Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-09-13

favor, had been RISING.
What aid Tuesday mean In the political
history Of the countryf DID It mean that
the radical tide has spent its forceP Do
II mean, as President Roosevelt warned
the country IN his ~"muck-rake" speech
that tho Anthony Comstooks Of politics
have been OVERRIDING their work Of ex-
posure. and by confusing the innocent
| with the guilty, and outrageously lying
against public men of usefulness and
probity, nave started a reaction which
has tho American sense of fair play as
It's motive?
There are indications that give some
color to this Inference. undertaking. as
a means of money-makins. is not what 1t
used to he. Some Of the muck-rakers
have changed their occupation. Even
Hearst Sings small. and in his Syracuse
speech suddenly appears in the garb OF
n near-conservative. Only Bryan. who
has got out OF touch with the currents OF
sentiment In his stay abroad. sounds the
radical note in his quest of popularity,
and the chorus of protest from his own
party against mis- government ownership
programme Is almost deafe,ing.
A LINGERING "REMINISCENCES.
(From the Morrisville News and C1tizen.)
Wonder now what Mayor Burke thinks
OF getting into bed with "the arch
CRATER"
a dispatch from Morrisville to the Rut-
land Herald September 2, said: Norris
Vile, Stowe and Hyde Park will go for
fusion and the county will give Glenn
ent a small majority" That was "A
prophecy that failed to matcrialize. Those
three towns. as well as the entire county,
went for fusion hammer and tongs.'
1t went for it so cleverly that we think
Il will never come to the surface again.
A MAN WITHOUT AN ISSUE.
(From the Barre Times)
The tremendous slump Of Clement from
his support of four years ago. as shown
by the election of Tuesday. is accounted
for by the one fact that in 1902 he was
sustained by a real issue, while this veal
he depended upon a more or less fiinsy
structure ctured to fortify his per
sonal ambition to be governor of Yer
mont. Four years ago Clement woult
have been successful If he ever was t.
, be successful in Vermont politics. for ther
: he had a platform which would beal
I weight. Coming at a period whom th'
"a was Wv 'hAS h@'''D ~
r dealing with the liquor question, his loca
I option issue was of para mount import
. ance. The voters of the State seized tn
Issue with aviuity and Clement cam
r near disrupting the Republican party
causing the election of governor to b.
= thrown into a thoroughly republican Leg
0 ~islature. The result of the Legislative cleo
t ton could admit of no doubt. and j. g
: Mccullough was made the choice. But !
was a mighty upheaval that Clemen
= treated the dominant party to, so might,
n in fact, that the party lost little time Il
r attaching itself to the new issue. as mucI
1 in fear of, as through favor of it.
Thus robbed of his main prop. Clemen
= again entered the contest four years later
, fiEuratively with his wings clipped. Cast
= ing about for a political lever, he attache
to himself one Of the brightest and mos
= capable of the young men Of the democ
r racy and got the young mans party I
give him its endorsement. 1t was n goo
Z political move for Clemeut but even tina
a was not sufficient to lift him out of tn
T depths into which the Republican part
threw him when it stole his local optic
!, issue. That Mr.. Pape brought strength
j. the fusion movement is not to be doubted
c for his sympathy with labor union move
ments was necessary to counteract what
ever suspicion union men may nave ha
of the sincerity of Clements intention!
But thus reinforced, there was yet moth
ing which could yeally be called an ISSUE
y And of what avail Is personal arphitio
e in assailing a half-ccntury intrenche
g party? To fight successfully the caud
date must show the voters that he ha
soTnething TO offer them. This Clemer
did not do-much In contrast to hts can
paign of four years ago. Thus fell III
man without a real issue; and that e,
l. plains II all.