Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-07-13
sRATTIEBoRo, FRIDAY. JULY Is, 100
Evasion by Protest.

Inc repuDncah state comhii'tec mas
opened headquarters at Burlington and
is busily preparing for the fray Its
chairman, Thad NJ. Chapman, is no
novice at political campaigning and
some interesting manoeuvres may con-
fidently be expected. Last week the
committee issued statement to voters
as a sort of foundation for the public
confidence with which it doubtless
hopes TO fortify the position Of its
army.
In this statement the committee re.
views the issues (') of the campaign
and the good points of its party candi-
dates, protesting strenuously against
the possible imputation of graft, in
competency or wrong doing of any
kind to any one of them.
Then it goes on to roast Mr.. Clement,
his purposes and political history. Mr..
Clement, we are told, has "consum-
ing desire'' to become governor and
if elected he will destroy the republi-
can party in the state;" Mr.. Clement
has also "branded," denounced "
and "traduced the Proctor candidate
and sought to contest his nomination
although emo more spontaneous call
upon man for public Office was ever
heard in Vermont than that which came
- ut ha IF
this campaign" Furthermore the re-
publican party has honored and trusted
Mr.. Clement in the past and he repays
this preference with ingratitude and
disloyalty. The committee protests
against following in the state of Mr..
Clements Leadership of selfish am
bition, personal greed and destroying
hate"
Throughout the course of this warm
and emphatic protest for the party
platform and candidates and against
the fusion movement with everything
"touchin on and appertainin there
to" the real issue of the campaign is
skillfully avoided. The "good citizens
Of Vermont who love our state" to
whom the committee appeals, will ask
themselves, after reading the estate
ment," "Why all this protest' Me-
thinks he doth protest too much -
No citizen of Vermont is disposed to
criticise the republican platform or the
men on the republican ticket. They
are ready to acknowledge, with some
notifications, the claims made by the
committee in this direction
As to Mr.. Clement, his personality,
his history and his ambitions are not
of paramount Importance to the people
of Vermont. Mr.. Clement is not an
issue at stake for them, although they
have one. To them Mr.. Clement is a
man of great executive ability and
power whom they hope to use for the
good of the state. He may have
consuming desire" to be governor and
also to beat Proctor, but then-Fletch-
er Proctor has also consuming de.
sire" to be governor and to beat Glenn
ent, so the public can find no practical
profit in either comparison or criticism ,
of motives.
The people of Vermont want the priv :
ilege Of running their own state affairs.
They do not want any person or COM
bination of persons to dictate policies a
and nominations years ahead and they i
10 not believe that hereditary power, t
even Of the most able and benefcent e
kind, is desirable in popular govern I
nent. d
The election of Mr.. Clement will not p
destroy the republican party" (the t.
grand old party" is not so feeble as d
his absurd assertion would make it) G.
,ut it may wrest forever from the Il
lands that have too long welded it II
he control of Vermont politics. This e
s what the people of the state want. tt
This is the issue of the campaign. u
What the "statement" of the repub- tt
lean committee claims for the repub
lean platform and candidates may be
laimed with equal accuracy for the ",
usion platforms and candidates. The st
emocratic and Independent platforms tt
over a wider range Of state reforms a
han that of the republicans, being a .,
opular expression of state needs in D,
tead of an abridged concession to state D
The men on the fusion tick tl
t, brief sketches of whose lives are IN
iven elsewhere .in this issue, are as m
BILE and experienced men of the world al
nd as honorable and as honored citi- he
ems in their own communities as those wi
HON the committee challenges the OPP tb
osition to impeach. They are free GA
nd untrammeled by obligations to
boss" rule. They will do their best
, serve the people who elect them. GU
Political freedom: This is the issue st,
hich the republican state committee ce
as ignored in its protestations. But pa
le citizens of Vermont, docile and BIO
pathetic as they appear, will not ig- is
IRE this issue on election day. Their on
-ievance is one of long standing and of
ley will not miss the opportunity Of en-
red them in fusion. On
n