Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-06-15
FIRST DISTRICT AMENITIES
Woodbury. Says Campaign VIII Cost
Page Not Less Than $4,000.

Wants an InvsstIgatlOn and Makes a
Proposition which Would Bring
Money from Himself or Page TO Char
liable Institutions.
LOpen letter in Burlington Free Press Of Tuesday
BURLINGTON, VI, June II, 1900.
Hon. G. S. Page, Hyde Park, VT.
My Dear Sir:-YOu and l have always
been personal friends although we had a
sharp political contest in 1890, the result
of which accepted cheerfully. l recog-
nize your personal worth in many drec-
tions, but as you are candidate for pub
lie favor ! think | may, without offence,
critcise your political methods, which |
believe are perverting the moral sense of
our people and are especially harmful to
the young men of our state. II Is bad
example for the young voter to see a man
who has held the high office of governor of
Vermont, one to whom they have reason
to look as a guide and leader, become pos
sessed Of such a burning desire for posi-
ton and power that he employs and pays
a large number of men in nearly every
town in the district TO do political work
for him, and who, of course, vote for him.
This believe you have done. | also be-
lieve from all that | can hear that you are
sending into a great many towns sums of
money which in the aggregate amount to
many thousands of dollars. Now | know
from observation and experience that in
such campaign as is now in progress in
this district that you might legitimately
expend say $1,000, and not be subject to
the charge of having used money wrong
fully. But all money used in excess of
this amount would constitute a corruption
fund of less or greater size. You say that
you have not authorized your money TO be
used to buy votes or purchase liquor. |
am bound to believe you, but if you send
from 500 to $1,000 into a town what can
You expect other than it will be used for
the above purpose and If so used by your
agents are you not responsible? | do not
know how much money you are using,
but you know. Your methods of book
keeping will enable you TO tell to a cent,
no doubt Rumor says that the amount is
large. | think that your campaign will
cost you up TO next Saturday night not
less than $15, 900 and that ii will cost not
less than S25, 900 when it is over. | will
make you the following offer:
l will give to either of the following in
situations you may designate, viz: the
/ Home for Destitute Children, the Provi-
dence Orphan Asylum, the Warner Home
or the Mary Fletcher hospital 800 for
every $1,000, by which the amount you
will have expended in this campaign up to
next Saturday night falls short of Sl5, 900,
il you will give TO the same institution
500 for every $1,000 you have expended in
excess of $4,000. This matter to be de
termined next week by three impartial
men, you to select one, one and the two
a third man. Their verdict TO be final and
binding upon us.
Now, Governor, If your political meth
DDS are to prevail and become the recog
nized methods in Vermont what encour-
agement or opportunity is there for politi-
cal preferment for any worthy, modest
and capable man without money?
Yours very truly,
URBAN A. WOODBURY..