The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-02-09
As to the Lieutenant Governor.

The fact that the Office OF lieutenant
governor is to be filed by some citizen
of the State appears to be overshadow-
ed by other facts of a similar kind re-
lating to the Office Of the chief execu-
tive and of representative in Congress.
The east side will furnish the Republi-
can candidate at the next election;
that is to say, will furnish the next
lieutenant governor.
In view of the tendency Of opinion
as to the personality Of the head of the
ticket, the fact is recogEized-or ought
to be, if it has not been-that the can
ddate for the lieutenant governorship
should come from the farmer class. In
state in which farming is the chief
industry, and farmers cast the great
majority of the votes, they have a
"certain, natural, inherent and unalen-
able right" to be represented conspic-
uously in the State government, to pre-
side in its councils and participate, in
some high official capacity, in the
business of making its laws. Thus is
the attachment of great body of the
people cemented to the government,
and thus is government by the people
realized. The yeomanry of the State,
who form the great body of its people,
are clearly-and always-entitle1 to a
high representation in the government.
Aside from any question of seer
tain, natural, and inherent right" the
official recognition of this large and
worthy class is a matter of wise party
policy. The people who till the fields,
who produce the great bulk of the
States wealth, contributed by far the
larger share of those magnificent ma
jorities for sound money and the ma
tional honor, in the election of 1896.
The coming election will be the pre-
liminary engagement in the great bat
tie of 1900, to secure, and make perma-
nent, beyond the chance or power of
man again to put them in jeopardy, the
vital principles that were victorious in
the election of William Mckinley. The
citizens whose votes must be depended
upon to make Vermont's reaffirmation
of those principles as strong as, or
stronger than, the affirmation in the last
national election must be fairly and
honorably considered in making the
dispositions for the fight.
Among the east side farmers whose
success in private affairs and whose ca
pacity for public business have sus-
tanned the decisive test of experience,
the WATCHMAN notes the names of
Alpha Messer of Rochester, Victor l.
Spear of Braintree, and Homer w. Vail
of Pomfret. "There are Others" with
out doubt, equally worthy and compe-
tent, but in respect of these men we
speak from personal acquaintance, and
familiarity with their quality and SER
vices. All are men whose claim to the
vocation of farmer would not require
the evidence of an affidavit to sustain
1t. They are Immediately identified as
men whose labors, physical and mental,
are directly connected with farming.
Mr.. Messer Was for many years Master
OF the State Grange, large and -four
ishing organization of Vermont farm
ers for the purpose of vocational, men,
tai and social improvement. He brought
the Order up out of the Egypt of COM
mercialism in this State, and lead in the
work of making it what it is to-day in
purpose and numbers. His abilities
marked him as the man for the impor-
tant Office of Lecturer of the N 4tional
Grange, to which he was called some
four years ago. He is successful
farmer, where grit and hard work are
required to win success. and he has a
demonstrated capacity for public af-
fairs.
Mr.. Spear has been prominently be-
fore the State in an official capacity for
many years. He has been member of
the Board of Agriculture, an Office he
now holds, and is also the secretary of
the board. He is perhaps best known
to the public for the wisdom and eff
cheney be has displayed as cattle COM
mi aainuar in tha administration oe A.