The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-04-16
THE RIGHT TO CHANGE
ONES MIND.

a man may have a right to change
his mind in politics as well as in bust
ness, as the Barton Monitor suggests,
but always under certain conditions.
If John Doe were proposing to be-
gin the publication of a newspaper at
Barton, for example, if the inhabit-
ants of that locality should give him
sufficient encouragement, and Richard
Roe were considering a similar enter
prise, and if the latter finally decided
to abandon the project and so notified
his friends and other persons interest
ed in the scheme, and John Doe there
upon embarked in the undertaking
and worked up a subscription list
all on the strength of the assurance of
Roe that he had abandoned the field
what idea would the local public
have of Roe's moral right at that
juncture to change his mind, put in
printing plant and proceed with a
scheme he had once renounced? And
what opinion would be held of men
who had subscribed for the "Moni-
tor, for example-but who there
upon transferred their subscription
pledges to the promoter of the "Ver-
mont for Vermonters'' publication?
And, under the circumstances, what
would just man regard as the right
and honorable course for those per-
sonal friends or otherwise of Roe to
pursue whose original preference Roe
had been, but who transferred their
support to Doe after Roe had given
them notice that he had abandoned
the field? Was not Roe under the
strongest obligations to keep out of
that field after he had notified his
friends that he was out, and Doe had
gone ahead with his enterprise?
What would be the Monitor editors
view of the rights and obligations,
honors and decencies, in the case pre-
sented? And how would the people
of that part of Orleans county view
the conduct of the supposititious Rich
ard Roe? Just as any high minded
man or community of men regard
their obligations, their word and their
honor, placing these gems, and the
jewel fair play, above obligations or
duties they are legally bound to re-
gard; and just as they are regarding,
under it's existing circumstances, the
candidature of John G. McCul-
Tough, in it's relation to that of Fetch
er D. Proctor, in the pending canvass
for the governorship. The things that
are morally as well as legally right
and honorable in business are equally
obligatory in politics. In the one as
i'll the other, when the word that
ought to be as good as bond is pass
ed, and action Hereunder has been
taken, honorable retreat can be only
by mutual assent or agreement.
So, for the most part, former Proc
tor men, released by his verbal or
written assurance that, after mature
deliberation, he had concluded not to
be candidate for the office of Gov
ernor in the pending canvass, and
wiz Ull6u bIduSltIItu UlltlT dllt-
glance to another, like men of honor
are abiding steadfastly by their later
pledges; and almost to man these
are for John G. Mccullough, himself
a man of purest honor.
The moral sense of the people of
Vermont has been offended by the cir
cumstances of the re- entry of Mr..
Proctor into the canvass for Governor.
With the men of Vermont, as body,
fair play is "a gem of purest ray Sc
rene," and Fair Play will be
their watchword from now on till the
finish. Every consideration that has
ton to Gen. McCullough's candidacy
has been answered, with crushing
conclusiveness. AS citizen of Yer
mont Mccullough stands stronger,
clearer, higher in public esteem and
confidence before his fellow citizens
today than when his canvass began.
By every consideration of right, de-
cency, justice and honor, the Repub-
licans should - and will - nominate
him for the governorship. In swell
ing volume the call for Fair Play,
the demand for the observance of
pledges given, is coming up from the
valleys and down from the hillsides
Mr.. Proctor's truest friends hope that
he will hear the chorus of dissent from
his candidacy rising among ''the
green hills and make a timely with
drawal from an ill-advised and an i'll
omened contest.