Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-05-23
Can a Temperance Man Consistently
Support John c. Mccullough

10 NIt III u lt L lNtlllAs
The question was recently asked me
how as a supporter of the rrohibitory law
I could consistently vote for Gen. Nc
Cullough in view OF his attitude on the
temperance question. His attitude as re-
ferred to by the prepayment was doubtless
based on his answer to the well-known
Or. Ruslow letter. In this letter Gen.
Mccullough does not state his personal
views. but does state in an explicit way
Just what course he will adopt on all
constitutional bills sent him for approval.
This statement is n platform identical.
without question. with that on which Mr..
Proctor stands. The substance. then. Of
the platform of each Is that II elected he
will sign such constitutional bills as the
legislature may send him. Where then
this difference in looking at the question
from the only practical standpoint? Mr..
Clement. the license candidate. says that
Gen. MCCullouEh's letter was a case OF
political suicide. BY this he probably
means that It was not properly framed
as a vote catcher. It could have probably
been worded better with this end IN view.
II Is apparent 10 all that IL would have
been TO Gen. McCullouCh's political ad-
vantage TO have framed the letter diff
ferentlv. The fact that he made no bid
for the support Of any particular class.
Is not to be taken against him from my
viewpoint. 7 don't question the right OF
others 10 look Mt Il differently.
II Is SAID tnat ne ala not vote on the
license bill when he was a member Of the
Senate. I don't know why he did not.
He might have possibly thought hat as
should pay that nue. Difference TO its
wishes. The cause Of prohibition was
not then in peril. However this may look
to others as showing him an unsafe man
To elect to the g~overnorship, OF account
of this action. l will say that II has no
terrors TO me. in view OF the fact that up
TO the close Of this heated canvass the
searchlights OF his opponents. always
turned on. have not brought out a single
scrap OF evidence hat Gen. Mccullough
is other than a temperance man in theory
and practice, and a promoter in large
measure OF every good cause in his COM
munity.
I am not one who shares the apprehen-
sion Of many sincere friends OF temper
ance. who views I do not question. that
Col. Proctor would be a safer man than
Gen. Mccullough TO place in the govern
or's chair, for the reason that he would
better be able 10 obstruct legislation ad-
verse TO the prohibitory law.
Col. Fletcher n. Proctor in his second
letter does not say that he would disap-
prove any constitutional bill that the
legislature might pass. Why? Because
as an experienced legislator he knows
that while the governor is given the
veto power by one article OF our consti-
tuition. that power is completely nullihed
by another article permitting the two
branches OF the legislature TO pass a bill
over a veto by a bare majority OF each
branch. Thus II a bill is passed by a
majority OF one vote in each branch, the
bill could be passed over n veto by the
same majority OF one. For this reason
the governors of Vermont have been very
sparing in the use OF the veto power,
rarely using IL except in cases where the
! constitutionality OF a hill is involved.
So jealous in fact is our legislature of
I ~ - >, o ~, w-l~. Dc 1o-zFgA-.l
its prerogatives that in recent years the
mere suggestions OF the governor as TO
the merits OF impending legislature have
often been received by the legislature
with scant courtesy. So Col. Proctor Of
course does not state that he would veto
a high license or local option bill. Why?
Because he knows that should he attempt
such a course in egard 10 any constitu-
tional bill relating to this question. or
any other, his veto. in all probability.
would be as Intellectual as would nave
been an attempt 10 have stopped the
wave of fire that carried destruction 10
St Pierre.
Is there any doubt then that whether
Mccullough or Proctor is elected each
would take precisely the same course in
temperance legislation As would the
other?
Where then the propriety Of challeng-
ing the loyalty TO the cause Of temper
AAANN "a NsAH AAAAA ~ At AhA " III
he counts good prefers TO vote for the
Bennington candidate? Why make the
representation. and send IL broadcast
that Mccullough and Clement are por-
tons Of one serpent intent alike on strik-
ing death TO the ~prohibitory lawe This
charge should have a conclusive answer
in the fact that in the two caucuses this
Clement has carried thus far the con-
test, which in each case was a close one.
was between the Mccullough and the
Clement forces.
-Four years ago. in the g~overnorship
contest between Gen. Mccullough and
Col. Smith, the larger part of the Wind
ham county Republicans favored the lat
ter, the preference doubtless being be-
cause OF the fact that the railroad and
some other interests of the county would
be better conserved by the latter's cleo
ton. on April I. 1855, when our relations
with Spain had assumed a serious as
pect, Gen Mccullough Unexpectedly with
drew from the contest, writing a letter
in which he stated that he was unwilling
10 engage in a contest at that time when
the efforts OF ali true Republicans should
be directed towards the assistance Of the
ter was highly commended by the Repub-
lican newspapers OF the state almost
without exception. nearly all paying a
high tribute to the writer. Upon his
withdrawal from the contest Gen. Nc
Cullough received numerous letters from
prominent Republicans from all sections
OF the state expressing their good will
and assuring him OF their support for