Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1896-04-01
Word aeout Guberratoria and Presidential
Candidates.

SaHuluulCS.
An item IN 4 recent issue of the TINES
clipped from one Of the Burlington papers.
caught and has held my attention, In il
the writer says that in travelling about the
state among the farmers he hears the name
OF ttenry A. Fletcher of Cavendish almost
universally mentioned as their choice.
Possibly without the intervention of the
machinery (ncluding newspapers) now at
work Tor the announced candidates he
m'Sht prove to be the first choice of the
majority OF the voters, though not my own
Shouid be glad to respect that choice If
maze. The writer hereof has no doubt
but "hat he IS the real and first choice of
more voters than either one of the candi-
dates now assumed to be the only candi-
dates to be voted for in convention.
ny cannot the methods be changed ?
why cannot the people interest and
express their choice or choices and not feel
themselves compelled to vote for two
certain individual candidates who, through
two differing combinations Of organized
active politicians, seek each to create HIM
sell INTO the protested choice of the state?
If the voters of each town would 90 to
their caucuSes for the nomination of dele
gates and Indicate their choice for governor
without regarding at all the work of either
combination or its attached newspaper
adherents, it would result once in the nom
nation of candidate that would represent
a plurality at least of the dominant party.
Let the people feel that in such caucusGs
they are not bound to vote for either of
the candidates offering themselves but have
liberty to express their preference of all
the men III the state and send expression
OF that preference through their delegates
to the state convention, and then, when
these spontaneous expressions are silted,
the real choice of the state will be made to
appear.
The present system has led to the impo-
sition Of several candidates and resulted in
the election of several governors whom the
people did not really desire and, in some
instances, has cost the party several thou
sand votes at time when it was very
nearly crime to the country at large to
have them thus wasted. With either Mai.
G'rout or Mr.. Stickney as candidates we
do not think this would appear nor do we
believe that if either gentleman is elected
and the one was sued for selling diseased
cattle off his Clydeside farm or the other
for unlawyerlike practice in his profession
any one would assume that the state of
Vermont by reason of his accidental incum-
bency Of the official position was involved
in the suit. Both men are level-headed
:, but the reform in methods of selection
might as well begin this year as at any
. other time and once begun and persisted in
will in time reach healthy change.
A daily reader of the Boston Journal, its
acrobatic efforts to prove Thomas B. Reed
the eminent choice Of the American people
for president furnishes a constant source Of
at least humorous thought, specifcally--its
war dance about Mckinley Invading
other states (mortgaged by some one for a
favorite son or otherwise). The people
whose choice is Mckinley get FESTIVE and
occasionally speak out in meeting and
straightway the Journal yells j." invasion OF
sacred precincts" and Bill Chandler yells
g Manufacturers Doodle Campaign though
if these meetings are scanned we fail to
see the presence Of the manufacturer, but
the wage earners seem somehow interested
to be there. No doubt honest and active
work is being done for each aspirant and
we must not overlook the historical fact
that Mr.. Joe Manley was earliest avowedy
III tllt llclu dS hii dCtlNt WOIhcT lOI Ittci
that soon thereafter the management o
the journal changed into a machine fo1
the solidflyng Of New England. o.
course this last circumstance can lcgiti
mately be regarded only as a coincidence
but it is coincidence. The effort Of the
+ Journal to dignity the silver question tc
the chief issue will be bad mistake i
accepted Let the Silverites dance theil
little dance unmolested while the time i:
theirs three years with rehablitateo
prosperity under protection will wipe on
this question, unless now dignifed into
!. undue prominence by the advocates who
: wish to cxalt it to the dimnution of pro
lection; which is the real issue now in The
/ minds of all the people and so being lead
= legtimately to the nomination and election
: of Mckinley unless the people can b.
: directed toward something else. No ONT
doubts who claims familiarity with the bone
: and sinew of Vermont that more thar
seven-tenths of them have their first choice
! in William Mckinley for president; il
= their caucuses to elect delegates to the con
= vention at Montpelier let them express b,
: ballot their choice and thus send to st
: Louis a delegation who will be at leas
! advised OF their wishes. Prophecy is bu
:. poor property to me; but we hazard tn
II suggestion that if William Mckinley is no
nominated at St. Louis either Morton o
! Harrison will be; probably the latter.
y Yours SOCRATES