St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1906-03-14

Hindley- Clement Gospel Not the Gospel
OF Truth" The subject matter OF the
CALEDoNIAN'S discussion was a state
ment in one of the sermons" put out by
the Clement Literary Bureau relating to
caucus reform and caucus legislation IN
1902. The sermon set up, among other
things, that P. W. Clements platform
claimed a sort Of propr etorship oil
caucus reform.
In the sermon is asked this question:
"What happened to caucus reform, the
twin Clement plank in the same plat
form? Smothered, sidetracked, pigeon
holed-and why? Because the bosses
thought they could do it safely" To
this very general charge the CALIFORNIAN
demurred, and asked the manager OF the
Literary Bureau to prove his statements;
it challenged him to produce the roll call
on caucus legislation in 1902. The ST.
| Tohnsbury contemporary went even a
step further and had the audacity to say
| that the Bureaus statements were
untrue.
1t is true that Mr.. Clement in his
somewhat spectacular campaign OF 1902
preached caucus reform; it is equally true
that so far as evidence or argument in
the case has come to light, the Clement
effort Tor caucus reform ended with his
platform preachments. For, to the
~ALEDoNIAN's challenge to produce the
roll call and to point out the Clement
men who favored caucus legislation, the
manager of the Literary Bureau replies
evasively.
He lodges the question completely and
seeks refuge behind a cloud of dust raised
by his own stampings. Mr.. Hndley
scores the ST. Johnsbury paper because
it mentions his name dozen times and
reminds the CALIFORNIAN that he, Mr..
Hindlev, is not a candidate for Office. He
calls the attack vicious and vituperative,
he cracks few jokes, says the bill tor
caucus reform was corpse, ETC., and is
glad that the Clement men and demo.
Gratis defeated it.
The News, in common with Others, ex-
pected more candid and business like re-
spouse from the Clement Literary Bureau,
provided any reply at all was made. 10
set up the cry that the Bureau is i'm
personal, that the name OF its manager
has been proianed dc zen times, that a
good clean straightforward challenge is
vicious and vtuperative, to founder in
lot OF funnyisms, does not, it seems to
us, controvert the CALEDoN1AN's asser.
ton of untruth.
1t is more than half believed that if that
caucus reform roll call is ever published
it won't be brought out by the Literary
Bureau.
After an assertion like that made in the
sermon referred to, that first drew fire
from the St. Johnsbury contemporary,
it is only lair that the voters of Yer.
mont, whose suffrages the Bureau was
esta blished to secure, should be made
acquainted with all that Mr.. Clement
or his followers did to secure caucus re-
form in 1902.
The reply that the bills which were
presented were bad specimens and ought
to be killed hardly seems to answer the
question, when supported by nothing
more substantial than the statement to
that effect Of a somewhat angered and
fairly well cornered manager OF the
Bureau.
1t would seem to The News that the
CALIFORNIAN is in very fair position to
deliver this ultlmatum. Literary Bureau,
produce your bills and your call roll, or
quit Haunting Mr.. Clement as the
apostle of caucus reform in Vermont
Rutland News.