Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-05-31
THE CLEMENT IDEA.

nington idea" has become the "Clem'
ent idea The ''yoice Of Jacob" was
noticeable all the time in this little
bit Of specious stage play. Nobody
has been fooled. Clements purpose,
framed as soon as he became aware OF
the attitude held toward him by the
great mass OF Republicans, was to
seek cover in the last ditch and keep
up the fight against Proctor as an IN
dependent, hoping for some combina-
ton of his forces with the Democrats
that would make the movement rather
more than a forlorn hope. All this pc
titioning OF Clement to run as an indie
northumberland for effect and
merely TO afford him an excuse for do
ing that which he had already deter
mined to do-was but dust blown into
the eyes of the public, but which OBJ
scured nobody's vision.
Mr. Clement has a legal right 10
step out OF the Republican party and
fight Il il he wants to. There is no
sealing for ''time and eternity Of Re-
publicans to the principles and prac-
fices OF their organization. And a
fusion with the Democrats, though
probably difficult OF accomplishment,
is quite the natural, rational and logi-
cal course. On state issues, wherein
does Mr.. Clement differ from the Dem
ocrats? He believes, heart and soul,
in license-local option. and was its
disciple; the Democrats had advocated
such system for generation. He
denounces the administration of YER
mont's affairs as wasteful, corrupt and
vicious so do the Democrats, and
have for years. In fact, Clement
stands for everything OF state import
ance that the Democrats have always
stool for, and attacks the Republican
party in its principles and practices,
as they have done. lie has taken up
the thunder that the Democrats have
stormed the Republican position with
for fifty years, during much of With
period he has voted and worked with
the Republican party No longer ago
than two years he sought to buy his
peace with it by subscribing to the
state campaign fund and appearing on
the stump for its ticket and platform.
What has happened since 10 change
his allegiance? Merely this, that
whereas he hoped to restore himself 10
Republican regularity and thereby
promote his own ambitions, he finds
that hope disappointed. So he takes
up the only remaining weapon and de-
cides to 90 ii independently His
loyalty to party doesn't hold him
minute when it crosses his ambition
and his personal hatred of Proctor, the
prospective candidate. This is all
there is to it, or else Clement was a
deceiver two years ago when he adj
vised voters to help the party that he
now turns his back upon and assails.
Only last fall Mr.. Clement. in an
nouncing himself as a candidate for
the governorship, said be should 90
in as Republican. Last week, in
declaring his intention to run indie
pendenily, he excused his change of
purpose by assigning the alleged
failure OF the caucus law as the chief
factor.
The caucus law is now on trial. 1t
was passed in response to an over
whelming sentiment in the state, in
the creation of which Mr. Clement
himself took leading pant. But
there his interest ceased. Nobody
representing him ever suggested any
caucus law. and what was done finally
came about without his co-operat on,
or even his opposition. He simply
Gid nothing. The present law was
framed without any purpose or desire
to benefit any party or anybody
politically, but merely to insure purity
in primaries, and participation there
in by those who properly belong there.
Il is still too early to say whether
the law in operation is a success or a /
failure. Mr.. Clement exaggerates
the number Of voters who cannot take
part in the caucuses through failure
10 declare themselves. "A large ma
jority- does not ignore the law. Tie
majority is the other way Republi-
cans. especially. have declared them
selves very generally, in most sections.
But because. for various reasons not
hard to seek. there is a small registra-
tion in some places, a pretext-and 3
most welcome one-is afforded to Mr.
o.