Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-04-14
THE GOVERNORSHIP.

this time until the convention in June
Gen. Mccullough was a candidate for
the office four years ago and his
friends appear to feel that as it has
| been the custom to elect the losing
candidate when his "turn" comes
that according to this rule he should
| now receive the nomination. While
this custom may be good one it is
doubtful if the people will submit to it
indefinitely and continue to have their
chief executive practically elected
four years before the nominating
convention. 1t is conceded by the
Proctor supporters that Gen. McCul-
Tough is an able man and if elected
will fill the office in a creditable
manner. The Mccullough supporters
concede the same as regards Col.
Proctor but maintain that he is not
entitled to the Office because he has
until recently replied to the interroga-
tions of friends from various sections
of the state that he did not expect to
be a candidate this year. Gen. Nc
Cullough's supporters are sending out
| the cry from every section of the
state that in becoming a candidate
Col. Proctor has broken faith and in
proof of this the Mccullough papers
are printing interviews with promin-
ent men in which they state that after
being assured by Proctor or his
friends that he did not expect to be
candidate they decided to support
Gen. Mccullough. These letters
prove but one thing and that is that
nearly all of the prominent supporters
of Gen. Mccullough would prefer to
support Fletcher D. Proctor if they
were not already pledged to his oppo-
nent. It is also claimed that Col
Proctor has written various parties
that he should not be a candidate un-
der any circumstances but no such
letters have been produced. The two
men are in entirely different positions.
One has been striving in every way
to keep his candidacy before the peo-
pie, while the other has remained
clear of the contest until convinced
that his advent would be welcomed
by the people. Both of them have
ambitions to be elected to the office
of chief executive of the state Gen.
Mccullough has always understood
that when his candidacy was an
nounced it would be opposed because
of his being recognized everywhere
as New Yorker rather than as a
Vermonter, and when opposed four
years ago by Vermonter he with
drew rather than TO remain in the
field and be defeated. In this cam
paign until the advent of Fletcher
Proctor Gen. Mccullough has felt that
he was in fair position to win as he
was opposed by man who was re-
garded equally as much if not more
as New Yorker. But the appear
ance of these two men in the field
contesting the Office of governor of
the state was not considered with the
best of grace by many Vermonters
and as result Col. Proctor was urged
very strongly to allow his name to be
placed before the people and with the
withdrawal of DIR. Webb he consented
to this. Now in considering the
two men we must admit that which
ever is elected the state will be we'll
served. Gen. Mccullough is a sound
business man and the fact that he was
born outside of the state should not
be considered at all. 1t does not mat
ter where he was born but we should
consider whether he has been and is
now more closely connected with the
business interests of this state than
that of any other, and whether he is
generally recognized as a resident of
Vermont or of some other state. Gen.
Mccullough has been a resident of
this state for many years but his in
terests outside of the state far exceed
those within it, and until he COM
menced an active campaign for the
governorship he was rarely ever re-
ferred to except as citizen of New
York. Fletcher D. Proctor is a native
Vermonter and is sound practical
business man. He is president of the
Vermont Marble Company which
gives employment to nearly three
thousand men, two thousand of them
residing in the town of Proctor and
vicinity. He is closely identified with
the interests of the state and is re-
garded as typical Vermonter.
While he has been in the field but a
short time his candidacy has been re-
celved in a manner which is very
pleasing to his friends and causes
them to feel confident of his sue cess.