Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-08-28
why Clementism is Waning.

There are uumistakable evidences that
the forces of the boiling candidate for the
governorship have begun to realize their
declining strength in different parts of
the State, just as they discovered them
selves to be in a hopeless minority at Mont
peier after loudly Boosting of their abili-
ty to sweep the State convention. The
desperate strait of their cause is reflected
in the exaggerated statements of their
paid agitators. 1t is proved by the
admissions of conservative and candid Gle
ment men in different parts of the State
and by the testimony of careful observers
who have surveyed the situation gene
ally.
The decline Of Clementism is due to the
discovery of different classes Of people
that the boiling candidate for governor
is trying to play them for political dupes
against each other and that he is conduct
ing gigantic game of bluff. For example
Clement men have been to hotel keepers
and tried to eXtrect subscriptions saying a
| license law would work against saloons
and give the business to hotels, some of the
hotel keepers having been touched for
as high as $500 each. Emissaries of Gle
ment have on the other hand called upon
saloon keepers to aid the campaign on the
ground that they would get the lions
share of the increased liquor business re-
sulting from license. Temperance men ir
the meantime are urged to support Gle
ment by advocates who say they do not
| however
know for a certainty that some one is
being fooled and Clement is losing
strength accordingly.
Laboring men who have been asked tC
support Clement are discovering that h,
| has been one Of the most heartless o.
task masters and oppressors of labor
They now know that as mayor of RUTLAND
he cut down the daily pittance of the lab
orers in the ditch as well as on the street
They now know that as soon as the Ben
nington and Rutland road had been pur
chased from Gen. John G. Mccullough Gle
ment cut down the wages Of its employees
I They now know that as the president of
railroad he forced his employees to sigi
contracts that would remove responsibility,
and the court has declared his contract
contrary to public policy and goo
morals. Laborers now know that as tn
Official head of the Odgensburg Transi
company he used freshly imported chea
foreign labor to replace men who had bee
working for one dollar a day, and part q
their duty night work at that.
now learned the measure of this profes
sional champion of the people through tn
charge of his paid agitator that becaus
they are exposing his preposterous claim
and standing up for their rights they hay
been bought This is the kind of
friend of labor Percival w. Clement ha
n shown himself to be. and it is hardly SUI
t prisng that laborers, both organized an
: unorganized, are repudiating him,
I The taxpayers of Vermont to whom Perc
e val W. Clement is making strong apes
S for votes have found out that he Is nc
only political juggler but that he is ais
i repudiating his past record. when he pre-
u fesses to love their interests. They HAY
y found that when he was in the Legislator
s he opposed practically every measui
l. which would lessen the burden Of taxs
g ton for the people he now processes I
i hold so dear. The taxpayers OF Vernon
= have discovered that Clement has been tr.
e ing to include the expense of such instit'
o tions as the State insane asylum and II
- Soldiers Home in the fund that accordir
$ to his showing found its way into II
4 pockets of our public officials. The TIA,
t payers of Vermont now see In ClerneI