The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-08-09
Hard to Tell Just How Wash
iRgton County Will Vote
ARE MANY NEW VOTERS
But in the Face Of This Frank Howe
Cannot See How Proctor Can Ex-
pect Majority Many
Rallies Arranged.


county IL the hardest county in the
eastern half Of Vermont on which to
form d political opinion in the present
campaign. II i the most popnlous
county On this side Of the state, and
probably has more new voters every
two years than all the other eastern
counties combined. Moreover, it has a
larger independent vote and it is the
least strongly welded in the matter Of
party Affiliations. The Democrats, too,
here are more numerous than in any
other eastern county, and the union la-
Dor vote ID larger and steadily increas-
ing.
-Four years ago Washington county
gaze Clement over 2,s00 votes and Me-
Gcttrick over 800, or 4,200 for the
two candidates. Mccullough got only
$500 in the county III will thus be
seen that II Clement can hold anywhere
near the Republican vote that he polled
III 1902, and at the same time get the
bulk Of the Democrat vote, he can carry
the county easily OF course at that
time he had the strength Of the local
option issue, which is now matter Of
history, and win not help him much this
year. except in the way of friends II
made for him In bis previous campaign.
His new issues seem to have been slow
~ III getting before the people here than
elsewhere, and think that the cam
..tT 80 "a - tl4nI.,
TO make more changes in Washington
than in the more conservative coun-
ties
In this county Clement has against
him some az the most astute politicians
in the state. and they have been shrewd
enough To win back in to the party
ranks good share Of the leaders Of
the Clement movement in Washington
county four years ago. There has been
no talk Of "renegades,s or broken faith,
and in some instances il has been made
an object to them TO get back in line
and on record for the party organiza-
tion, and today the Clement strength
N thr county seems to be among the
Republicans though the Democratic or
ganization is stronger and more aggres-
Siye probably than ever before.
The fusion ticket in this county Is to
all intents and purposes Democratic, as
the Independent party Of Republicans
have the small end Of it and are not
as infuentially represented as IN most
of the other counties. The effect OF
this Il 10 weaken the chances of the
Clement county ticket. and il does not
appear TO stand much show Of election
Even in Barre, where Clement and Pape
are particularly strong, / have been re-
peatedIy informed that a large proper.
tion OF the Clement and Pape vote will
90 to the Republican county ticket. a
Barre man heads both the Republican
and the fusion county tickets. G. w
Afeicher, candidate for senator on the
fusion ticket, i the president Of one
barre bank, and II ts Rowland. who
leads the senatorial ticket ON the Re
publican side, il cashier Of the other
Barre national bank. Thus, between
the two tickets in the largest town OF
the county, there is not only Clement
and Proctor and the Republican and
Democratic issue, but there is also bank
and business rivalry warm enough to
create considerable feeling.
Four years ago, Barre voted more
than two one in favor Of Clement, and
| ii pape can hold the labor vote for the
head OF his ticket Barre is likely 70 be
overwhelming in the same direction this
year. Here in Montpelier, however
Clement is not as strong as he was in
1902 In the Mad river valley town
Including Fayston Warren, Waitsfield
aud Moretown. the farmers are said tc
be showing considerable inclination tow.
ards Clement, and the Republican organ
izati0n is putting in some work there
In fact ain inclined TO believe that al
through the state the Rutland candi.
date will make little better showing
IN the rural districts than he did be
fore. The talk OF increased state ex,
penses IS Just the kind to scare the av
erage farmer who has about all th,
tax burden he can stagger under already
and many Of them say openly that
while they don't understand how Glenn
ent can help them any, they are per
fectly willing he should try.
The talk of "too much Proctor /.
also quite potent in this section, where
the leayen Of union labor is constantly
working. 1t is not that they love Clcm
ent more, but Proctor less The Re
publican campaign committee has from
five to ten rallies week scheduled il
this county from now until the end oI
the campaign, which shows that they
arc somewhat worried over the situation
On the whole / do not see how Proctor
can expect q majority in Washington
county.
Frank +, Howe.
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