Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-09-11
THE RESULT IN VERMONT
Comments by Newspapers Of all Shades
OF Political Belief Various
interpretations.
Q'rom the Philadelphia Ledger, Ind.)


is likely to be overthrown. Gen. John q.
Mccullough republican. has a small plu-
rality over PcrciVal w. Clement indcpcn-
dent republican; but he has not a major
ty, as Is required by law. The choice
of governor will devovc upon the Legisla
ture, which is republican, and McCul-
lough's success is assured. Clement, who
was candidate before the republican con-
vcntion on a high license platform. bolt
ed because he thought that the convcn-
tion was insincere in its declaration for the
submission of the local option, or high
license question, first to the Legislature
and then to the popular vote. The dem
ocrats, who are relatively small in mum
bers in Vermont, gave their gubernator-
ial nominee less than one-half the usual
vote for the minority candidate.
The tremendous split that has been
brought about in the REPUBLICAN, party in
the Green Mountain State is indicated by
the fact that Clement came within 5000
or 1000 votes of ranking Mccullough.
Two years ago the Republican vote for
governor was 40,795, to 1901 for the dem
ocratic candidate. There is no reason to
doubt that a considerable number of per-
sons who supported Mccullough did so
/ through party loyalty, and that they are
favorable to the abandonment of the pro-
hiDitory policy While many who voted
| for Clement were aCtuated by opposition
to sumptuary laws on principle, a large
/
ibstaincrs, who realize that the liquor
traffic cannot be effectively suppressed:
that 1t IL better to regulate ii than to at
| tempt the impossible, and that under
the prohibition policy there was a dcgrad-
ing and corrupt combination between the
politicians and the keepers of speak
casies.
Vermont has been unique in it's unwavor-
ing support OF the Republican party. Not
since the election Of James Monroe. in
$50, has it cast its electoral vote for the
democratic nominee for the Presidency.
The fact that the republican candidate for
governor nearly failed of securing plur-
atty and will be indebted to the Legisla-
ture for his election, shows how deeply
the people of the State feel on the subject
Of DISCERNING the outworn and impra cti-
cable policy of prohibition.
THE WARNING FROM VERMONT.
Qrom the Boston Globe, Dem)
After nearly 80 years of harmony and
success the Republican party in Vermont
is disrupted Rum did it, and therefrum
let the Republican party of New Hamp-
shire and Maine take warning. That par
ty ever since its birth has been UNFOLDING
the prohhitory law in those three States
and insisting upon prohibition car
dina doctrine.
The Democratic party has maintained
ton was a failure and a humbug, the pro-
life breeder of lawlessness among the pco-
pie and "A hypocrisy and corruption in poll
tics Regularly the democrats have de-
manded the substitution of some form Of
, license law and with equal regularity they
have been defeated and their advice re-
jected
D.. When, however a republican. duly anot-
ed, MIR. Clement, rose in the republi-
, can councils of Vermont and said what the
democrats had been saying UNDECIDED for
. more than generation, the prohihitory
, bubble instantly burst. The republican
convention refused to nominate him for
governor but it adopted his platform and
recommended the submission to the people
of a local option statute.
Apparently. however, this concession did
not suffice to still the ciamor which had
been excited and Mr.. Clement, as bolt
ing republican candidate, has swept vir-
tually every center of population in the
State, including the home town of the reg
/, ular party nominee, and by polling nearly
as large a vote the straight ticket
prevented the election of Mr.. MCCULLOUGH
y by the people. the constitution requiring
a ma iority instead Of plurality Of votes
to elect. 1t is evident that Mr.. McCullouch
would have Jared much worse II small
conservative towns were less numerous in
Vermont.
Thus for the first time since the repub-
lican reign began in Vermont tho Green
= Mountain state has failed to elect d re
publican candidate for governor. The
choice now de\ Olives upon the newly chosen
Leg stature.
The republicans Of New Hampshire and
of Maine would do well to ask themselves
if tho Clement campaign could not be re
= peatcd in their States.
/, DEMOCRACY ALMOST OBLITERATED
> ,From the Worcester Gazette. Rep
After the liveliest sort of a campaign in
which the Rev. Sam Small furnished
much of the excitement, the choice of a
i governor ana licutcnant- governor in Yer
mont is to pe made by the Legislature
no one candidate recei\ ing "A majority over
=, all. Gen Mccullough, the regular repub-
lican candidate. has apparently enough
supporters in the Legislature to elect him
although the vote Will be fairly close
But the advocates of high license law
to supplant the present prohbitory law in
Vermont, will undoubtedly gain their point
! even if their candidate loses; and ii this
be so, Mr.. Clement may md considerable
, consolation in defeat. Sentiment in Yer
, mont is strong in favor of high license
> law with local option, the whole scheme
to he submitted to the people for then
, acceptance. MIR. Clement stated yesterday
- in an interview that he believed the Legs
= ature would pass such ii law and retei
+ ii to the people for approval.
Prohibition has been proved "A farce il
! Vermont Maine and every other STATE
- it, which it has been tried. A dispatch
= from Portland to-day, which is published
A on another page. indicates how the Law
: is working in Maine, and the story doe
, not tell an exceptional incident. Twenty
- eight "drunks" in tho police court "a
the result Of two days of prohibition, So
~ called. is IA record that is rarely equalloC
,, in the city of Worcester, with its Ii