Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-04-03
THE GOVERNORSHIP.
Seward Webb Has to Say
on the Subject.
(From the Hardwick Gazette.)

(From the Hardwick Gazette)
Two weeks ago DR.. Webb was a leading
candidate for governor. having fail
chance to win the nomination.
To-day he is out of the way entirely
has laid his hand, quit If he withdrew
from motives of keeping peace in the
party ranks or because he wished to ter
inmate contest that promised to leave
scars-he is entitled to credit. If he with
drew as the outcome of "A political trade he
has rot done himself, his friends nor his
party a service, but rather an injury.
While it does not perhaps matter why he
fas taken The stand he has, 1t looks very
much like job politics, and as though DIR.
Webb has been befooled by the willy ones
Scarcely was the ink dry on the an
nounccment that Fletcher ID. Proctor
would be a candidate for governor before
the news was printed stating that DR..
Webb was "out of It," Both these an
nouncements came on the heels of a con-
terence between Proctor, Webb and other
politicians. 1t looks as though there were
an understanding between the men; it
smacks of a trade: it has the appearanC e
of a scheme Matched by ring politicians TO
fool the people and secure some desired
object.
The Gazette doesn't believe the voters of
Vermont Will stand for It, Fletcher ID.
rector has repeatedly, verbally AMI by
IL
for governor this year; and many of his
personal friends are placed in embarrass-
ing positions by his candidacy; his COMING
into the race at this time is ill-timed /;
there is no popular demand for him.
On the other hand Gen. Jol.. G.. McCul-
Tough has for a quarter of century been
prominent in Vermont. His time his tai
ents, his money have ever been at the SER
vice of his party. He has not thrust him
self uI'on tn" people but rather has been
too modest and retiring for his own inter-
ests perhaps lie has ever been for pre-
serving harmony in the party ranks and
has cheerfully stood aside rather than
have war in the ranks.
In public and private life Gen. McCul-
Tough has been generous. but unassuming
The Gazette believes Gen. Mccullough
has good and valid claims for reward at
the hands of the voters Of Vermont. and
the Gazette hopes and believes the people
will recognize these claims by making him
their next governor.
Q'rom the Woodstock Standard)
The turmoil occas:ored by the advent Of
the Hon. Fletcher ID. Proctor in the guber-
Material arena has not abated greatly and
| the situation is not yet clearly defined So
| far as the Standard is able to gauge the
| matter, from expressions of the Vermont
| press. it seems that the entry of Mr. Proc
| tor is little too late to improve all the
advantages Wnlch an earlicrannOuncem mt
might have brought him.
| Notwithstanding certain rumors of
trades" etc, it seems to the Standard
| that there is very little to indicate trading
! On the part Of any candidate, and many
| conditions which indicate the absence of
| combinations. In simple fairness the
| Standard is clad to state the b lief that
General Mccullough has no trades to full
| I'LL and that his present opponent. Mr..
| Proctor, came into the field in absolute
good faith without entangling alliances.
! not without reluctance in view of the pros-
| poet OF very strenuous campaign and the
alternate prospect that at future time
| the goVcrnorship might quite naturally
| come to him without much struegle. In
short, the Standard believes that Mr. Proc
ter had no desire to enter the present cam
paign and no intention of that sort until
quite unusual pressure was brought to
bear upon him by prominent men in var
ious sections of the State. We believe this
statement is warranted by a Sufficient un-
derstanding OF the situation.
But there is apparent a disposition to
dlstruSt these facts, and to attribute to
Mr.. Iroctors earlier statements, that he
was not candidate, the character of
promises. when they were in fact such
expressions any man might candidy
have made in that situation. without pre-
JUDGE to future action under proper in
centivc.
Many voters had already given assur-
ances of support to General NcCullough's
candidacy. Some who were for Webb are
for Mccullough as second choice There
arc plenty for Mccullough first and last
There are many for Proctor above all. if
he is In the race: and numerous assur-
ances given to both the earlier candidates
were qualified by the chance that Proctor
might also be a candidate.
The later GcNclopn, ents however shov
q n fr1fr hn lntt g1gs-
OF voters who feel that, in view IF Mr.
Proctor's 'arlier position and tine clrcum-
stances OF the campaign, the Proctor can
didacy was i'll timed
The STANDARD, under most conditions
would be warm supporter of Fletcher D.
Eroctor's candidacy for the ceriCe under
consideration. But hero is General Nc
Gu lough high minded gentleman oil
go"d reputation as wide as the country III
man OF unusual mental abilities. n man
of affairs, and Of experience which quail
lies him to fill the cfice of governor wit n |
exceptional ability and credit. Hin, ;he
voters of Vermont came near electing GOV
ernor few years since and he is worthy
or That distinction. lie Is a Vermonter
Thirty years ago he marriCd a charming
vermont girl, and almost since the writ err
OF ms was born he has been a resident ~
vermont, He has more than attained his
majority as Vermonter, and Is entitled
to vote and to hold office here. His home
interests ara hoe, even though he IS a |
RAILROAD man, and great railroad system
cannot be built In ten-acro lot.
General Mccullough would probably
never again be a candidate for the COVER
rtrship If dofeated now. The Hen. Fletcb-
er ID. Proctor will, in all probability he
governor of Vermont some time Both ara,I
above the average Vermont governors OIL
Tie past. Under the circumstances Tho
STANDARD favors the candidacy of General
Mccullough in this campaign. and believes
that In so doing it reflects the sentiment
or large majority of its constituents
CHANCES OF WIN |
MING.
tFrom the Manchester Journal)
The Bennington Reformer very kindly
inquiries how we feel now that our candi- |
date for governor has dropped out Better. |
thank YOU than we did four years ago
when General Mccullough dropped out |
We are glad he stays In this year, and he
may win though he has a harder fight on |
hand than he would have had II he had |
stayed in then, for the reason that Proctor
Is a harder man to beat than Smith would |
have been 1t will be hot campaign and |
no mistake, and things are so mixed that
IL Ia hard telling which one will win out. |
Mccullough had secured pledges. from a |
large number of men who would have been |
Tor Proctor had he been earlier in the field |
II they stick to him now he has a very
good chance to win.