The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-03-19
ARTHUR ROPES, General Editor,
GENERAL MCCULLOUGH.

In the statement the personal repre-
sentative of General Mccullough has
made for the public, he declares the
purpose of his principal to stick to his
candidacy for the governorship. If
this statement was formulated before
the public announcement of the with
drawal of DR.. Webb from the canvass,
it was doubtless made with some un-
derstanding, or the expectation, that
that step would be the next move in
the political game that for some days
past has been developing on the Yer
mont State checker board.
If General Mccullough elects to
stay in the fight his friends and sup
porters will stand by him, and fight
to the bitter end, if the fight must be
bitter, and likewise the end, as the
shouters of the Waldorf Astoria COM
bination last proclaimed are declaring.
The new situation demands of every
follower of Mccullough renewed en-
ergy in his cause and unfaltering de-
votion to his political interets. ''Un-
awed by influence" the press should
maintain the peoples rights to choose
their candidate for Governor without
the dictation of coterie of politicians
assebmled in the city of New York
If to some the idea of Yorker"
and millionaire in the office of the
Chief Executive of the State has seem
ed abhorrent, how does the idea ap-
peal to them of a clique of millionaires
and their followers meeting in hotel
of multi millionaires, the Waldorf
Astoria, in that abhorred city of New
York, to administer upon the polite
al affairs of the State of Vermont
How does it impress those people,
this reported combination of hitherto
antagonistic elements, the Proctor fol-
lowing with the Webb, whose mil
lions, his New York birth and recent
citizenship in the Empire State have
been conjured up to appall the ma
tives of the Green Mountain State and
to give force and effect to the cry
for born Vermonter for the govern
orship? Do the people of Vermont
like this sort of thing, this trading
and mortgaging of the future, and
does this sort of thing fit in with their
ideas of the ways and means that
should be employed to elect native
born leader? In the light of the de-
velopments set forth in Mr. Barber
statement, what do they think of the
time, place, conditions, manner and
circumstances of launching this boom
for their native born candidate for the
office of Governor? Why have Herod
and PLATE so suddenly become friends !?
AS to General Mccullough, his citi.
zenship, his abilities and experience,
his character, his public services, his
political methods: Is there better
citizen or a better Vermonter? He
Is citizen of VeImont, under ev-
cry requirement of the law and con-
stltution relating to citizenship; he is
citizen by long residence in the
State, by thorough utilization with all
ranks Of the citizenship, by complete
Identification with all Vermont inter-
ests, by large contribution to the pub
lie welfare, by the honor and good
fame he has brought to the State
wherever he has appeared beyond it's
borders, either as an individual citizen
OF the State or as it's representative
in national conventions or on other
occasions. He is -eminently the
candidate in this canvass.
Fletcher Proctor has many years be-
fore him to reach the age when his
father was chosen Governor of Ver-
mont. His opportunity to receive the
honor will not lapse by reason of age
for quarter of century and more,
He will be gaining in experience and
administrative capacity. Recalling the
under which General Nc
Cullough became candidate, Speaker
Proctor's conclusion and notifica-
ton to his friends some months ago
that he would not be candidate for
the governorship at the coming elec-
tion, and the consequent action of
many of his strongest and sincerest
friends, it would be now a proper
and graceful deed for the younger
man to follow the example of DR..
Webb-defer to his senior, withdraw
entirely from the pending contest,
and open the way for Gen. McCul.
lough's unopposed nomination to the
office of Chief Executive of the State
to which he has contributed so much
of honor and material benefits. This
course would save wounds which
might become suppurating sores whose
healing would be postponed far into
the future.