Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-07-24
The Clement Bolt.

option In Vermont. and the platform and
leading candidates OF the State republican
convention have been boltcd under the
leadership Of Percival w. Clement. Some
of the men who actively championed the
interests OF Mr.. Clement as we'll as Of an
ti-rrohibition at the Montpelier convention
persistently opposed a bolt. holding that
they had gained their point in securing a
provision for tire submission OF the ques-
ton OF license VS.. prohibition to the peo-
pie: and they publicly announced that they
should support the ticket and platform Of
the regular convention
It was evident from the very outset
however. that Mr.. Clement was deter
mined to be candidate for the governor
ship. He not only went to the State con-
vention at Montpelier prepared to bolt,
but he has also been sending both republi-
can and democratic lieutenants about the
state ever since the adjournment of the
convention seeking to work up sentiment
in support OF his nomination on an IN
dependent ticket. The only question re-
gardng his acceptance OF nomination
for the governorship was. therefore.
whether some organization could be pre-
vailed upon to champion his candidacy,
and right here the Vermont Local Option
eague became OF service. Mr.. Clement
being president Of the league, 1t was an
easy matter for his lieutenant. Mr.. Jones,
secretary Of the league and OF Montpelier
fame, to secure the calling OF meeting
of the body and have his candidacy en-
dorsed This is in effect what was done.
The call issued was for mass con-
vention, but truth compels us to state that
IL the burlington democrats and the men
whom Mr.. Clement was able to bring here
from Rutland county were eliminated the
showing would have been pathetic indeed,
and it Is only by sufferance that the WORD
mass" can be used in describing the as
sembly. Indeed one Of the chief lieuten-
ants Of Mr.. Clement admitted that the
gathering was a failure. so far as being a
mass" convention was concerned.
Another characteristic of the convention
was the extent to which democrats par
ticipated IN the republican bolt The lieu
tenants Of Mr.. Clement were particular to
have it appear that this was a straight bolt
from the Montpelier convention and in no
sense a fusion with democrats, knowing
that they would lose many republican votes
if it were generally understood that the
nomination Of Mr. Clement were the result
Of a fusion movement. 1t is no secret that
prominent democrats OF Burlington. Rut-
land and other towns have been active in
prom citing the meeting Of the Vermont To-
cal Option League which was to place
| Clement in nomination. 1t Is also a fact
that T.. NJ. Sutton and other prominent
democratic members Of the league partici-
pated In last weeks meeting and helped to
organize the bolt from the republican par
ty. As a matter Of fact some Of the demo-
Gratis of Burlington have been particularly
active promoters Of the republican bolt
from the very outset as well as OF the
movement in favor of the endorsement OF
Clement by the democratic State conven-
ton. The proportion Of democrats occupy
ling seats in the convention was fairly we'll
measured by the difference between the
faint applause which followed Mr.. Glenn
ent's euoglzing Of the republican party for
its glorious achievements in the nation.
and the enthusiastic plaudits which greet
ed his reference to the corruption Of the
republican party In Vermont.
The resolutions, which were brought
mere from Rutland in practically the form
In which they were adopted. cover very
much the same ground as Mr.. Clements
speech, and II Is not necessary therefore
to consider them separately. 1t is worthy
of note that the amendments proposed or
the floor Of the convention. favoring a nin'
hour day and weekly payment planks wer'
rejected through fear expressed Ivy diff
ferent speakers that the other issues EN-
bodied in the platform would be injured
thereby.
The Clement bolt has thus been launch
ed. and the question remaining is whethe
or not those democrats who are In favo
of not having n ticket Of their own will b.
able to dictate to their State convention
I and secure the endorsement thereby OF
a republican boiling ticket. on which the
q will have no representative. The party I
e already split on this subject, and the dem
= ocratic State convention In Burilngto
q to-day bids fair to be the scene Of a
G merry a contest as that which character
= lied tho republican convention Mt Montpc
J. lier.
Certain republicans have INDUCED
threats regarding the treatment Of the re
y publican plank regarding the submssio
+ OF the liquor question to the people in III
= event of a Clement bolt II should l.
steadily borne In mind that no failure o
l. the part of any republican TO support II
- State ticket and platform will Justify an
d breach OF faith by the republicans OF We
% mont regarding any plank in their pla
ID form. 1t Ia the duty OF all good republican
to faithfully carry out the declaration
"a embodied In the platform OF the party
e. principles not excepting a referendum. TT
I. license law to be submitted to the peop
=, ought to be the best that can be formula
1t ed. so that the people can have an Of
ld| portunity to choose freely and fairly b.
le tween the two methods OF dealing with II
10 liquor traffic. Whichever policy is to
preferred our people will then have II
i..-t In. Lii q