Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-10-22
CLOSE OF THE CONTEST.

The greatest political contest in the
history of the state finished at Mont
pelier last Thursday in the election of
w. P. Dillingham; of Waterbury to
the United States senate to serve out
the unexpired term of the late Sena-
tor Morrill,. The balloting commenced
on Tuesday after the merits of the
four contestants had been placed be-
fore the members of the two houses
of the legislature. Senator Dunnett
of st. Johnsbury placed Gen. CIRCUITS
name before the senate in a short but
very able nominating speech, while
Hon. B. F. Graham of Craftsbury
presented it in the house in a hand
some manner. Mr.. Dillingham's
name was presented in the senate by
Senator DeBoer and in the house by
Rep. Moody. Judge Ross was placed
in nomination in the senate by Sena-
tor Royce and by Rep. Huntington in
the house. The name of @. A. PrOuty
was presented in the senate by Sena-
tor Clement and in the house by Rep.
Lane. The result of the first ballot
was as follows: Senate, Dillingham;
IS, Grout s, Prouty 8, Ross L; House,
Dillingham; 8S, Grout II, Ross IA,
Prouty II, Hazelton, Dem, 49. There
being no choice a ballot was taken
the following day with the two houses
in joint session. At this time Dilling-
ham received 1O9 votes, Grout 80, Ross
13, Prouty 20, Hazelton, Dem, s. The
third and decisive ballot was taken
on Thursday at which time Dilling
ham received 162 votes, Grout 90, Ross
5,Prouty 1, Hazelton, ,Dem.,6. Prouty
announced his withdrawal from the
contest Thursday morning and a large
part of his supporters together with
a majority of the democrats and Ross
supporters went over to the Dilling
ham side giving him the election by
good majority. The result of the
balloting was surprise to the Grout
supporters who expected to have a
majority on the joint ballot.
We understand that when the break
came on the last ballot the senators
and representatives from Orleans
county, with a single exception, vot
ed for General Grout. One democrat
is down as having voted for Dilling
ham but if this is true it was appar- /
emily caused by his calling the wrong
name by mistake as he thinks at this
time that he voted for Mr.. Grout
Two of the Rutland county senators
who had been voting for Mr.. Prouty
changed to Dillingham; and fifteen of
the representative made the same
only one, Mr.. Lane, voting
for Mr.. Grout. Seven of the Ross
supporters went over to the Dilling
ham side, and one, Horton of Chitten-
den, to Grout. Five of the Grout sup
porters changed to Dillingham; and |
one to Ross, while one Dillingham;
supporter came over to Grout. The |
senator's who voted for Grout were as
follows: Baldwin and Nelson of Or
leans, Campbell and Dunnett of Gale
donia, Ballard of Franklin, Green of |
Essex, Porter of Addison, Smith and
Wall OF orange.
After eighteen years of public SER
vice Gen. Grout will retire to private
life. The contest which he made for
the Office to which he aspired has
been clean, honorable and manly
one and in his defeat he has the sym
pathy of a host OF friends. The
struggle has been long and hard
one and it should be a source of
qualification to him that the entire
section of the state where he is the
best known has been almost a unit in
mis- support despite the fact that two
other local candidates were in the
field. During the time he has been
before the public he has faithfully
every trust imposed in
him and we venture to say that it