The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-07-09
ARTHUR ROPES, General Editor
CLEMENT a CANDIDATE.

The announcement from Rutland of
Mr.. Clements determination to be-
come a candidate for the office of
Governor was not unexpected. Unless
he should be the nominee of the Re-
publican State convention, close OBJ
servers of the course of the canvass,
before and after the nominating con-
vention have had the conviction that
Mr.. Clement would not abide by the
action of that body, that on some pre-
tense, or on none at all, he would dis
regard the decision of the court to
which the question of the personality
of the candidate was submitted.
During the tendency of the case be.
fore the tribunal appointed for its
hearing Mr.. Clement was entitled to
be regarded as man of political honor
He could not, it was deemed, or ought
not TO, enter the convention with the
determination to bolt if its de-
cision was not i'll his favor. That
would be to MeXicanize poiltics--a
term of reproach some years ago when
in Mexican politics the unsuccessful
aspirant for office invariably appealed
from the polls to the sword Mr.
Clement could not impeach the body
before which he was candidate for
office, He knew about its. constitu-
ency when he entered the convention
all that he has since professed to
know. 1t was regularly created No
faint attached to any of its proceed
ings. The hobby he has tenderly
nursed and which is the alpha and
omega of his political creed was in
corporated into the declarations of
the convention Its expression was
submitted to his inspection, by him
approved and accepted and by his
delegates, voting with the rest of the
delegates, adopted If they had any
quarrel with the chairman Of the
convention on the score of monroe.
IGNITION, that complaint is not
against the convention. The chair
man was not delegate, and he was
one of the Clement following, &C
cording to all reports. In any event,
the Clement delegates themselves were
raising a pandemonium which would
absolve any human ears from respon-
sibility ON charge of recognition
by the chair.
The bolt is without justification. But
its promoter did not need justifca-
ho I,a
did not seek to Justify it by accusing
either the convention or its chairman.
He wanted to become candidate for
the office of Governor. He intended to
be candidate, regularly if he could,
irregularly if the convention turned
him down.
1t is further a proper matter of
notice in this convention that what
ever element of irregularity existed in
the constitution of the convention per
tanned to the delegates of the boiling
candidate in whose election voters OF
the Democratic faith decisively par
ticipated So that, excuse for boiling
on the score of any wrong by or in
the convention prejudicial to Mr..
Clements interest is not only with
out foundation but entirely without
grace.
Mr.. Clement will carry with him
a certain element of voters, and a
certain part of the Republican-and
probably Democratic-voters. He will
have opposed to him the great bulk of
the Republican voters, and there will
be opposed to him, also, certain part
of those who followed his banner in
the late canvass for the nomination.
His course, under the circumstances
existing, does not appeal to the sym
pathy or support of most of the Re-
publicans who sustained him up to
the conclusion of the work of the con-
vention. Many of his delegates re-
manned at the post of honor and the
foremost representative Of the faith
full moved to make the nomination of
the convention unanimous. In the
Democratic party, also, certain ele-
ment opposed to license can be counted
VI w assAeV Al p4OOh Ails NIL OAOuOhV
ultimate triumph.
The aggregate vote for Governor in
1900 was 81, 099. OF this number, As,
AL were Republicans, II, 1919 Demo
cratic, 1929 of other classes or scatter.
ing. A majority was 33, $50. From
these figures people interested il
forecasting results can amuse them
selves in estimating the possibility OF
RvnY~--..-.-.-,r.--ffcyyr