Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-07-06
BRATTLEBoRo, FRIDAY. JULY 0, 1906
The Fusion Opportunity.


dissatisfaction which is due wholly to
the unjust and arbitrary policy of the
state organization of the party. Good
republican citizens of Vermont have
long been tired (although some are still
dscreetly concealing their weariness)
of having the political affairs of the
state manipulated to meet the demands
of personal interests, however worthy
those interests may be or however ably
they may be made to cooperate with
state interests. They are also disgust
ed with the system of loose and ex-
travagant management of the state s
business which is the natural outcome
of the usurpation of popular rights by
ring power.
In the fusion movement, resulting
last week in the nomination at Burling-
ton of an ACCOMPLISHMENTS state
ticket, the citizens of Vermont have
a favorable opportunity to throw off
this usurping power and clear the state
field for reforms which shall be some
thing more than occasional forced con-
cessions. The fusion movement is a
legitimate one, based on state issues
only, and demanding no sacrifice of
principle or self-respect. 1t is a tenn
porary union of voting power for the
general good. The exaggerated ridicule
of the machine republicans, who are
quick to perceive in this coalition the
great danger to their dominion, can not
make it anything disreputable or un-
wise; but if dissatisfied republicans let |
the cunning gibes of their opponents
undermine their courage and shake
their honest conviction, they will have
to resign themselves thereafter to con.
tinued dissatisfaction and multiplied
injustice.
The platform of the Proctor party is
a firm endorsement of past policies and
pledge of their future continuance.
Its only concession to popular senti-
ment is its admission of the success in
Vermont of the practical application
of the local option-license law. By
this admission it endorses the wisdom
of P. w. Clement, the leader of the
fusion forces, who was the author of
the measure and to whose influence its
adoption was largely due, If Mr., !
Clement, as an unsuccessful candidate,
was able to bring about this important
state reform, may we not reasonably J.,
expect him to accomplish much more of &
state benefit as our chief executivei Il
The platforms of the Independent
and democratic parties, given in full n
deal entirely with state t
needs and cover the ground in a thor v
ough and businesslike way that indi-
Gates the knowledge born of rough and :
extended experience. They are able $
expressions of the popular discomfort n
at existing conditions, by means of =
of urgent state needs. |,
No apology need be made for any of Il
the names on the fusion ticket. They n
represent group of men as able and o
as honorable as those on the straight ;,
republican ticket and who will more W
over, we believe, serve their state bet Il
Ter upon opportunity; for in addition y
10 ability, they have demonstrated their =,
great courage in undertaking the fusion D
light against political combine. Cour- a
,ge will be indispensable in the ac- IL
of the reforms Vermont :. =,
leeds. cl
The fusion movement in Vermont Of ca
'ers a great opportunity for political e. 5,
freedom. 1t stands a good chance of :,
success, as is shown by the state vote Vi
our years ago when Clement was a ii
.andidate against Mccullough and Nc.
tettrick. Mccullough s total vote was &c
i 1854, while Clement had 2S,20l Nc
fettrick, democrat, had 1864 and Sher-
,urne, prohibitionist, 2,49S, and there tt
we're eight scattering. 1t is true that ~ =,
he vote for Clement in 1902 was in a GO
measure local option-hcense vote; but nc
What he may lose this year through the m
bsance IF tba+ issno nav be mara +ban lii
ffset by the republican protest which :,
will be recorded against the lineal de-
cendant of the ruling house, as =,
'presumptive legatee of his father S >
enatorship" and candidate who is -
believed, although according y
0 his own statement, unjustly, to favor :.
he local option-license law as a matter :.
f policy while being himself strong ~ ~
CLEVER in prohibition.
The success of the organized endeav-
r to defeat the "ring' must now de- -
end upon the character of the individ- !.
al citizen. He can vote for what he ~ ~,
perhaps retly-wants, -,
r he can cringe beneath the party e.
hip which, with its various lashes Of
hreat, ridicule and cajolery, will be
igorously applied. There is no ques- ne
ion as to what the majority of Yer tel
lont voters want Whether they get un
or not depends upon the quality of !"
heir own courage. De
I'll
The Milk Supply. fly
The last quarterly bulletin of the pc