Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-08-31
A BUGLE CALL TO DUTY.
Senator Proctor TO Vermont Re-
publicans.
He Points out the Importance of Our
Vermont vote, shows the Dangers
rom Bryanism, and Appeals to Every
Voter to DO His Full Duty.

To the Republicans Of Vermont:
If l owe an apology for appealing to you
by letter, let it be because of the import
ance Of our giving the largest possible vote
to our state ticket at the coming election.
There is no doubt that we shall give more
than our usual majority, but we must not
fail from over-confdence to secure the
highest possible result. The Importance
of this in its influence upon the country
at large cannot be over estimated. 1t has
been well understood for years, both in the
Republican and Democratic national com
mttees, that the result in Vermont was
the best advance indication of the senti-
ment Of the country. 1t has been a safer
guide than the result in Maine. We have
been more steadfast in the faith than that
state, and our political barometer has been
less liable to local tluctuation. We should
have larger Republican vote than ever
There is no dissatisfaction. There are no
Republicans who are not as earnest as ever
in the faith. The danger is merely from
over.confidence.
The campaign for the senatorship is
earnest. This will help in many towns to
get out full vote, and should operate ia
vorably to the state ticket. But there may
be danger in some localities that the in
tense interest over this will take attention
away from the state ticket. This should
be guarded against. The senatorship is
important TO be sure, but the national is
sue, the defeat of Bryan and Organism
with all that that implies, is of far more
importance. Let us all bear that in mind.
Many Democrats, following the line of
Minister Phelps's letter, voted for our state
ticket in 1896 as the only effective way of
expressing their disapproval of the Chica-
60 platform. There is every reason why
we should have as large or even an in
creased vote from that source. Their vote
with us then was their protest against IL
to l and the other dangerous doctrines of
the Chicago platform. The demand of
duty upon those Democrats is stronger
now than four years ago. The situation is
more dangerous. Defeat has taught the
populistic element of the party nothing,
and it is more defiant than ever. The per
nicious doctrines of the platform of 1896
are repeated and emphasized in 1900, and
this action has been forced upon the party
by the personal insistence of Mr.. Bryan
against the better sense of his party. He
is the embodiment of all that is danger
GUS in the principles of their platform. If
he is honest in his advocacy of these per-
nicious principles he is all the more dan
gerous. He will act upon them and en-
force them if he gets in power. He will
not hesitate to use every means to fasten
IL to upon us, and in my opinion if he
is elected he is likely to succeed in this.
The sound-money, order-loving Demo
Gratis, if they did not indeed save the
country from the dangers threatened by
the anarchstic doctrines of 1896, which is
probable, at least contributed greatly to
that result. Can it be that they will re-
verse this patriotic action and seek to I'M
do their good work? The serpent was
only scotched in 1896. We are not out of
danger until it is killed, and another such
defeat will kill it, and Organism will be a
thing of the past. Then the safer element
Of the Democratic party will again be in
control of its policy, and will restore it to
lis old-time consistency with its principles,
| know that this is personally the earnest
wish of many very promiaent Democrats
of The country, who do not quite say SO
publicly, lest it should injure their in
tluence in the Reorganization of their
party, which they will bring about after
Bryan's defeat this year,
DO you ask if think there is any real
danger of defoal? There is always danger
until the vote is cast. Work, work, and
There is great peril if we think We are
safe Nothing but genuine alarm will
make us so. We are too contented, toe
well satisfied with the situation to see the
danger. We can hardly think it possible
that the people will vote to exchange our
present satisfactory condition under Nc
Kinley and a Republican administration
for Bryan and Organism and what will
surely follow. There is surely danger un.
less we are well scared in time
We have had but little outside help in
the way of speakers, but the issues have
been as ably discussed by our local speak
ers as they could be by outsiders. If We
have stood without help it makes it all the
more incumbent upon us to do our full
duty and make it sure that every voter
who in his own heart is hostile to Organism
gives expression to that hostility in the
only effective way, by voting the Republic
can state ticket.
Let all the committees give their entire
time to the work from now out. Blu
committees cannot take the place of indi
vidual effort. Let every man be a com
, mttee and soldier enlisted for this cam
, paign. Begin new to make sure tina
every voter for the Republican ticket will
! be at the polls, and follow it up unit
every vote is cast. Then will we send ou
, a greeting that will carry joy to every Re
publican heart in the land and exert al
, untold influence for the election of Nc
, Kinley and Roosevelt in November.
With an abiding faith that the Republi
8 cans of Vermont will do their full duty o.
the first Tuesday of September, am
Very respectfully,
e REDFIELD PROCTOR.