The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-04-25
STATE CONVENTION.

Up TO the evening OF IueSuay 30 lar dS
any signs of State convention were dis
cerpible. one might as we'll have sought
for them in the grave yard at Essex juno
ton as at any of the sources OF news in this
city. There were no more indications OF a
State convention here than in the commune
tv Of the dead celebrated by the late Hon.
Edward j. Phelps. The newspaper offices
had kept the wires hot in search OF some of
the common pre-convention facts, but State
committeeman seemed the least productive
of any of the sources OF information.
Would Mr.. Fish, the president chosen by
the State committee, be on hand to preside?
Or would the tangle in the affairs of Water
bury national bank detain him? This was
ans wered by the report that Mr.. Fish's Of
fetal duties would demand his first atten-
ton, and that the State committee would
have to name new presiding officer at the
last moment. Everybody was apparently
at Rutland and the matter of chief interest
there was not the choosing of delegates to
the national convention, but the determin-
ing of the standing of the candidates for the
representativeship of the first district.
! Candidate Foster was, however, apparently
unconcerned by the pow-wow at the tomb
stone city, and was wandering about the
Van Ness, with q cordial "how ID do" and
hand shake, with the few delegates that
were waiting around.
In the absence Of anything else OF special
interest the state of the congressional can
tention. The issue between Page and
Powers, Lamoille county delegates, was
sharply raised in the canvass for the dele
gates to the district and State conversions.
The result was, the Powers men declared
with emphasis, that Lamoille county's dele
CATION stands q or % for Powers to s or
for Page. The caucus in johnson appears
to have been large and extremely inter-
esting one. The roads were impassible and
the night was rainy, but some 1O7 Republic
can voters were out. The ballot box was
kept open half an hour, printed ballots
were prepared, and the Powers men and
the Page men met "face to face" The re-
suit was that the Powers ticket was chosen
by large majority. The issue was similar
ly raised throughout the county, say the
Powers men, with the result as stated
above. But the Page people deny the main
facts and impeach their significance so far
as they make any admissions of the truth or
the Powers story.
With the evening came the deluge, the
Van Ness was packed with statesmen and
| blue with smoke, and the hum of many
voices filled the corridors. The coming
ents from Montpelier and Rutland swelled
| the crowd, and the hotel began to take on
the aspect of the night before State con-
venton. All the celebrities were on hand
and many candidates for fame-inclu ding
| that man with nerves OF tough bulls hide,
him of Hyde Park. The State committee
was in evidence and opened headquarters in
| the reading room. Chairman Rabbit had
received no intimation that Mr.. Fish would
not be present, and the expectation as
| that the convention program would be
carried out No speakers from outside the
State had been engaged, all efforts to that
| end having failed, and the dependence for
oratory would be on home talent. General
Mccullough, the silver-tongued, and others,
would undoubtedly furnish chin music for
the occasion-and the General alone is a
| host
Among the delegates the sentiment for
| the Administration was outspoken. That
the convention would, and should give
President Mckinley an unequivocal, a
spontaneous and cordial endorsement,
was the one accepted and conspicuous fact
that cropped out in the informal talks
among delegates, the night before the con-
| vention.
There seemed to be little doubt as to the
composition OF the State delegation at large
| General Mccullough will undoubtedly
| head the delegation, and his associates will
be Edward Wells of Burlington, Henry G.
Bates OF st. Johnsbury and Robert j. Kim
ball of Randolph. 1t is an interesting Cir
cumstance that Mr.. Wells is at this time in
Egypt on the Upper Nile, and 1T is said he
may not return to this country in time to
sit in the National convention. Still he
| will be chosen and his alternate will act il
the principal is still abroad.
Unlike Montpelier, city OF sunshine and
| DAlmy airs, particularly when conventions
and legislative sessions bring the stranger
within her gates, in Burlington. the wind.
loved city, convention morning dawned be-
clouded and rainy. During the night the
waters had descended and the winds had
raved. Does it, indeed, always rain in Bur
lington, and does the wind always how
round the street corners?
Justice to the Queen City, however, com
pels the nowledgment, that as the day
advanced she got up quite cheering anc
enlivening solar display.
An active canvass for l.. M. Reod OF Bel.
lows Falls, for fourth delegate at large
sprang up during the evening. 1t had beer
supposed that Col r. j. Kimball's election
would be uncontested. He had been
candidate without his initiative, has beef
for some time in California and at this tim,
has not yet returned. Windham count,
delegation naturally supported Mr.. Read
candidacy though some OF them came her,
desiring and intending to vote for Colone
Kimball. The real state OF the delegst,
mind was not determined till the speeche
had been made and the vote taken in con
vention.
Here, as at the district conventions, tn,
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