The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-06-27
The Rival Forces Face to Face
at White River Junction.
THE BALLOTS.
Haskins Nominated on the Thir-
ttenth Ballot.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION,

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION,
Midnight, June 25
This bustling railroad village was probs-
bly, never so much Of q political storm GEN.
ter as it is tonight. The inhabitants, es-
pecially the leading Republicans of the
town, seem to have caught the infection
and they show little inclination to go home
and to bed. Speculation as to the result to
morrow is rife, but no one has the hardi-
hood tonight to wager that he can pick out
the winner.
The Junction House, the only hotel in the
place, is filled to overdowing and scores OF
cots have already been put in the halls and
parlors, and this, with only little more
than half the delegates on the ground.
Several bus and carriage loads of dele
gates have already gone to "Peases" hotel
| in Hartford and to West Lebanon, and
those who arrive by the night trains will be
obliged to do likewise. j. L. Bacon, the
| State treasurer, Is to be commended for his
| zeal in securing the convention for this
town, but the wisdom Of f. G. Rowland OF
| Barre, the member Of the district commit
| tee, who worked 80 hard to have the con-
vention meet at Montpelier because OF bet
| ter hotel accommodations, Is apparent
| All the candidates for Representative
came early today, and have established
"headquarters'' in different rooms at the
! junction II Juse. Their own estimates OF
| their strength in the convention tomorrow
differ but very little from that given in the
| JOURNAL last evening. Mr.. Plumley claims
for himself 145 delegates on the first ballot
| and comedies 143 to Haskins. Speaker Has
kus counts on lat votes for himself on the
first ballot and allows Plumley will have
1876. The Stafford men can tell to frac-
| tion of delegate their strength on the NOR
row. They claim 80 votes, and are willing
to sign contract to deliver the goods,
while Col. Dale is confident that his adhe'
| herents number an even 40
Judge Stanton Of Roxbury will nominate
Mr.. Plumley, District Attorney j. l.. Mar
tin OF Brsttleboro will present the claims OF
Col. Haskins, Harry Blodgett OF st. johns ms
bury will present the good points OF Mr..
Stafford and e. j. Parsons Of Island Pond
will nominate Col Dale.
A picturesqe figure of the third house"
this evening has been Rev. Howard +. Hill,
who came up from Concord to renew &C.
Quaintance with scores OF his Vermont
friends and to witness the struggle tomor.
row. Mr.. Hill has no axe to grind and
cares not rap which candidate wins out
He has been kept busy all the evening
shaking hands with friend or foe OF all four
of the candidates.
The Stafford men are perhaps the best Or
ganized. Every man seems sure OF every
other man, and they declare they will stay
here until after the State convention al
Montpelier adjourns Wednesday afternoon
before they will wsver or break. They
realize that they hold the balance Of power,
and that without their help neither Plum
ley nor Haskins can ever secure the nom-
nation. After the first ballot 1t is probable
Col. Dale will practically II not wholly drop
out Of the race. The most OF his votes VIII
90 as second choice to Haskins and few
to Stafford. No Plumley or Haskins or
Stafford delegates can be found tonight who
will even intimate that he has any second
choice. They are in the fight for their Ia
vorites to stay.
r On the other hand it is rumored in Ger.
, tain circles that when the break comes, as
! come it must some time, the most OF the
l Stafford strength will go to Haskins, and
i, this because the unseen hand OF w. w
Grout has been at work among the STAFFORD
8 men. 1t Is even said that the Barton ano
Newport delegations will break carly in the
fight, and go over to the Haskins camp
This, however, is one of many rumors float
ing around tonight. 1t should be said II
Justice to the delegates from Barton anC
i Newport that they indignantly deny an!
such rumor. and declare they will stand b.
: Stafford 80 long as he is candidate.
Ex-Auditor franklin d. Hale, who is tt
= preside over the convention, has been yer,
i | warmly greeted ever since he stepped OF
the train in the early evening. Brown as
a Filipino from exposure under Cuban SUI
a and shorn of his closely cropped auburn
beard that was so long familiar feature, !
has been necessary for many OF his friend
! TO look twice before they recognized him
i Mr.. Haes speech at the opening OF tn
convention tomorrow afternoon will dea
g largely with expansion and will be in har
:. mony with the expressed views OF Presl
IA dent Mckinley in regard TO the treatmen
4 of the natives in Cuba, Porto Rico and th
Philippines, and the development OF thos
. islands.
u 1t will be a very vigorous endorsement 0
% . stalwart expansion theories. MIR. Hale will
q also advocate another idea on which hi
hearers will undoubtedlybe divided, that is
d that the interests of the United States AM
n of England are one, and that the govern
ment at Washington should do all it con
r. sistently can in upholding England in II
course in South Africa, and aid her in ever
- way in pacifying the Beers and bringing
about peace in Krugers domain.
The district committee has not, as yet
l. announced any committee on resolutions
r, and will not until morning. The resolu
tons will be- brief, will ratify the nationa
n platform adopted last week at Philadelphia
and pledge support TO the candidates ther
n nominated.
,t The only man OF prominence present from
beyond the 'the invisible mountain line" Il
florid face, good-natured Mart" Allen o
II gerrisburg, who is industriously nursiD
his boom for lieutenant governor. Mr., Al
le len evidently does not realize the possibil
10 ity that the delegates now at White Rive
n- Junction may not reach Montpelier in tim
10 to vote for or against his candidacy in tn
State convention, Wednesday forenoon.
n Such is the situation in the first hour o
l.. Tuesday morning. What it will be befor
r. the sun goes down no man here is enougl
st OF a prophet to predict with any degree o
10 certainty.
No presidential elector is to be elected
this year by the district conventions. Tn
ballot law now in force throws upon tn
81 State convention at Montpelier on Wedues
lt day the duty OF slecting the four electors
0; from Vermont.
"a JUNCTION HoUsE, June 26, 8 A NJ.
O. The Stafford men were up early thi
8 morning and with u breakfast aboard wer
% ready for drill on the political parad
10 ground. They scout the idea that tn
K attractions Of a judgeship in any wa
70 imperil the Congressional chances Of thei
Ii favorite "Boy Orator Of the Passumpsic,
: and assert that in the remote contingenc
9. of Governor Smith appointing Mr.. Staffor