which is report
| ed inside of the State TO be gaining ground
| that the Mckinley sentiment Is abating,
and that Thomas r. Reed OF Maine is
gaining in favor in Vermont. Mr.. Proc
tor seemed willing to talk on the situation
and expressed himself at some length on
the presidential question. When asked IL
| there was any possibility that the Veri
| mont delegates might not support Mckin-
ley at St Louis, Mr.. Proctor said that he
was positive that every delegate would ad-
hero to the expression of opinion made
manifest at the State and district conven-
| tons. AS that sentiment was for Mckin-
! ley, and for Mckinley only. he could not
see how the delegates could do otherwise
than support that candidateito the last.
"Ot course" he continued, there ore
men on the delegation and others promi-
nent in State politics who certainly favor
| Reed, but the personal preferences OF these
voters will not In the least interfere with
the choice of tho delegates at the st. Louis
convention"
In answer to the questions: DO you favor
| the instruction OF delegates, Mr.. Proctor
replied that he never favored combining
delegates to certain and binding instruc-
lions. but as far as the Montpelier con-
venton was concerued he did not think Il
strange that the delegates were instructed
because the Mckinley sentiment was so
strong that an expression of opinion was
inevitable. He would. rather, have Won
ha1
lutions passed. The Mckinley men simply
wanted to let their force be known and
no one could blame them for II.
| Il speak OF instructed delegates" con-
tinued Mr.. Proctor, "of course tho dele
gates are not bound by instructions in the
technical meaning OF tho word. They are
not bound 10 DO this or that by any vote
but they have no right to mlsrepresent
| the State. 1t would have been the duty
OF each and every delegate to the ST.
Louis convention to promptly decline TO
servo on the delegation had he not in
tended TO support the man who has been
chosen by the State"
Suppose you should go to the conven-
ton and find hat there was fallacy in
! Mckinley's position on the money ques-
ton, what would the Vermont delegates
DO In that case?" he was asked
Never cross bridges until you come 10
them the senator replied. "As for the
money question you need not fear for
Mckinley on that score. In my opinion
MS principles are as sound as those of
senator Allison Of Iowa, and there are
none moro sound than those he supports
! Ihey are as sound as those of Senator
| sherman OF Ohio, who is tho leader in
hnance OF the republican party. On my
part l DO not believe that tho views of
Mr.. Mckinley have ever varied from those
OF Senator Sherman"
| When aSknl Univ tho ctata h,J xup-
| ported Mckinley in preference to the
Maine candidate, tho senator said that
tho vermont sentiment was the essence OF
that manifested at the New Hampshire
and Connecticut conventions.
Further, he did not think It strange that
tho Mckifey sentiment was stronger in
Vermont than in the other five New Eng
land States, for the reason that Vermont
mas been stronger protection State than
any OF her sisters since the time Of Henry
Clay. 1T is" he continued, Mckinley
and protection in Vermont now and
think there will be no change Of opinion
| as far as the MASSES are concerned
Speaking OF local sentiment, think the
drop In the price of wool and other farm
| products, as Vermont Is an agricultural
state, has had bearing on the general ef-
| feet"
with reference to the personal opinion
OF tho delegates Mr.. Proctor said that
|
delegation. lie referred to a recent in
terview in which c. A. Prouty Of Newport,
ono or tho delegates at large, says that he
Is nm admirer OF Mr.. Reed. that he would
be pleased to see him In the highest posi-
tion In the gift of the nation, and were he
TO go to St. Louis absolutely free to vote
as he choose he would naturally be found
In the Reed ranks. But as the situation
Is such as to prevent anything OF the sort
ne VIII stand by tho choice made manifest
at the Vermont convention.
col. Il. c. Smith OF ST. Adams, another
delesate-at-large says virtually the
same" said the senator. Nothing can
be more explicit than this. The men who
were Reed men before the convention
sun adhere to their personal views, and
| while they arc free to say that they are
disappointed and would have been glad to
support the Maine candidate, they must,
from necessity, cast their ballot for Nc
| Ktnley. Mr.. Prouty Is right when he fur
Their says that no delegate should go to St.
Louis unless he has made up his mind to
support the Ohio man"
| In case Mckinley should not be nomi-
mated on the first ballot. what would the
delegation do then? Would they feel
bound to support Mckinley to the last7'
he was asked.
"Vermont's delegates will stand by Nc
Kinley to the end" said the senator.
They have no right to support any other
man. There Is no question regarding
their honor. whatever their personal pref
srOces may be- they will stand by Nc
Kinley to man. They will have but one
Thought and that Is to represent most
honorahly the State that sends them to