The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1896-06-26
HOW 1T WAS DONE.

the matter can be looked at cody it
really seems wonderful that Stickney
came within two votes of winning the
nomination. The fight was against an
old organized machine, backed by the
Central Vermont railroad influence,
plenty of Doodle, a subsidized press and
as INSCRIPTIONS methods as were ever
practiced. 1t took them all to accom-
plish the result. Agents traversed the
entire State, some Of them from Wash
ington and New Hampshire. Two of
these visited Londonderry. The aid
of the Democrats was actually invoked,
notably at Randolph, where promi-
nent member of that party and con-
nected with the above mentioned rail
road, manipulated the caucus and sue
ceeded in carrying it for Grout by
small majority. In Brattleboro it was
aquestion Of paying off Levi Fuller's
debt for services rendered by Grout.
This was boldly given as reason for
the support Of the ring candidate by
the local Republican paper. Gen.
Estey, Fuller's brother-in-law, a man
of great influence, as any man would
have who had several hundred men in
his employ, was untiring in his efforts
and was out early in the morning on
the day Of the caucus fixing" things.
Besides this we are reliably informed,
the Grout tickets were printed unusu-
ally large and with large heading type,
easily distinguishable from the Stick
ney ballots. 1t can readily be seen,
under these circumstances, and with
''me too" Tom Harmon presiding at
the box, how easily it was to spot all
who refused to come under the yoke.
These and like methods were used
every where if any chance of success
was apparent.
And yet, with all these advantages,
Stickney had majority of the dele
gates elected. To get few of these
away, to steal them, that's the word
every artifice that the combined pow
ers could devise was used, including,
as many believe, the use of money
and the promising of postofiices.
Delegates, who, for any reason were
supposed to be susceptible to outside
influences, we're piled with the neces-
sary argument, and when it was
thought that one was under contro
be was watched SO closely that he
was really prisoner. Delegates Of
this character were told to keep or
their Stickney badges and talk Stick
ney so as to throw the Stickney part,
off their guard. 1t was a sight 70
the Gods, or more properly speakin.
for the devils, to see, while tie ballo
was in progress, two prominent Brat
tleboro delegates, men high up in tn
pictures, having in charge delegat
they had him between them, one O
them with his arms around him
watching to see if he voted for tn
immaculate Grout.
This was the way it was done.
A pretty bitter pill for self-respec'
ing Republican to swallow, isn't it !?
There is but one reason why
should be taken down and that is th
pending presidential election. Man
of US believe that the country's HOP
lies in the election of Mckinley, an
as Vermont leads the procession
the fall contests it is very importar
that her majority be as large as pc
sible. For this reason, alone, it wi
be the duty of Republicans to vol
the State ticket with a reseryatio
that two years hence vengeance wi
be taken. We are free to state tina
whatever support the SITTER may ren
der Maj. Grout will be for the res
son that it loves its country mo,
while it hates the machine none Il
less.