Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-03-25
NECESSITY FOR LAWS TO PROTECT
CAUCUSES AND CONVENTIONS.


We give this week, under esprit of
the Press" an excellent editorial from
the New York Tribune relating to pro-
posed laws for controlling caucuses and
elections in New York; also an editorial
from the Rutland Herald suggesting the
necessity for similar laws in this state.
There can be no question about the i'm
portance of this matter here-that is, if
the people wish to retain any semblance of
choice of their officers. The Herald re-
fers to the Republican state convention
last year, majority of whose delegates
were chosen for one candidate, but
enough of them induced to change their
votes, to elect another. And it is per-
fectlv evident that such a result is con-
stantly liable to occur and will occur
hereafter unless necessary regulations
are made by law for preventing it. The
trouble came last year, and is always
liable to come, from secret ballot. a
law requiring an open ballot in such con-
ventions- that is, that the name of each
town should be called by the secretary
and its vote taken in open session
would remedy this evil.
There should also be laws regulating
caucuses, and preventing, as far as pos
sibe, the use of. money In influencing
electors. This last result can be prob
ably best reached by a law requiring
each candidate to render after the cleo
ton a sworn statement of his expend
lures during the canvass, similar to those
passed in England and by number of
our states.
We add the following excellent edito-
rial upon this subject from this week S
Waterman of Montpelier
Writing of state politics under the head of
"Caucuses and Convention" the Rutland Her
aid says:
1t may be best for the Republican party and
the state to have this or that man nominated,
but something mighty sight more mpor'ant
than the choice between two men is the
method followed in nominating either. We
can afford to have all sorts of miscarriages as
10 persons and some other matters, but we
cannot afford to have nomination made by
crooked means. The will of the caucus
should be carried ont in the convention.
The Herald points its exhortation by refer.
ence to ga black ugly fact" in the history of
the convention of 1896. The will of the eau.
Gus 1t declares, was not carried out in that
body This is unquestionably true. But the
Waterman Will go further and that I'm certain
towns the will of the Republican voters as
not carried out i'm the caucus, and the fact OF
crookedness Mt the fountain head of political
action made the contest in the convention so
close ms to present the temptation and the
opportunity for crOOkedness there Certain
caucuses in this section of the state were car
ried by the participation in their action of
men who not only had no right in Repub-
lcan caucus, but no right of suffrage in the
state And this was done by the connivance
of the leaders of the faction that in the con-
Yention defeated the viii of the caucuses and
OF the majority of the Republican voters.
These things were notorious, and justified the
bill introduced by Representative Palmer OF
Waterbury, AT the last session of the legisla-
ture, to prevent fraud at the primaries. The
bill passed the house, but was killed in the
senate, in Difference to to the reigning eXecu.
tive. The champions may make their APP
peals, and the workers may emulate the in
dustry of the busy bee, but the purity of the
caucus and the convention should be sacredly
guarded.