Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-06-14
The First District Situation.


While the FREE PRESS has pref
erence as regards the candidates for Con-
gress in the First district, it recognizes
the fact that the value of a newspaper
10 the public in contest of this char
acter Is dependent entirely upon the ac-
curacy and impartiality of its news as
well as the promptness of its returns. In
securing the results of caucuses for the
election of delegates to the district con-
vention it is our desire to have the pref
erences of those chosen for first and sec
ond choice stated without prejudice to
the cause OF any candidate. and if salts
factory evidence is furnished that the del
egates of any town are wrongly credited
in our tabuated statement the error will
be checrfully corrected. So much by way
of preface
1t is already evident, even II It were
not assumed from the outset that the
nomination of "a republican candidate for
Congress in the First district will not
be effected on the first ballot. In a con
vention of 3Ss delegates 1876 votes will
be necessary to a choice and a the pres
ent rate it will be absolutely impossible
for any man to secure that strength on
the first ballot unless some of the candi-
dates drop out which is not likely.
Realizing the important part that the
second choice was likely to play in the
convention the FREE PRESS secured
from ex-Gov. c. s. Page a statement Of
his claims with reference to the dele
ly to support him after complimentary
votes Syere completed Outside OF con-
tested delegations, Mr.. Pages understand
ing as to his first choice delegates agrees
practically with our returns, making n
total of 81 delegates. He counts as IN
structed for him as second choice Castle
ton four, Essex four. Jericho four. Rich
n ond three. and two of the Montgomery
delegates who were divided equally be-
tween Powers and Page for second choice.
making total of seventeen delegates in
structcd as to second choice.
AS regards delegates not instructed as
to second choice, ex-Gov. Page under
stands that he has TIVE IN Huntington,
two in IIinesburgh, two in Westford two
in Charlotte, one in Colchester, four in
Enosburg, one in Middlebury, two in Dan
by, two in Mendon. and half of both the
St Adams and Rutland delegates, or five
and eight respectively. making total
of thirty-one. Adding Mr.. Pages 50
straight delegates and the II instructed to
support him for second choice and the 81
whom he understands will support him af-
ter disposing of complimentary votes. we
have total of 80 for ex-Gov. Page.
Assuming that EX-Gov. Page will secure
all the unpledged and instructed delegates
claimed in Chittender County and else
where which we understand to he
denied by his rivals, it is evident that
the contest between him and Congress
man Powers thus far for delegates is
favorable to Powers. According to our re-
turns Congressman Powers has q dele
gales elected for him directly as COM
pared with 80 for EX-Gov. Page. Conced-
ing Mr.. Pages claims regarding Chittenden
County, there are % delegates in this
county who would support Judge Powers as
against Mr.. Page, and two in Grand Isle
three in Berkshire three in Sheldon. one
in Enosburgh two III Montgomery, i've in
ST. Adams, five in Manchester and eight
in Rutland, making grand total of 49, /,
is probable that the five Middebury dele
/ gates opposed. to EX-Gov. Page and the
three Starkshoro delegates, all of whom
are for Hon. d. j. Foster, would also &c
to Judge Powers for second choice but bs
this as it may the latter will be certain
to make good showing when break
comes in the convention particularly a.
those counties having favorite sons vii
choose to secure for them another chanc,
OF winning the prize two years hence
rather than see it pass beyond their rcacl
for eight or ten years. if not more.