Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-01-12
VERMONT AND VIRGINIA.
Wattcrson's Democratic National Ticket
for 1900 Discussed.
(f'rom the Philadelphia Timcs.)

OfOm the Philadelphia TimCS)
Col. Watterson of the Louisville Courier
journal has inspired Il smile on many
thousands of faces by his suggestion that
the democratic ticket and platform for
1900 should be Admiral George Dewey Of
Vermont for President and Gen. Fitahush
Tee Of Virginia for Vice President, to ran
lon this platforms "1'hc stars ard
stripes God bless them"
While thousands may smile at the tick
ct and platform proposed by col. Waiter
son, there are many thoughtful people
who will appreciate the fact that such Il
ticket on such platform might run Ike
wildhrc on a prairie an, sweep the cOun-
try I'm tho next great national battle.
ThCrC Is nothing now to Indicate that such
II ticket would be wanted but the prrsi-
dental nominations are a year and Il half
distant. and Nc make history so rapidly
these days that none can forecast the
political situation i'm this country in the
midsummer Of 1900
admiral Dewey is to-day the most rc-
Vercd and beloved hero produced by any
Of our recent wars with the single cXccp-
ton of Il ,ch Taylor. Taylor was mad
President because he whipped Santa Anna
at Buoua Vista, where he fought a Nix
lean army four times the number At his
own ana routed it horse, foot and dfa-
coon. Like Dew Y. he was a silent man
ON political and public affairs and that
cndcarcu MIN to the masses of the pco-
pie. lie was nominated ana elected Pres
iicnt without having had any part in 1t
or know ing how or why it was done, and
the official notification Of his nomination
hN tho whig national couV ntion was not
received by him because tn" postage WIS
unpaid. At tn At time the prepayment of
postage was not obligatory and every po-
liUcal crank i'm the country was WrtuS
to Taylor and he turned back to the dead
Lot oil
with posttgc.
1t Is quite possible that the political
conditions Of 1909 might make Admiral
Dewey not only very Formidable can
diGatc for Pr Sidcnt, but an omnipotcnt
one, and he could have no better running
mate than Fitzhugh Lee. We are iust
upon the threshold of political dsputa-
ton as to the management Of our newly
acquired possessions. If the Mckinley
administration shall be successful in rul-
ing the Spanish territories We have ac-
Quired, and in demonstrating that they
will be an advantage rather than curse
60 us. and the pres mt business prosperity
of the country shall continue, no Political
combination can prevent McKinly Us re-
election; but if dissatisfaction snail pre-
Vail by the gathering of the fruits Of the
war. tive presidential field would open tie
way for just such q ticket as Dewey and
Lee.
IN the present lOIllcdl COM NS'Ou IL
MIGHT be very wise for an opposition par
" to acc pit Col. Watterson'a platform
The Stars and Stripes God bless them.
That means everything that is American
and it means uuthins as to the cardinal
doctrines of party faith.
The wings elected two Presidents dur
ing the existence of that party and had
three candidates defeated, and the only
time that they We're successful vas when
their national conventions adopted no
platform at all. The Harrisburg ccnVcn-
ton that nominated Harrison and Tylel
in December. 1899, and tho Philadelphia
convention that nominated Taylor and
Fillmore, in ISIS adopted no PLATFORM
gay" no expression WhatrVe. on national
issues and their nominees were the only
ones elected by the wing party in its en-
tire history. While people may smile at
Wattcrsous ticket aud platform, judging
the future By tho present and past it
may play a very much moro important
part i'm 1890 than would now ue Stu=i-
allV conceded,