The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-06-15
The Situation Reviewed.

Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Sec
rotary of State, Treasurer and Auditor
will assemble in Montpelier on We'd
nesday, June %.
The preliminary canvass for the gov
ended early and happily in
the withdrawal of General McCul-
Tough. That Col. E. G. Smith of ST.
Adams will be nominated by acclama-
ton is the one certain matter of proph-
ecy. For the lieutenant governorship,
DR.. Henry D. Holton of Brattleboro,
and Hon. Henry G. Bates of st. Johns
bury, are the candidates now in the
field. There is no question that DR..
Holton takes precedence in real popu-
larity. He is man whose ability,
character and experience would highly
honor the office, and in whom the idea
of the Constitution, in the creation of
the office of lieutenant governor, would
be realized in all its letter and spirit.
He is a man who would not only pre-
side over the Senate with dignity and
proficiency, but, in the emergency con-
templated by the trainers of the Con-
stitution, he would in full measure sup
ply all the requirements of the Chief
Executive office. DR.. Holton's rival
has been in training for the Office from
the time when he was an unsuccessful
candidate four years ago. 1t is gener-
orally understood that his election to
the Legislature in 1896 was-incident-
ally, and possibly primarily-to afford
an opportunity to cultivate his present
candidature, and that the opportunity
was improved, as also was the later
one of the extra session, to make his
calling and election sure. The public
has been credibly informed by one of
his newspaper supporters that "Col.
Bates private car has made several
through trips up and down the State"
and that the SWAY stations display
banners with Bates and Victory in
scribed upon them" OF these excur-
sions of the private car, and the demon
STATIONS at the way stations, evidence
multiplies. The contemporaries cor
roborative testimony is interesting and
conveys it's own moral. If there is a
ditching of the private car at the con-
vention, the event will be, for the
State at large, not unmixed evil.
For the Office of secretary of State
these candidates appear: G. W. Brow
nell of Burlington, the present incum-
bent, Fred A. Rowland of Montpelier,
and Victor 1. Spear of Braintree. Up to
recent period no candidate had appear
ed in opposition to Mr.. Brownell. At the
time of the special session, in response
to the solicitations of many prominent
individuals, Mr.. Rowland entered the
by Mr.. Spear. The contest for this
nomination promises to be the most in
teresting one before the convention.
Washington county will heartily and
unanimously support Mr.. Howland's
candidacy. The assurances of support
from other counties inspire his friends
with the hope and belief that he will be
the victor in the triangular contest.
We understand that each of the other
candidates will have the united sup
port of his home county, on the first
ballot at least, and is prepared to well
come victory on the strength of his
prospects of assisting votes from other
parts of the State. If the matter were
one for the disposal of personal favor
itism many individuals would cut the
Gordian knot of conflicting preference
by creating three secretaries.
The withdrawal of Mr.. Field leaves
as candidates for the office of State
treasurer Mr.. Lewis of Vergennes and
Mr. Burgess of Burlington on the west
side; on the east side, Mr.. Bacon Of
White River Junction, and Mr.. Brack-
EFT of Brattleboro. The circumstances
of the latter's candidature handicap a
very worthy and competent aspirant,
and leave Mr.. Bacon as practically the
sole candidate on the east side. In a
normal state of things Mr.. Bacon
should win. The treasurership has been
eight years on the west side, and, fol-
lowing the custom of things political,
would reasonably come to the east side
in the event of change. But there
are combinations and counter combina-
tons that are rendering the doubtful
things of this canvass more than usu-
ally uncertain. If the voice of the east
side is mighty enough to prevail in the
political exchange that is usurping the
office of popular expression Mr.. Bacon
ought to prevail. There is no objection
TO him on the score of ability in the
management of financial affairs, or of
his surroundings and connections. or
this there is ample assurance.
AS to auditor: Mr.. Hale has been in