The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-06-23
THE PLATFORM TALK.

Line OF. AlUduS MessenReT anu u
few other papers of the State have
turned their editorial efforts
In a political way toward the resolu-
lions which will be adopted at the
coming State convention. They say,
Let us talk about the platform. ~
For some reason or other they have
come to the conclusion that the i'm
portant problems which Vermont leg
islators will have before them this
TALL can be solved correctly by the
delegates in convention assembled, and
should be so solved, so that all that
would remain for the Legislature to
10 would be the work of carrying into
effect the declarations of the conven-
ion and disposing of the minor bust
less of the session.
The journal believes such course
you'd be high folly. Any person who
owns anything about the manner in
hitch delegates are chosen and the
'ay in which the business of the
invention is done should be able to
SO at a glance the impossibility. or
least the improbability, of wise,
Conservative action by the conven-
ton in the construction of platform
lit be attempted to make that plat
firm any thing more than a DECLARE.
TIN in broad terms of the ideas the
Hpublican party stands for. Dele
gtes are as a rule chosen to the State
covention even as they are chosen to
th national convention, not because
oftheir views upon the various ques-
tins of proposed legislative enact
nmt, but because they favor some
glen man for given Office. Their
min work, and their really important
wrk, is to choose candidates for State
ofces who will honestly and ably do
tn work which those offices entail
Bad minded men, known to be fully
caable, should be chosen-men who
ca grasp and master the various
prblems which the executive officers
shnld be prepared to handle.
ht it is not for the delegates to
forstall the action of the Legisla-
tuE They are not prepared to. Ex-
cepin rare cases they are not elected
upo issues as to party policy but rath-
er to men. Ordinarily the cauouses
brig out but a small number of the
vots of the party. The idea that
debates thus elected are prepared as
tru to express the will of the voters
Of le State as are the Representatives
anG5enators elected in September is
haIly worthy of notice.
lie resolutions which the papers
ref to as the platform of the party
arevritten by the chairman of the
committee on resolutions ordinarily
son time before the convention
ope, he being notified in advance
of Is appointment. At the proposed
TINT these resolutions are presented
to tie convention, read, and usually
adQbed without a word being said
foIor against them. There is no time
or opportunity for debate. Only a
few delegates know anything about
theresolutions until they are read in
theeonvention, so careful and intelli.
gen discussion and action upon
then is impossible. And vet it is
un6r such conditions that it is pro-
pos,d to settle the policy of the party
and direct the course of the Legisla-
ture
A short time ago the Middlebury
Register remarked as follows:
"ohere is growing disposition
around the State to send good strong
men to the Senate; men who will
MAKE good laws, regardless of tie
wishes of any cliques, or rings who
have some pet measure that they
wish passed regardless of all other
legis alton. The interests of the
State always suffer from the election Of
a Legislature On some one issue
Men are chosen who are not qualified
for wise general legislation. Let eacf
county send its strongest and best mel
as Senators this year."
The Register has the right idea
The Vermont Constitution provides TO
the election to the Legislature o
men "noted for wisdom and virtue. )
There is no provision of the Constitu
ton which orders or recommends, O
permits the sending of these men o
wisdom and virtue bound dow
and hampered by the dictates of
party convention held some time pre-
viously No, the men who frame
the Constitution had in mind OILY tn
best good of the State. They desire
to insure the best possible legislation
The schemes of party politicians, tn
construction of platforms which woul
be drags upon the Legislators, wer
not provided for, and wisely were the
left out. A platform constructed a
it is each year at the State conventio
can amount to little more than cam
paign yell. Some words are strun
together so that they will sound vel
and look we'll, and please the creates
H.. . L. 4.