Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-08-18
What About TT

The News heartily agrees with the ST.
Albans Messenger when it says;
why not spend little time talking
over some suggestions OF improvement
in our government institutions and policy?
What about the steady increase in state
expenses, for instance? Why not be
honest with ourselves as Republicans
and dig down into some OF these things
with intent to learn the truth about them
and profit by it in future party policy?
Such things are vastly more important
to the people OF Vermont than to be told
that somebody will turn the state bottom
side up in the chase for Proctor's scalp
just to pay back some old score"
Just here the News would like to en-
quire If the esteemed st. Albans neigh
Dor does not think that the work it sug-
gests would be encouraged If the would
be-candidates for the governorship would
at the proper time declare for some OF
the things that in their opinion would
help Vermont; and also take a decided
stand upon some of the leading public
questions?
OF course IL is not necessary for any
afraid Of the-dark politician or news
paper to tell the people or even the News.
that the governor does not make the laws.
Supposing, however, when the proper time
arrives that the candidates for governor,
be they few or many were to frankly
state to the people, through the press
that they would like to be the next gov
ernor; If they said that they were not
urged into It by a great wave of enthu-
siasm from one end of the state to the
other, they probably would not need to
go to the trouble to prove 1t, in order to
have the statement believed.
If these candidates made the plain
proposition that they aspired to the
nomination for the governorship and
then briefly but with more than glitter
ing generalities, stated where they stood
on questions affecting the interests of
Vermont, like state expenses, capital pun
ishment, labor laws, liquor question, etc,
would not these matters at once become
an issue?
Would not the weaklings among the
aspirants go out of sight mighty quick?
Would not the stronger men be recog-
nized as leaders who lead, and gain the
respect of the voters, even though there
might and undoubtedly would be excep-
tions taken to some OF the views eX-
pressed?
Would not the candidate or Candidates
with pronounced views on state questions
soon have a strong following and a large
influence in forming the party platforms?
Not only this, but would not the candi-
date who won the nomination under such
conditions be more than likely to have
SNApH6 SdPPOiN 1lllOiiB hilS AlSHpSlS VI ll6
legislature-men chosen because they
were in accord with the ideas propounded
by the leader?
With the Inauguration of such a chief
executive and such a Legislature, is it not
more than probable that a few things Of
value TO the state would result? That a
little more progress would be made in the
advancement Of the public interests Of
Vermont?
The old school politicians, many of them
at least will regard such enquiries as
visionary. In fact this class knows of no
way of doing things other than sticking
tight TO the fence until they are abso-
lutely certain that the political program
has been completed and is unalterable-
and then jumping into the ring and
throwing up their hats higher than any
body else. The reply Of this crowd to
these suggestions is known in advance.
But what does the progressive press,
of which the Messenger is leader, say
about it? What do active, influential
citizens who have proved in many ways
their devotion to their state-men like
Dillingham;, Foster, Barber, DeBoer, the
Proctors, Webb, Bacon, Clement, Plum
ley, Fleetwood, Emery, Graham Bell
Page, Nlerrill, Stearns, Webb, Martin
Darling. Fits, Stanton, Howland, Cush-
man, Platt, Dale and a hundred Others
whose names will readily occur to
anyone familiar with the active pub
lie men of the state-what do they say
about It?