Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1906-07-13

the party who have so often hOnored |
him and denounces these same men and |
this same party as guilty of every posi-
BILE lapse of public and private duty |
With all due respect for the genius of
his ingratitude and disoyalty, we protest
that it is not wise or commendable, for
loyal republicans to Repudate the princ-
pies and candidates of their party and
follow leadership of selfish ambition,
personal greed and destroying hate.
There is no issue in Mr.. Clements can
didacy, except the issue of person. His
platform and his utterances are intended
to destroy and tear down, not to construct
and build mp. He denounces existing
conditions as evil and corrupt but sug-
gests no definite method of lettering
them. He alleges all sorts of wrongs but
offers no specific remedies. He charges
misgovernment but fails utterly to verify
his declarations.
We appeal to the sound reason and
sober sense of all good citizens of Yer
mont who love our State and our institu-
tions to weigh carefully and well the
two men and what they represent.
| Perciva w. Clement now heads the
Democratic State ticket. He has secured
that nomination not because the Demo-
cratic convention endorses him or what
he represents, but because it expects to
makeimore havoc in Republican ranks
and attain nearer to the destruction of
our party than it could possibly hope to
accomplish by nominating Democrat to
the office. Mr.. Clement has sold his
birth-right as a Republican, repudiated
the organization that has repeatedly
honored him with Office, thrown away
the principles and policies he has advo-
Gated and voted for all his life and trea-
sonably renounced his allegiance to his
party that he may sit in the governors
chair at Montpelier. To every man
honest with himself this will appeal with
over-powering conviction as ''trafficing
honor for office" to the extreme limit of
the business.
Mr.. Clement four years ago went be-
fore the people of Vermont with an issue
1t is true that the Republican platform of
that year promised to give Vermont a
local option law, but Mr.. Clement and
his supporters claimed they had reason to
believe that the Republican party would
not do what it promised in its platform,
Many good and sincere men held to that
believe, but the fight was won and the
party Immediately carried out its plat
form pledges and enacted that law and
many others which it promised. Mr..
Clement himself then came back to the
party and asked the privilege of contribu-
ting to the success of the ticket in 1904 {;
he was accorded that privilege, and went
about the State advocating the election
of the Republican State ticket and advis-
ing his friends everywhere to support
the Republican platform and the Republi-
can nominations. He had no use for the
democracy of Vermont in 1904. His
friends did come back and Governor Bell
was elected by more than 80, 900 plurality.
Mr.. Clement by his every act and word
admitted that the Republican party had
met his wishes and redeemed its pledges
by enacting INTO law the reforms he had
demanded.
When il became evident that Mr..
Clement could not secure the Republican
nomination for governor in 1906 and that
the prize would go to man whom ne
viewed as a personal enemy, Mr.. Clement
Immediately commenced campaign for
himself which has resulted in his becom.
ing the candidate of the Democratic
party, and he is now asking his Republic
, can friends to again retrnce their steps
and follow him, without an issue save
personal hatred of Fletcher ID Proctor
into the Democratic camp. Many good
men followed him out of the Republican
party in 1902 because he had an issue il
which they believed; they followed hin
back to the Republican party in 190-
< because he assured them that he wal
t satisfied with the party and its platform
and he had no issue to raise against it
now he asks them to follow him out o
the party again because, while he has NJ
1 issue, he does harbor personal ill-feelinl
of many years standing against tn,
= Republican candidate which he hopes Il
., .tl, LA hnIx g L.. ST. L. :,
this campaign.
c This is the sum and substance of Mr.
Clements position today. Does it appea
to Republicans as worthy of support? |.
this the kind of man that right-mindeC
Republicans and Democrats should cleo
: to the Office highest in the gift of on
= people? Can you trust man of sucl
character to administer the affairs o
our state: Does he come up to thu
, standard of the long line of governor
= who for more than fifty years have sheC
= lustre upon the Office and made honor
able the history of Vermont?
. We counsel the people of Vernon
S that integrity of purpose, fidelity to higl
e ideals and Jealous regard for the interest
f of all Vermonters as eXemplified in tn
life of Fletcher ID. Proctor and person.
fed in all the candidates nominated a
" Montpelier on June 20, 1906, is far NOR
b to be desired than all else and we appea
G with confidence to the intelligent voter
of Vermont to rebuke at the polls in
most mastery manner the presumption
i of ignorance and venality in our electo
: rate which is the bulwark and basis o
T. the Clement propaganda and by an old
time Republican majority declare thei
1 respect for the past, their regard for tn
present and their confidence in the futur
honor and intanrity of nur halouad Statn