Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-05-08


enough man for the league. certainly news
paper quibblers ought to be satisfied.
WHO THE sTRADDLERs ARE.
T'rom the Vermont Standard)
Elsewhere is printed Gen. Mccullough s
personal statement of his attitude in rela-
ton to liquor legislation. The OPPOSITION
press show n laudable degree of concern
over its alleged weakness, and character
lie it as "a pitiful straddle,' etc. hut 1t is
simply another case of the devil and the
pig. and they will not find wool.
Gen McCullough's position is simply that
the governor Is the executor of laws. not
the maker of them. and that the statues
should conform to the will of the fnajori-
ty of voters. as expressed by their repre-
sentativcs In the Legislature.
That is the proper attitude to he taken
by the states executive
If those high license papers--the st. AL
bans Messenger the Rutland News and
Dthers-feel as awfuly about MoCullough's
disposition to let the people make their
own laws. why are they so careless of their
own convictions as to stradde clear ov. RI
to the support of a candidate who's declar
alton is opposite to their own belief and
teachings?
And by the way. Mr.. Proctor did Ao1
hasten to declare himself a prohibtionise
until Candidate Clement made the issue
so plain In his own county and town that
he was forced to meet 1t for personal rca-
sons.
Clement is the only candidate who enter
ed the campaign with malice aforethought
against the present law and even he
knows that the governor cannot accom-
plish the enar tment of a license law until
the people are ready for it.
| But Clements candidacy gives him OPP
portunity to get blow at the Proctors.
and stump the State, doing in this way
more personal work for the advancement
of his license hobby than he could hope 10
do as governor of the State.
Edward c. Smith, owner of the high
license st. Adams Messenger is a high
license man himself, and is making more
noise than any one else in support of pro-
hfbitionist Proctor. Mr. Smith was elected
governor in 1898. in spite Of his license sem
timent, and during his term of Office the
prohibitory law was strengthened by new
law regulating the conduct of town liquor
agencies. another law permitting towns
to close their liquor agencies by vote at
annual or special town meetings. and an
other law, in addition to sections 4522 to 4Jz,
Inclusive of the Vermont Statutes. and pro
vding that those sections should apply to
| he aba tement of common nuisances there
in mentioned, although the keeper of such
nuisance has not been convicted of keeping
the same. This is the famous enactment
which permits perpetual injunctions upon
places suspected Of violating the prohibit
tory law, and against the keepers and the
owners of places after proof that said
owners had knowledge of illegal use of the
premises.
Doubtless cx-Gov. Smith feels that pro-
hibtion governor would not have more in
huence upon liquor legislation than he had
himself: and the natul al inference Is that
If he thought otherwise the radical high
license Messenger would not be supporting
a prohibition candidate. Instead, the Mes
D,,At pt,I all at
that ik would he advocating Clements
cause They are the stradders. not the
Bennington man.
Gen. McCullcugh's position Is sensible
and proud. He believes that Prohibition
has been the policy of Vermont for half 2
century and probably will continue to he.
as in his opinion ut has the approval OF
the majority of the people of the state,
Therefore he will rot oppose the will OF the
ma 1ority.
Gen. Mccullough is not with the strad
dlers of this campaign.
SOME QUESTIONS RAISED.
tFrom the Swanton Courier)
While Fletcher n. Proctor's fitness fo
the office of governor is not questioned by
candid men there are other things In con
nection with his candidacy to be looked ut
For instance it is perfectly proper to in
) quire into his motives in coming into thu
3 campaign as he did after repeatedly assur
ing his friends that he was not and di'
1 not intend to be candidate this year. II
view of these statements by Mr. Procto
D some great pressure must have beel
$ brought to bear upon him to lead him a
I the eleventh hour to declare himself can
e didate. 1t Is only fair that Mr.. Procto
take the voters into his confidence on thi
= point.
1 Tf Mr.. Proctor. as seems likely. con
q scented to become a candidate to further tn
$ that the people should know 1t. the
. might not desire to he q party to thcs
= schemes. +. c. Smith of St. Adams |
t charged, and has not denied it, with bein
!; largely instrumental in inducing Mr.. Proc
!. tor to run He is personally and by hi
newspaper urging the people to supper
d Mr.. Proctor and the people and the voter
t of Franklin county In particular, are in
}. terested to know what he expects to &c
Q out of 1t II MIR Proctor is elected The
have a right to know, too. why they ar
n asked to support the man who said h
: wouldn't be candidate and then change
his mind.
e If it should be true, as Is stated, that Nj
It Smith was offended at the wording of Nj
= McCullough's letter of withdrawal in l&
and at the prominent part taken by GeI
Mccullough In defeating Mr.. Smiths pc
II measure tho millionaire tax lodging bill
and ne has induced Mr. Proctor to run sin
It voters of Franklin county want to be
n party to it?
: VI MIR. Smith is seeking through NJ
II Proctor to secure some political office tn
II voters of Franklin county should know
that they may have a chance to say whetf
It er they think Mr. Smith has not been sui
fciently rewarded in the way of offices an
ii whether they think II there is anythin
good to be secured for a resident of TIL
o county If Mr.. Smith is entitled to a mono
l. poly Of the good things.
d Ought not the voters of Franklin count
J. 20 ask themselves II by giving the vote
the county to Mr. Proctor they would NJ
& admit thnt they were controlled absolut,
l. ly by Mr. Smith?
II MIR. Smith will say that he consider
Gen. Mccullough unit for the Office l
seeks and for that reason deemed ii h
l. duty to provide another candidate his mi
N tlves will not be open to question but
view OF the unnatural course of events
10 which Mr.. Proctor and Mr.. Smith are n
10 timatelv associated 1t seems perfect
proper for the Courier to raise the que
tions 1t has.
'g HIGH LICENSE PROCTOR PAPER!
10 HARD TO PLEASE.
~ (From the Landmark)
IN When Mr.. Clement entered the field
q high license and local option candida
n for the republican nomination for the go
n ernorship the St. Adams Messenger III
Burlington News that have been urgr
Ct the repeal OF the prohibit DRY law. yet III
20 re supporting Fletcher ID. Proctor +,