Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-04-18
once More We Submit the Question.

Once More We Submit the Question.
The real question Underlying all
others which is before the people of
Vermont in the present ampaign is as
to the management o. our political
affairs, and the use of money for their
control. The great body of upright,
single-minded, every-day people may
not realize this at present., and they
may or may not come fully to realize
it this year. But ever.ually they will
recognize that this statement is liter
ally true. The Ph9lx touched on
this subject briefly bgt plainly when
it first took up the discussion of the
present gubernatoria canvass on
March Z. There is a undant reason
for now recurring TO IL. When the
contest was between Cen. Mccullough
and DR.. Webb, it was recognized as
battle royal between nillionaires, and
there was no pretenCa of evasion or
concealment. With Webb's with
drawal it was supposed that the char
dNltl VI lut WI n NDllt Ds anu lOl
Mccullough would change but on the
contrary it became at once apparent
that the entry of Mr.. Proctor had been
signal for redoublei efforts, with a
determination to win at any cost.
1t will be said tina the methods in
use are not essentia y different from
those which we ha'e seen used re-
peatedly in the past iozen years, and
we grant it, The difference is that this
is the first time thai a millionaire
man who is several tines a millionaire
has used these methods in Vermont,
and the result is ppportionately cor
rupting. We do not mean to say or to
suggest that Gen. McCullough's money
is being used to buy votes. There is
probably no use of hs money which is
corrupt" in the Legal sense or usage
of the term. But tn campaign which
is being managed in ais behalf is none
the less corrupting and demoralizing in
| its results. Here In our own country
we see the effect OF these methods in
only partial and modified way. But
how is it in the state at large? Do our
people realize what methods of polti-
cal work in Vermont have come to
mean? theoretically the people
choose whom they will have for gov
ernor or for any cher public office,
and nominate and alect him. What
actually happens is that the man who
would be governr first secures
pledges of support rom as many men
as possible, and thG goes deliberately
at work through pad retainers to in
fiuence and contro the action of the
voters. Money is MT paid directly for
votes. That would be wrong and i'm
polite. But in every locality and
every town men ae procured to use
| their influence" q ito take care of
things" as the plrase goes. They
cannot be expectedto do this work for
nothing-certainly not--and so they
are given various sums, gagged by
their supposed inflence, to cover Eek
penses," or to pa, for the valuable
time spent.
J Not only are Will known political
workers retained il this way in every
locality, but as tie fight wakes hot
men are seen" in very neighborhood
of every town, anl each is deputed
to take care of his own neighborhood
or locality, and e,ch is paid for his
Expenses" or his time" In some
parts of the state it is perfectly well
understood that crtain men are IRE
tained," and the expression is common
among political wrkers that such al
one is so ''retainel." More than this
hired men are liteally put in the fielt
at so much DAY. either for genera
work or for holse-to-house canvass
The worst featur' of the situation IL
that men whose votes cannot b'
bought, and who Would not themselves
stoop to or tolerate such methods com,
to look ON them as a matter of course