St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-04-16

time. 1t is not often that Vermont tnds
her political affairs so complicated as
they are at present, and several puzzdng
problems confront the individual voter
-TRoston Transcript.
Here's a railway president requiring
his employees to sign an iron,clad agree
ment not to drink intoxicating liquor OF
any kind while in the employ of the road,
the president being himself in favor OF
letting the people of the state drink ac-
cording to their appetites, And this rail-
way president, who is a prohlbitionlst
"afler the most straitest sect, in respect
of his hired men, is d candidate for the
governOrship of the state on P,atlorW
which would open rumshops all along
the line of his road and a score, more or
less. at the railways headquarters. In
practical business affairs he is a string
ent prohibitiOnist; in politics, tor sys-
TEN of regulating the liquor trattle that
would permit, practically, the tree ana
unrestricted sale of liquors. His business
Judgment in this respect is a better guide
than his political creed Montpelier
Journal.
Mr.. Clement is, perhaps, the only re
publican in Vermont who, in seeking such
bonors, would have the frankness to
come out and admit this opposition to
the prohibition law and his intention
to work tor it's repeal. Mr.. Clement
coming into the fed makes it practically
certain that Mr.. Proctor will not get the
delegation from Rutland, and we don't
believe that he can go to the convention
with one-half the delegates OF his own
county pledged to his support Bran
don Union.
He is intensely earnest upon the ques-
ton of liquor law and may be depended
upon to fight to the bitter end, regard
less OF his personal prospects politically.
p. w. Clement is also an able and re
sourceful man, therefore no mean oppon-
ent in a political fight. Rutland county
is said to be the stronghold OF high H.
cense sentiment in Vermont, therefore
Mr.. Clement candidacy is likely to rob
Mr.. Proctor OF a portion OF his home
county. Further than that it is purely
guesswork lust now, and the develop
ments of the campaign will be watched
with interest because it is the first in
which the high-cense partisans' have
had a champion and a ralIyng cry
Woodstock Standard.
Vermont has another candidate for
her governorship-Percival W. Clement,
president Of the Rutland railroad. The
object of his candidacy is said to be to
draw enough votes from Fletcher d.
Proctor, son of United States Senator
Proctor, to defeat him. The republican
majority in Vermont is large enough to
permit a good deal OF such quarrelling
within the party N, Y. World.
OF course President Clement of the
Rutland road wants to "help beat Proc
tor" Clement and the Proctors have
been enemies ever since Clement went
into state politics. If that move should
help McCuIlough-no harm done Bos.
ton Record.
Is there any connection between the
entrance OF Mr.. Clement into the canvass
and the campaign of General John G.
Mccullough? Will Mr.. Clement prove to
be the residuary legatee of the McCul-
Tough delegations at the proper time
with the idea that the combination will
defeat Proctor anyway 1t is Proctor's
scalp that Clement is after, not the gov
ernorship. Will Mccullough turn in and
help him at the eleventh hour when he
realizes that he is defeated ? st. Adams
Messenger.
1t is then, from this on, Proctor
against the field. This unmasks the
situation, lines up the two sides of the
canvass, each upon its own basis, under
the true colors of the cause they repre-
sent. All who believe in prohibition will
rally around the Proctor banner and
those who believe in a modification oil
our prohbitory laws will support the
opposition. Clement and Mccullough
are high license. McCulloughs summer
home is high license town; his winter
home is in a high license town. The Ben,
nington Banner, his summer home paper,
is high license and all these high license
environments place him in high license
company, and man is known by the
company he keeps Newport Express.
Mr.. Clement is a good republican, his
qualifications for the office cannot be
questioned, he promises to give the state