St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-08-13

Wow W IhC lAIShNoh SONA ~
The unrestricted sale of intox1cants is
regarded by Republicans as public
evil and by this action of the conven-
ton it is now left first with the legisla-
ture and next with the people to de-
termine whether this restriction ana
restraint shall be found in the present
law. some wise notifications of the
present statutes or license local-opt1on
law.
Mr.. Clement attempts to excuse his
secession from the Republican party ana
to justify his action in boiling the con-
vention when he was n candidate for
high preferment by making a claim or
bribery on the part of both of his cppo-
nents and to such an extent rs to VIII
ate the action of that convention.
Tie also claims that this charge OF
bribery is not new; that it had been
made and substantiated by numerous
affidavits prior to the assembling OF the
Convention. The real value he places
upon these charges and the aftidavits
to support it, is easily determined.
The state committee was the commit
tee on credentials. To them these aft
davits should have been taken and any
illegal delegates challenged and I'M
seated as surely they would lave been
on valid proof. But to the committee
he made no challenge and produced no
proofs, neither was there word said
by his friends in the convention i'm
pugning it's integrity of composition and
it was only after his own candidacy
before the body was hopeless that the
familiar cry of "Stop Thief was raised
by him and some of his supporters.
There were only two contests before
this committee on credentials. One
arose from the claim of Mr. Clement
that the delegates from the town of Rut-
land, who were present with Gre
dentials, should be unseated Ind dele
gates favorable to him substituted in
| their stead. Mr.. Clements claim was
allowed, and his delegates seated, but
in this case no charge Of fraud was
made,
In the other contested case Mr.. Elan
ders of Orange was seated in lieu Of the
| Clement delegate by the unanimous ac-
| ton of the Committee on unchallenged
and uncontradicted proof that the elec-
ton of the Clement delegate was Sc
cured through the votes Of the Demo
Gratis who, admitting their politics and
demanding the right to vote, were per-
mitted to do so under protest.
In no other instance was the right Of
a single delegate to his seat challenged
before the committee or in the conven-
ton, nor was the charge that dele
gates were improperly elected or i'm
properly influenced after election made
at any time before the committee or in
the convention.
His contention of bribery surely does
not justify the bolt from Hon. Zed S.
Stanton, our Candidate for Lieutenant
Governor who had made no pre-con-
vention canvass and had no organized
support but whose nomination was the
genuine spontaneous tribute Of ma
jority of the Convention to his worth.
To those who know General Me-
Cullough this suggestion of corruption
needs no denial. To those who do not
we are pleased to assure them that
from the beginning to the end of his
canvass he did and countenanced moth
ing corrupt, dishOnorable or unseemly
Dishonesty is a frequent charge made
by defeated candidates in political con-
tests and Mr.. Clement is simply no ex-
ception.
Throughout the state Republicans
will not fail to recall in whose behalf
Democrats were brought to the Caucus
to elect delegates to the last Republi-
can convention.
Mr.. Clement has no standing in the
forum of the people when he poses as
the uncOntaminated representative Of
honest political action.
TO aid in his election Mr.. Clement
has without their solicitation endorsed
and placed upon his ticket the regular
Republican candidates for Secretary of
State, State Treasurer. and Auditor of
Accounts. They authorize the State
Committee to say that they are Repub-
licans and not in sympathy with any
movement that would tend to disrupt
the Republican party; that they stand
upon the platform as adopted by the
Republican Convention of June 10Th, at
Montpelier, and for the ticket there
nominated and for no other principles
or party; that Number of the Acts of
1898, forbid the printing upon a ballot
of the name of any candidate who has
declined a nomination. For this rea-
son they have not declined the License
Local-Option nomination.
We confidently appeal to the men of
Vermont who see in the Republican
party and its achievements the unex-
ampled glory and prosperity of our
state and country, who are proud of
their little state which has borne no
mean and trivial part in the progress of
our nation; who believe, as rightfullv
they may, and should, and believing
exalt that during all this time thew have
lived in the cleanest state in the Union
where corruption in the Legislature in
the judiciary and in the executive Of.
fees has been unknown and who would
retain untarnished the fair fame of the
state