St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-02-11

furtner WITHOUT INJURY TO my ciaim)
there has been less variation in the votes
OF either party in Vermont than in any
other state in the Union, and the varia-
tons that have occurred can be accounted
for withou charging them to lack of
constancy to convection. Statistics may
not be in order at festive gathering
but let me depart from the rule and give
the percentage Of the republican vote to
the entire vote of the state since the or
ganizaton of the republican party:
Per cent.
Fremont had, ISL
Lincoln FL st election, had. 7S9
Lincoln. second election, had, 76
Grant, first election, had, $50
Grant, second election, had, 1873
Hayes had, 6S 5
Garfield had, 700
Blaine had, Sc
Harrison, in 1882 had, us
Harrison, in 1892 had, 90 l
Mckinley, in 1896 had 500
*Much the highest petcentage of any
state in the Union. No other gave over
60.
During this period in every other state
in the Union there were wide fluctuations
in their political action. Every other
Northern and nearly every other
Southern state has changed its politics
in the election OF president or governor
or congressman. In Vermont there has
been no variableness or shadow OF turn
ing. am not talking party politics at
all, for what mean applies to all people
as whole, regardless # party. But
politics in Vermonters is not confined to
republicanism. Wherever it is found it
is OF sterling quality, and the best.
Stephen A. Douglas. a native OF Brandon,
was leader OF democracy for decade,
preeminent in the senate and the idol of
his party. After his heated campaign in
go, and his consequent political and per-
sonal defeat, he reflected still greater
credit on the state OF his nativity by ae-
cepling the results and standing firm to
the side oil the Union.
The democrats generally sustained the
government during the war, Tor they
were patriots first, but when that was
over most OF them were still democrats,
and are today. | can illustrate it to-
night by an incident which your presi
dent, an Orange county man, can appre
ciate. In my early days the name of
rock.rlbbcd, dyed.inthe wool, iron.clad
in that faith. | have often been re-
minded OF it in my association with an
able senator few years past, William
F. Villas OF Wisconsin, an honest man,
patriot, soldier and statesman, who has
done excellent service for his country in
the field, the cabinet and the senate
chamber. He is man for whom have
great respect and personal regard, but
he was born an Orange county democrat
and he has lived, and will live and die-l
say it TO the credit OF his constancy OF
character-an Orange county democrat.
As further evidence that there is poll
tics and good politics IN Vermonters, l
might refer to the prominent Offices YER
monters have held. And in the term
Vermonters | include all born in the
state, men of our blood and stock, for
our people more than any other, so far
as know, retain their love and loyalty
for their good old home, the land OF
their birth. So it is tair to say, born
Vermonter, always Vermonter. Yer.
monters have held and held with the
greatest credit, the four. highest mis-
sions, the only four where our repre-
bassadors, namely, Ministers Phelps to
Great Britain, Vice president Morton to
France, George P. Marsh to Italy, and
John A. Kasson to Germany.
Vermont has for many years had more
OF her sons, in proportion to her popula-
ton, in the United States senate than
any other state. She has now only tour,
but has had as high as six and the aver
age has been marty five tor the last 80
years, which is as far back as looked
In Harrison's administration we had five
and the vice president. Comparisons are
not in good taste, but | shall make
venture on this point. -Four OF the pres
,ent senators are natives of Massachu.
setts the same number as Vermont has,
but Massachusetts has seven times the
population OF Vermont, so to equal YER
mont her proportion would be Is. That
she has even two outside of the two that
represent her may be be accounted tor by
the fact that the two senators, Warren
aud Wolcott, were born in the western
part of the state, where in their early
days they drank in the inspiration OF
the Green mountains and the Connecti-
cut river, coming down from Vermont.
New York has eight sons in the senate,
but her population is 10 times that OF
Vermont, so that her equal proportion
would be ~, nearly the whole senate.
Ohio, where we would not naturally
look for deficiency OF officeholders, has
10, but her population is IL times that
OF Vermont and her equal proportion
would be A., one-halt oil the entire senate.
And these comparisons are made with
less than our usual and average number
ofsenators. l have not time to name
the able Vermonters other states have
sent to the senate. As sample, Wiscon-
sin has sent four, Charles Durkee, Mat.