St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-05-21
(Signed) FLETCHER d. PROCTOR.
Proctor Vt, April 16, 1902.

Proctor, Vt, April 16, 1902.
Whereupon this correspondence was
duly turned over to the Mccullough
press and eagerly caught up by it as a
text for editorial criticism and deuuncia-
ton.
Mr.. Proctoris condemned by the par
tisans because he tailed 10 answer, cate
goricaly the question put to him. He
is calIeu a "straddIer," and the McCul'
Tough press has done its best to make
bin out as bad as it's own candidate is
admitted to be.
Now it is utterly useless for Mr.. Proc
tor to try to satisfy those who are work
ing tooth and nail to compass his de eat
Whatever he says and does is bound to
be criticised, in the hope Of prljudicing
him before the voters. But the voters
are not so unreasonable, ard, we are
confident, will view bis acton in this
MAJ ter as it is entitled to b. view, d.
Mr.. Proctor is not dodger, after the
Mccullough stripe. He has always been
consistently in favor of prohibition
When in the legislature he has always
voted for it. Mccullough has never
voted for prohibition. During the last
session, although the speaker is excused
from voting unless he chooses, Mr.. Proc
tor direct ed that his name be called on
he license bill and voted against it,
That act spoke more than volumes of
words and promises Mr.. Proctor has
ALWAYS been a Temperance man, and is a
total abStainer from the use of alcoholics
himstlt Wherever he has been, as a pri-
vate citizen, or as a pu' official, his
vote, his actions and his personal intlu-
encr have cv,r been hr ,wn Tor prohlbi-
ton and against license, s. much for
the intimation that Mr.. Proctor is not
sincere or consistent now.
Now as to this Stiles correspondence.
| there is hing in it to deter any friend
Of prohibition from giving his support to
| Mr.. Proctor. Who ever thought OF quiz
| Z ne William Mckinley as to what he
would do, as president, if free trade or
free silver bill should come to HIM? His
! principles were known, as evidenced by bis
words and acts, and the knowledge that
he was firmly established on those issues
was Of itself Justification enough for
his followers. Ia this case, Mr.. Proctor
simply submitted his creed to the
inquirer. He did enough. What is there
in his past record on the liquor question
to raise even a suspicion that he will
not, as governor, be true to that creed?
If veto is required, who doubts that
he would not exercise it as firmly as he
has always acted in this cause?
1t is unusual and undigntied for a can
didate for chief executive TO say in adj
vance that he will or will not veto any
bill. The governor does not initiate the
laws, and is only required to act on
those bills that come to him after pass
ing both houses OF the legislature. For
the governor to hold the threat of veto
or the promise oil approval over a legis
latlve body is an IN erterence w tn the
rights and prtrogatlves OF that b anct
OF our government. He ought not o dc
1t, and in declining to accommodate hi,
opponents now to the extent ot openinl
himself to their attacks sure to be IN td
II tie were to threaten with a veto, bill
not even framed, or that never may b.
= framed, Mr.. Proctor has taken the tru
! course, with no sacrifice of his own con
4 viCtiOns
1 Meanwhile do not forget Gen. Nc
t Culloughs attitude, which is tha
= if elected he will sink his owl
= opinions, if he has any, and rub
e Der stamp anything that the lcgjsla
< ture sends him in the shape o hquo
. act. Ask yourselves voters, which att
5 tude you prefer, Proctor's or McCul
lough's.