The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1905-01-17
IS DARLING
ACANDIDATE
To Succeed DIN Merrill as
Collector of Customs
REPORT IS NEWS HERE
Judge Darling Was in Town SUM-
day but He Made No
Announcement.
REPORT IS NEWS HERE

The St Adams Messenger Monday
printed the following under Benning-
ton date line:
"The Hon Charles H. Darling Of
this place, the well known lawyer, now
assistant secretary of the navy at
Washington, is candidate for the
Office of collector of customs for the
district OF Vermont to succeed Hon
Olin Merrill OF Enosburg Falls, upon
the expiration of his second term in
October of this year.
"This is the first newspaper an
nouncement of Mr. Darling's candid
acy, and, indeed, very few of his per-
sonal friends up TO this tlmeknow that
he has decided to enter the field as his
determination to be candidate was
arrived at few days ago"
Also yesterday the Burlington Free
Press had the followingeditorial state
ment
1T has been supposed by some that
Hon Charles II. Darling, assistant
secretary of the navy, was slated to
succeed the Hon Hoyt H, Wheeler as
United States Judge, when the latter
should retire. Judge Wheeler has
passed the age which entities him to
retire on his full salary; but he is in
excellent health and in possession of
his normal vgor of mind and body.
He enjoys his position and work and
is fully able to perform its duties and
there is no indication that ne proposes
to retire at an early day.
sit is now understood by persons in
position to know the facts, that Secre-
tary Darling will be an applicant for
the Office OF collector OF customs. II
we are not misinformed Mr. Darling
announced TO some of his Bennington
friends during his recent visit TO Yer
mont, and that il was his intention to
resign his Office in the navy depart
ment, in which he has gained high
honor but no pecuniary reward, the
salary being insufficient to meet the
necessary expenses attending the hold
ing Of the Office in Washington;-and
that he should seek the support of the
Vermont delegation for the succession
to Collector Merrill.
''There has been no dearth OF appli.
cants for the collectorship in both the
Vermont districts, two or three of
whom are strongly backed in the state
but 1t goes without saying that Mr.
Darling's excellent standing with the
Vermont delegation as we'll as with
the president is likely to make him
formidable candidate for the appoint
ment in the Vermont district"
The above reports in the upstate
papers came as surprise to Benning-
ton. Judge Darling was here over
Sunday but so far as the Banner can
learn did not tell anybody that he was
candidate for the place.
The fact that o. NJ. Barber, Judge
Darlings partner, is and has been for
some months q candidate for the posi-.
ton is what complicates the situation
in its local aspect especially.
The Banner this morning wired the
st Adams Messenger asking If its re-
port Is trustworthy. The Messenger
in reply telegraphed "the story is
authentic.
Those who know Judge Darling best
however, do not credit the story that,
under all the circumstances, he will
come into the contest. Mr. Barber,
when spoken to by representative of
the Banner said that he could not be- |
lieye that Judge Darling would be q
candidate against him.
IT has been suggested by friends Of |
both gentlemen that this report is a |
sort of feeler emanating from one OF
the aspiring candidates for governor
In 1906.
The Banner ventures the suggestion |
that if the motive OF the story be to |
disturb the present amicable political
conditions In Bennington county, It
will not succeed