Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-04-17
THE GOVERNORSHlP
An Orange County Man Makes an Eff
fective Plea for Fair Play-Com.
ment by the Press.
To the Editor of The Free Press:


1t would require keen student Of State
politics to discern any legitimate reason
70" the candidacy of Fletcher d. Proctor
for the rcrerncrship. Location certainly
Is not the reason, because Rutland county
during the last SO years has enjoyed six
years incumbency Of this highest Office.
JOHN b. Page in 1850 and 81, Rcdfeid Froc-
tor 1850. and +. ]. Ormsl'ee 1Ss6-'SS. a
longer period than any other west side
county except Chttenden. which also had
three terms: while Addison and Lamoillc
counties have each had but single term,
John w. Stewart 1S70-'72 Carroll S. Page
1890 50, ard Bennington county has never
rad governor since the service of Hi'an1
Hall in 1855 and 49, whose term EXPIRED
nearly ~ years ago.
Nor can it be claimed that because Of
long and eminent service among the peo-
pie OF this State young Mr.. Proctor has
attained such prominence that his name
acove all others is singled out for this
high place. 7 lie father, it is true, has be-
come eminent in public service, but this in
republican, democratic form Of govern
mcnt is not deemed reason for the rro-
motion of son. On the contrary, it Is our
BOAST that we are free from class prefer
ences. as from class rrejudices, and that
we have no royal lire of descent. But IT
is proudly asserted. With a crow OF tri-
umrh that Fletcher Proctor hes repre-
scented his town OF Proctor in the Legislu-
ture. This, however is nc difficult feat in
manufacturing community mostly fol.
lowing the same industry. Everyho .lv
knows that such population is an easily
welded constituency. The town of Proctor
may be pocket borough as wes the crs,-
while town Of Ely, which In by gone days
WAS represented by that little English
aring cockney of unsevory memory, Ely
Ely-GOddard. or Ely be-Goddard az he
was facetiously dubbed. Pructcr would
indeed be singuarly untrue to its patrony.
mic if it did net send enc of the family to
the Legislature wherever he wished TO 20
Hence it is not by long ard brilliant pub.
liz service that the FrnCor boomers OK
pect to boost their candidate into the CUB
ernatorial chair They have rather in
their desperation, sought some important
ISSUE some catching campaign cry by
which to arouse poular interest in their
undertaking. "A Native bern Ncrmt inter-
seemed at first to be the Cetch- words on
which these boomers would rely. or "A
Real Vernon ter" as they sometimes
Norded it. To inauguratc Ills boom f. r.
Morse of Proctor. treasurer of the Yer
mont Marble company. set forth on his
itinerant mission among divers editors of
tho State. inspiring them With Prpctor en-.
thusiasm 50 that their simultaneous yells
fer Proctor might seem as 1t were spon-
taneous o'itbursts from the very hearts of
the people! The candidacy itself however,
was born at midnight oonclave ir a Now
York city hotel where the Webb managers
and young Proctor met to ooncoct the plan
of Withdrawing one end entering another
racer for the governorship But the grear
cry. "A Native-born Vermonter," was
| choked at once by tho historic fact that OF
| 45 elected governors of Vermont a were
born outside the State tmtrg whom thrca
wore chosen within the last ~ years, and
ono Of these was the Canut X. born circuit
who has been most yocifcrous for "a Renl
ver'nonter!" That Circuit who, the ugh for
eiGn-born and long envnEtd in business
outside the State did at last by assiduous
wirc-pullins. button hcling and horse
shedding" creep into tho governors chair
! 1t has remained for the st. Adams Mes
senger, that Mephist0pheies of the Vcr.
mont press. to originate and, will,
Machiaveliln canning, to elaborate, form,l
late and proclaim what II Ills THE Yer
mont idea" And what is the "Vermont
Idea in practice has been nicely illus
trated by recent communication In the
Vermont Waterman from a voter In Ran
doph who, Judging from tho tenor Of his
discourse, is member of the Bill Wall
| school of politics there located. This fond
disciple insists that his candidate "musi
have wintered as we'll as summoned in
Vermont and have been here Sd6 days in
the year" Yet he masnaMmously admits
that IAN occasional absence on business il
not counted" which would allow, Oi
course. the attendance at conclSvo in 4
New York hotel Of few choice Vernon,
politicians Where they might conspire al
leisure how to beguie the simple voters Of
| Vermont and dictate who shall be cover
ncr of this STATED This seems to be tn,
policy and the plan Of tho,e who built ur
the Proctor candidacy. But the plan. thu,
lill-begotten ana wickedly conceived in thai
unhely conference Of seheming politician.
hslA in q foreign city. has hitherts
wsykeS with great friction. Psspl,
have awakened to . sense Of thu
i Injustice 50 long suffsrsl ~ DenAiA0
il ten sourH ed rsgsfved to slss. tho asI'
ana brilliant eitlEep whom she unanimous
" presentS They insist that ske shall n
no isnger ostracized and that in tho lint
sf NlustYisus yrSAssesssrt, with ChN1c
WILLIAMS. Stephen Nsyee. Hilss1 Hall
frederick Folbrook. Panl Dillingham;
John @. Smith. John w. Stewart, Asahe
Peck and Redfeld Proctor shall stant
DIfnnn3