Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-07-31
An Original BOlter.

Now that the State conventions Of all
the political organizations in Vermont have
been held and the political atmosphere has
been cleared to a certain extent 1t may be
well to consider the exact status of the
ments made by the organ of the Clement
faction in support of an independent NOM
ination Of their chief for the governorship
was the assertion that prohibition repub-
licans were not supporting the referendum
plank adopted by tho State republican con-
vention, and even as late as July 16 Per-
cival w. Clement has made the bald state
ment in his speech accepting the nomina-
ton for the governorship that many re-
publican county conventions were thus re
pudiating the work of their representatives
at Montpelier.
If this statement had been true, 1t would
not have justified the action of Clement in
boiling the State convention and its work,
but as a matter of fact the assertion was
made up out of whole CLOTH On the other
hand Percival w. Clement should have
been one of the last to charge any prohi-
bitionist with attempting to bolt the State
platform In county convention.
One of the first county conventions held
by republicans following the State con-
vention at Montpelier was that of Rutland
county held at Rutland on June rs. The
records OF that gathering show that, al
though only a week had elapsed since the
adoption Of the republican plank calling
for referendum, which the Rutland can
didate had declared at Montpelier to be all
that he could desire, Mr.. Clement and his
lieutenant, Joseph c. Jones. went on the
floor Of that county convention and at
tempted to prevent the endorsement of the
referendum plank of the State convention,
which they later professed to hold so dear
and so sacred. In order that there may be
no ground for Clementine contradiction we
quote from the records Of that county con-
vention as printed in the Rutland Herald,
the personal organ of Percival w. Clement.
The Herald's report says:
y. c. Jones submitted the following
resolution to the convention:
Resolved, That the senators nominated
by this convention be instructed to adv o.
cate in the next Legislature the repeal of
the prohibitory law and to enact in it's
stead a high license-local option law"
Il. X. Southworth of Middletown Springs
moved that the plank bearing on this ques-
ton adopted by the recent State repub-
can convention be substituted for the
Jones resolution. The plank is as follows
Resolved. That the republican party of
Vermont adheres to its long-cherished be-
lief that unrestricted traffic in Intoxicating
liquors L. a public evil and that the mate
rial modification of the existing law on that
subject should be made only after thor
ough discussion and mature dclibera ton
10y the people; ana we request the State
Legislature at its next session to make
provision for ascertainng the will of the
people by direct vote upon the acceptance
or rejection OF a license and local option
law, regulating the sale OF Intoxicating
liquors. and further providing that upon
popular vote in favor of such a law, duly
ascertained. the same shall become a sta
tute law Of the State in force
Mr.. Jones in few words told why he
opposed this substitute. lie said the plank
at the State convention was simply to put
the governor on platform. 1t did not
state the question directly to the people
as was done in his resolution, by the adop-
ton Of which the senators elected would be
instructed how to act on the question. He
said the resolution had been drafted tc
make it the will OF the convention, to show
that the meeting was in favor of a straight
out andou repeal of the prohibitory Law
and the enactment of a high icense-loca
option law, and OF further measures to en-.
force 1t.
Mr.. Southworth spoke at some length
In support Of his substitute, his idea being
that the State convention had set the ex
ample, and the county delegates would no,
do wrong by following it.
ported the original resolution, as he said it.
| object was to test the sentiment of tn,
convention, which it would do better thar
the substituted resolution. The latter wen
as far perhaps as the State convention
ought to go in the matter. The governor
might not care to go further than sub
mission of the question to the people. TIL,
county convention could however, go on,
| step farther as 1t was in itself the volc,
Of the people. If Rutland county Is in ia
favor of high license and local option tn,
! Jones resolution should be passed. 1t put
| the county squarely on record. Mr.. Glen
! ent hoped the original resolution would b.
adopted and the substitute defeated.
"A vote by reclamation not being definit
enough rising vote was taken and tn
motion to substitute the State convention
plank was carried-43 to &C."
| The Orange county republican conven
ton, about which Clements supporter
nave said so much was held on the sam
day as was that of the Rutland county re
publicans, and II the action of some of It
delegates in opposing the traffic in intox
icating liquors was boiling the demand o
the Vermont republican convention for
referendum, which it was not, what wa
the action OF Percival W. Clement and hi
supporters in Rutland county conventio
in expressly opposing the endorsement @
the plank adopted by the State conver
ton: and how could he consistently ar
raign the republicans Of any other count
for boiling the State convention?
As matter Of fact Clement is not onl
the bolter in chief but he is the origina
boiler. having first bolted the State rel
erendum plank week after he had nc
cepted II as practically just what h
wanted. and having later on bolted hot
the leading candidates and the platforr
OF the Vermont republican convention, t
which he submitted his case with the evI
dent intention OF abiding by it's decisio
until he saw that his nomination was i'm
possible. Clement Is thus left without
single excuse for boiling. and he mus
bear the odium OF being willing to risk tn
cause for which ne profcssed to stand IN
selhshly, for the sake Of trying again I
promote his personal political interests.
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