Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-07-18
LOCAL OPTION LEAGUE
Three Delegates Sent to Conven'
ton at Burlington
Division of Sentiment Which Was APP
parently Against the Reputed Local
Leaders in Brattleboro-The Speech


Leaders in Brattleboro-The Speech
es.
There was plainly a division of
sentiment among those who attended
the meeting in Grange hall Monday
night in response to a call to those
who favored local option and high
license. The weight of sentiment APP
peared. moreover, to be against that
of the reputed leaders of the local
option movement in Brattleboro. The
meeting was attended by rs men.
e. w. Blodgett, president of the
Clement Local Option club, presided
and called on Col. G. A. Miles to eX-
plain the object of the meeting. Col.
Miles did so in a speech about 10
minutes in length. He read letter
from the Local Option League, of
which j. C. Jones of Rutland is the
general secretary, calling attention
to the local option meeting to be held
in Burlington July 16 and asking that
delegates be sent to the meeting, that
an organization be perfected and that
a report be sent him as to the pros
poets in Brattleboro and the rest OF
the county in case Mr.. Clement should
decide to run for governor. He then
reviewed the recent Republican state
convention. dwelling especially on the
referendum plank in the platform and
the bolt of large part of the Clement
delegates. He said that the dele
gates from this county were given to
understand that they were not to bolt
under any circumstances if that plank
was inserted. The delegates VINO
bolted had no order from Mr.. Clement
to leave the hall. They were excited
and acted hastily.
"Mr. Clement" he continued, was
unfortunate in both men he put for
ward to manage his case there. And
now he has called a convention in
Burlington to bolt. think it is a
very unwise thing to do considering
the object we have in hand. What
we want is that that plank shall go
through the legislature properly. We
are fighting under a disadvantage.
We have working against us the peo-
pie who think that a license law
would ruin the state, and we have
also against us the politicians of the
state. We should put forward our
best efforts to elect representatives
who firmly believe in high license, and
not those who will work against 1t
and then vote for it simply because it
is in the platform 1t would not be
good policy to elect Clement. In
. fact he does not stand so good a
chance to be elected as he did before
the convention 1t might be well to
send delegates to the Burlington con-
vention, but | think they ought to be
instructed. What matters it to us
who is elected as leng as we get that
plank through? 1t makes no diff
ference to us who the governor is,
but it makes all the difference in the
world what the legislature is
Col Miles's remarks were received
with applause. At their conclusion
Fred Cressy arose and took the dele
gates to the county convention to
task for nominating C. d. Spencer of
Wilmington for senator. He thought
such action did not look as though
any very strenuous effort was being
made to get license legislature, and
stated with some show of feeling that
&c. d. Spencer is one of the rankest
prohibitionists in the state and a
man whom | know has gotten spoilers
into the state" These brief remarks
brought out a round of applause that
made it easy to see what the senti
ment of the meeting was.
IN reply 10 MI. CTeSSy, OudIleS N
Crosby stated that if the county con
vention had made prohibition the is
sue the license element would have
lost both senators by just six votes
In his opinion it was better to make
the issue along other lines and gel
one license senator than to lose both
H. E. Bond noted that there was q
difference of opinion with regard tc
what Col. Miles had said Mr.. Glen
ent," he said, "did not want to be gov
ernor He got more than he expect
ed in the referendum plank. But the
prohibitionists have not left stone
unturned in their conniving to bring
about its defeat. If they can intro
duce a bill that will be Objectionable
they will make every effort to carry
it through and thereby defeat the
cause"
c. r. Crosby said, in replying to Mr.
Bond: 1--WE can't call a man a lial
until he has lied. If the Republican
party is not sincere in this matter
then the Republican party is smashed
If we have bought gold brick we viii
find it out. | agree with Col Miles
that Clement ought not to run. but
think it would be all right to sent
delegates to Burlington"
At this point Col Miles moved tina
two delegates be sent to Burlington
E. G, Frost suggested that three be
sent, which Col. Miles agreed to anC
the motion as amended was carried
|. X. Allen nominated e. G. Frost, who
was elected. e. M. Applin nominal
ed j. L. Roess, who declined l. X
Allen nominated E. NJ. Appin, whC
was elected. ]. G. Burpee nominal
ed Col. Miles. who declined. Mr.
Burpee then nominated H. E. Bond
who was elected. Col. Miles moved
that a committee be appointed to con
slider the matter of selecting a candi
date for town representative.
Mr. Applin said that the presen
organization consisted only of Repub
licans. He thought it would be wis
to wait until after the Burlington con
vention and then form, if advisable
new organization that would TAX
in all voters. His suggestion was ad
opted, and the meeting was adjourned
to next Monuay evening at o'clock