Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-02-19
An Able, Honest, Poor Man
for Governor.

for Governor.
If it is true, more's the pity, and we
ask those who may suffer from the
same disease to sympathize with the
yeomanry of Vermont. Has it indeed
come to pass that no matter how worthy
a man be, he cannot aspire to the COVER
norship Of the state unless perchance for
tune has favored him with riches 1t is
said that on the paltry sum allowed him
as a salary he cannot maintain properly |
the dignity of the Office; that unless he
possesses thousands which he is willing
and able to spend, he cannot meet pub
lie men of other states on a proper level,
and the state will suffer ANONYMOUSLY
thereby. This may be true to a certain
extent; but we thiuk the sentiment of
our good people is still free from that
demented condition which worship gold
lace and brass buttons and gorgeous
body guards and parlor cars and cham
payne suppers and Waldorf Astoria
cigars. The people of Vermont are
still strong of limb and healthy in mind,
and think the best way in which to
honor the chair of the chief magistrate
is by putting therein man of true and
noble parts; man of lofty ideals, who
shall be moved in the path of his duty
by prayerful consideration of the needs
of the masses rather than the selfish
wishes of the few. The greatest men
this world has ever seen have been men
of OVERLOOKING hearts rather than full
stuffed pocket books. The mightest in
huences in the history of the race have
sprung from men who measured the
value of that to be sought after, by the
kind and quality of the means which
must be used for its accomplishment.
Riches do not need to handicap man
by lessening his self respect in total
disregard of the rights of others; and a
public position should not be surrounded
by high fence surmountable only by a
stairway made of gold. Honor should
not be purchasable except by manly
efforts resulting in noble deeds. The
stepping stones to positions of trust
should be honesty, sobriety, cleanliness,
ability; or in single thought, broad
enlightened manhood; and the money
consideration should be relegated to the
rubbish heap. Let us put man in the
chair of the governor, not because he
has money, but because he is in ever!
sense man, worthy and well qualified
The possession Of money is in no sense ;
qualification, neither is it distinct dis
qualification. When one is suggested
for the governorship We ought neve
more to hear the inquiry: How mucl
will he be able to contribute to tn
campaign fund.-
Campaign funds in modern times hav
become dangerous menace to our civ
ilization. 1t permits unworthy men t.
buy their way 10 power and farthe
profit. 1t deprives the people of tn
services of those who are most worthy
We would like to see man come befor
the people asking for their suffrages be
cause he represented principles whic1
were vital to the we'll being of the state
and not because he had the means t
subsidize the press or amuse aud attrac
with brass band and quartette of sins
ers, transported in palace cars. Let Il
stop hunting in Vermont for man fo
governor who can own newspapers an
buy the votes of corrupt men, and sho'
off we'll in New York or Boston or Wasl
ington; let us rather seek man whor
the farmers and shopmen and laborer
can meet on common level, and neve
feel forced to comparison as to tn
cut of the garments or the style of tn
hat. We want to show proper respec
to the Office in our honest recognition c
an honorable man, instead of bowling t
one because he is able to cut figure i
swell society at the Hub or the Capite
of the Nation. Possibly in the past W
have been fortunate in finding me
possessed of all the high qualities an
the money too, but has it not led to tn
seeming necessity Of wealth as pre-
requisite to the satisfying of a-laudabl
ambitionf Is it not safe to say toda
that this seeming necessity is only
luxury, and not to any extent necessity
to make honest manhood a slave? A,
able, honest, poor man for governor
Which one of the leading newspapers O
the state has the courage to sugges
such proposition lark close now