Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-04-17

the air OF purity in elections, OF free,
untrammelled and untainted suffrage.
In it Vermont has gloried. In it, she
has been at once the pride and the
envy of sister states.
But OF late, within a few years at
most, signs OF evil portent have arisen.
BY degrees, and all too rapidly, Yer
mont politics seems TO be losing its
pristine purity. Practices formerly
confined to other states have been
introduced here, with a consequent
lowering of the plane on which can
vases and campaigns are conducted.
Things that were once only darkly
limited at are now done openly, and
when questioned are justified with
boldness.
1t is just as impossible for money to
come into use in politics without cor
ruption resulting as it is for oil to
come in contact with fire without
burning. Strictly speaking there is
no Legitimate" use Of money in poll
tics. Wherever and whenever put
out, it is expended to bring about some
result that would not happen were it
not put out. The Legitimacy of the
use ofmoney is a most elastic term,
that can be, and often is, stretched to
suit the needs of the user.
1t is beyond question that money, in
ever increasing quantity is being used
in Vermont politics. How and where
it is all employed, no one can say
Considerable sums are used by the
travelling agents of the various candi-
dates for state and other offices. These
men are nearly all reimbursed, not
only for their expenses, but Tor their
time. Few of them are so deeply in
terested that they will go about from
town to town laying and pulling wires
without being well paid. Then there
are the local workers. In each town
are certain men who are known to con
troll the political destinies OF that
town, largely. These are 'seen" and
enlisted-and they don't work for their
health entirely. Quite often a speci-
fled sum is placed in their hands-a
sum fixed by themselves-with which
they are to carry the town, in one way
or another, and no questions asked.
Their accounts are never audited. How
much passes from their pockets TO
others is unknown, but only results
are looked for. Sometimes actual
vote-buying is INDUCED in, usually in
secret, but occasionally openly. 1t is
a notorious fact that in a certain town
on the west side of the state two years
ago, checks were given out in return |
for votes, and these checks were re-
deemed after the polls closed at so
much per vote, in cold cash. Samples
OF these vote-checks are now in ex-
istenee. Then voters are paid for their
time lost in going to caucuses-a most |
dangerous and corrupt practice. Seri-
Gus charges of tampering with dele
gates after the caucuses and before
convention have in some cases seemed |
to be well founded. The Page-Liv-
ingston case revealed a certain venal-
ity OF the press, or portions of it, and
either with or without warrant no
is now free from suspicion
Of Interior motive in the support of
any candidate.
All OF these signs are distressing to
the great majority of our people who
still respect the good fame of the state.
But as a usual thing the voters are
helpless by reason of their position
between two or more candidates.
rom which there is little to choose in
point of virtue. For it has come to be
he rule that money is used plentifully
ly all, or for all. But at this time
here is an opportunity for the people
% rise in their strength and rebuke
his wicked, vicious use of money in
Vermont politics. In his canvass for
he governorship, Fletcher ID. Proctor
has stated repeatedly and invariably
hat he would not buy the nomination
n any sense. He has strongly discoun-
the expenditure of money to
promote his canvass. He has been
old in many cases that he could have
his town or that for so many hundred
dollars. In every case his answer
las been, II will not do it; ii | cannot
get the nomination without resortinp
o such measures, viii be defeated.
No paid agents or workers for Proctor
ire traversing the state. None are
in their own towns. II Mr..
Proctor is nominated, it will be the I