Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-09-15
VERMONT VERDICT.
How the Mig Republican Plurality In
the Green Mountain state Ii Regarded
nv the Ncwspuucrs.
(F'rom the Boston Transcript

mean success, and all above that hi
umph. The indications at the present
writing are that the republican plurality
of Tuesday will run 5000 or more above
that Governor Mccullough received two
years ago. Should ii reach on the ;nal
count even 32,UcO IL will be, with the OK
ccption of that given in the landslide
year of 1896, the record. Eight years aLo
the Vermont democrats weighed down
by Organism. were simply Frustrated by
the sound-moncy vote. In November Mr..
Mckinley got plurality of 1880 Fo'ir
years ago the issues were not as pointed
as in 1S'G, and Mr. Mciiinlcy's plurality
was 29Il?, or 1850 less than that given
the republican State ticket in the pre-
ccdng September.
Vermont elccting her congressman in
September, it is not uncommon for her TO
put out her political energy IN that
month. This is what has given her cleo
ton the prominence IL has in the calcu-
latiOns of politicians of both parties. Tho
republican reserve vote comes out If it Is
called for then 4 pcrcmptory challenge
such as was addressed to it this year is
sufficient To bring it to the polls. 1t may
not come out to rallies but it is sure
to come out to vote. The campaign in
Vermont this year appeared to many on
lockers. especially to those not familiar
with the ways of the Vermont farmer
to he characterized by apathy Because
the farmers in their busy season did not
attend the rallies in large numbers. these
observers concluded that they felt no
interest in the contest. But when clcc-
ton day comes the Vermont farmer
bitches up the old white horse and drives
miles 20 vote and work for his ticket.
That he WAS as active as usual Tuesday
is evident by the big vote in the country
towns and the falling off Of the demo-
cratic strength. This year the farm 'rs
had Il class interest in the success of the
republican ticket, for It was headed by
a gentleman long identified with the agri-
cultural interests of the state, the Hon.
Charles J. Bell of Walden. prominent
among tho Changers. The democrats also
had as candidate for governor a gcntl"-
nun of high character considerable
experience in public affairs. AMI Of suni-
Gent local popularity to receive a COM
plimcntary ma iority in his own town
In Vermont positive majorities over all
are required for election to certain offices
Where there is "A tic ii must be voted off
on the same day. Consequently they vot"
early and late. and some local contests
were undecided at midnight. This rem
ders it premature to say that the demo-
Gratis lost all they picked up in .he cleo
tion of two years ago when republicans
divided over the liquor question. but they
certainly appear to have suffered a re-
duction of their small contingent in the
LEGISLATURE.
That the republicans throughout the
country could he greatly grnriii"d by the
result in Vermont is perfectly natural ana
perfectly legitimate. True, it IS rock
ribbed republican State No politician
worthy of attention expects the state to
change its political allegiance. but bad its
vote demonstrated n marked decline in
republican strength the fact would have
had a certain significance and possibly
some fearing on the campaign elsewhere.
The democrats would then have teon
gratitod, and their qualification would
have been perfectly legitimate for they
could have said that the republican policy
met with but n lukcwarm reception in an
old-line republican community.
THE VERDICT OF VERMONT.
(From the New York Commercial- Adver-
tiscr)
The returns from tho Vermont election
speak so plainly for themselves that il is
scarcely necessary to interpret them.
There is not a politician in either party
who has any doubt to-day that they
foreshadpw Rooscvet's election in No
vcmbcr by a very large majority in the
electoral college. At the present writing
the republican plurality is somewhere be-
tween $1,000 and 5000. This is the lar
gost plurality. with the exception of that
of lNG. since the Grant-Cro"lcy rampaign
of l>19 and il may exceed that The great
plurality of 1876 was exceptional because
that WAS the first appearance IF Bryan
fair basis If comparison is the plurality
of 1900. because IN that year many of
the democrats returned to their party.
That was a little over $1,000. It was
confidently expected by the dcmocrats
ana feared by the republicans, that this
years plurality would fail below that Of
f,,,,r H.,