Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-04-24
CLEMENTS CAUSE HOPELESS.
From the Bellows Falls Times, McCul-
lough.)


lough)
Where now are the ST. Adams Messen-
ser, the Burlington News, the Ludlow Tri-
bune. the Nergennes Enterprise. the Essex
Combination and the other local papers
which have been working the bellows in
dustriously in the good cause. Hear the as
tute Messenger: Mr.. Clement cannot
hope to win. The effect of his candidacy
will simply be to give black eye to the
legitimate causes OF reform in the liquor
law. There are thousands of men in Yer
mont who are working toward the modiii-
cation of VermOnts liquor law to do away
with the Objectionable features of prohibit
ton and substitute the results OF modern
experience. All this they hope to bring
about decently and in order, by the educa-
ton of public sentiment to the point OF
choosing a legislature that Will make the
change. The canvass for me governorship
has nothing to do with this question under
tho present circumstances
How so, hind neghbor? If local option
is of such tremendous Importance to the
welfare OF the state, ought any good citi-
zen to trihe with an opportunity to aid the
cause? Will the contemporary deny that
II Mr.. Clement could be elected governor
| the cause of local option would not receive
tremendous impetus? In fact wouldn't
the Messenger be among the FIRST to cry
| that the battle was already won and that
|
| n foregone conclusion? But granting tina
Mr.. Clements chances of success are not
good, was there ever a better time for ar
| educational campaign than right now? A
campaign of this nature would influence
the selection OF a legislature next fall won
| derfully. But why say more? The contem
porary puts the whole matter in nut
shell when 1t uses the phrase under the
present circumstances. 1t means to say
that for this once 1t must support another
candidate. Principle must be subordinate
to politics. Vermont stands shivering OF
the verge of moral and Industrial bank
ruptcy and a good dose of local option Is
all that is needed TO set her right. Blu
never mind under the circumstances
patriotism cannot rise above politics anC
peanut politics at that.
i The Burlington News, whose editor
wanted TO represent that city in the leg1s
lature as a local option advocate. says
I las ole OF the few newspapers that early
came into tho local option field the News
| objects to a local option candidate at the
present time. MIR. Clements action preci
pilates the issue at an unfortunate time
i His candidacy will divide the forces o
local option into factions. At this timi
many OF the friends OF local option are al
ready committed to one or other OF th'
candidates and cannot honorably change,
This is as flimsy an excuse as man fight
Supposing that the editor went to the can
didate to whom he is "already committed,
Mr.. Proctor, and told him that at the tim'
his promise of support was made Mr.. Gle
ment was not a candidate and that he haC
no idea that the local option issue was q
be brought before the people at this time
that inasmuch as the issue has beer
raised, and he as a citizen believes that h
cannot conscientiously refuse TO fight TO
the good cause Whenever opportunity pre-
sents, is it at all likely that Mr.. Procto
, would hesitate about freeing him from an
obligations he had entered into? Cnde
such conditions would either Mr.. Procto
t or Gen. Mccullough advise a man 10 con
, tinue to support him when that man
, sense of honor and duty as citizen loud
IL called to the support OF Mr.. Clement
We think not.
! The support that Mr.. Clements candi
dacy is receiving. or more accurately tn
I lack OF support, demonstrates seVera
things One Ia that the local option sen
, tment in Vermont has been vastly over
! rated Another is that those who ar
a blowing the local option horn the loudes
5 are not sincere In tho astounding state
= ments they often make. With them loca
=. option is not a living. vital issue, but
D matter of convenience and politics; some
thing to whistle about in vacation tim
when there is nothing doing
Let MS leave with our local option friend
this word of warming No cause good @
bad ever triumphed with such half-hearte
Indifferent support as local option is re
ceiving in Vermont. 1t is being show
clearer than ever before that the onl
real, consistent friends OF local option ar
! found on the democratic side OF state pol
ties