Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-07-19

ba7t 1Eats mas been up 70 nigh mark
OF efficiency and whose record is moi
marred by incompetency or dishanor.
such are the candidates Of the Repub-
lean party. The opposition IS challenged
% point where any one Of them Is faint
cd with graft wrongdoing in public OF
private life, ineompetency as State ON
Gals. maladministration in any public
ONCE or derelictiOn OF any private duty.
II the Republican party has In all is
@V1 adherents within the boundaries
Iof Vermont seven men cleaner IN pri-
Vate morals, more honest In the perform
Iance Of public duty. more capable "a
htly administer the business Of the State.
more DESTROYS OF protecting and foster
ing the interests Of Vermont, more rep
resentative Of our cherished traditions.
more typical Of the character and genius
or our people. more expressive OF the
promise and prosperity and greatness OF
our State, then have our opponents in
deed failed to find and point them out.
They certainly will compare well with
the best public servants Vermont has
had In fifty years Of republican rule.
! VIII the republicans Of Vermont fail
TO support these candidates because Per
I cival W. Clement, with a consuming de-
sire 10 be governor. demands OF an In
/ telligent electorate that he be placed
Ia the governors chair? For what pur-
pose? What can or will he accomplish. IL
elected, except 10 destroy the Republican
party in the State? He does not say.
He claims these nominations are ma
chine" nominations. And yet not a dol
"a ina
more spontaneous call upon a man for
public office was ever heard In Vermont
than that which came to Fletcher d.
Proctor at the outset OF this CAMPAIGN.
Who among all the people Of Vermont
sought 20 contest with him the nominal
ton? Percival w. Clement who among
all our people questioned his ability,
branded him as an encourager OF graft
and dishonesty, denounced him as base
traficker Of honor for Office and traduced
him as a citizen and business man? Per-
cival w Clement. And why2 Not be-
cause Perciyal w. Clement is a man OF
greater ability, more sterling integrity,
higher honor, or stauncher republicanism
But because Percval w Clement wants
the Office OF governor and has failed 10
get It through the regular channel OF
party nom nation and selection. All that
Percival w Clement Is. politically, he
has gained by the positions OF trust and
honor conferred upon him by the Repub
lcan party which he now seeks TO over
throw and destroy The Republican party
elected him mayor Of Rutland. a repre-
sentative in the House and a member Of
the Senate in the general assembly Of
Vermont In all the years when he was
the eager recipient OF these honors at
the hands OF the Republican party he
discovered no graft, no machine" no
corruption. no traficking Of honor for
office, no incompetency. no blemish OF
any kind upon republican officeholders
or republican institutions. Now, to be
governor, he has deserted the men and
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 in
gratitude and disloyalty we protest that
Il Is not wise or commendable for loyal
to repudiate the principles
and candidates OF their party and follow
a leadership Of selfish ambition, personal
greed and destroying hate. There is no
issue IN Mr.. Clements candidacy. except
the issue OF person. His platform and
his utterances are intended TO destroy
and tear down, not to construct and
build up He denounces existing condi-
lions as evil and corrupt but suggests
no definite method OF lettering them. He
alleges all sorts OF wrongs but offers no
specific remedies He charges mlsgovern-
ment but .ails utterly 10 verify HIS dec
larations.
We appeal to the sound reason and
sober sense Of all good citizens OF Yer
mont who love our State and our insti-
tutions to weigh carefully and well the
two men and what they represent.
Pericval W. Clement now heads the
democratic State ticket. He has secured
mat nomination not because the demo-
cratic convention endorses him or what
he represents. but because II expects to
make more havoc in republican ranks and
attain nearer to the destruction OF our
party than II could possibly hope TO
accomplish by nominating a democrat 10
the Office. CIR Clement has sold his
as a republican, repudiated the
that has repeatedly honored
him with Office. thrown away the prin-
,iples and policies he has advocated and
voted for all his life and reasonably
renowned his allegiance to his party TO
he end that he may sit in the governors
hair at Montpelier. To every man hon
st with himself this will appeal with |
conviction as "trafficing |
honor for office" to the extreme limit Of
he business.
Mr.. Clement four years ago went before
he people OF Vermont with an issue. IL
: true that the republican platform OF
nat year promised to give Vermont a
ocal option law. but Mr.. Clement and
lis supporters claimed they had reason |
to believe that the. Republican party
would not do what Il promised In its
platform. Many good and sincere men
leld to that belief. but the night was
Won and the party Immediately carried
,ut its platform pledges and enacted that /
aw and many others which il promised. /
Mr. Clement himself then came back
q the party and asked the privilege
n contributing TO the success OF the
icket in 1904: he was accorded that privi-
eye. and went about the State advoeat-