Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-04-13
NO. Is
Mr. MerrIfieId and the Lieutenant Cow
ernorshlp.

ernorShlp.
If the men that have been intimately
associated with Mr.. Merrifeld in his pub
lie offices and who know him through and
through are willing to come forward and
bear witness to bis capacity for the in
itiative, for keen, discriminating judg-
ment, alert grasp of the situation, firm
decision, in short, for the possession OF
those qualities of constructive states
manship and courageous executive con-
troll and independence that should be re-
quired OF the man who may at any mo-
ment be summoned by the death of his
superior to assume the office of governor
of the state-this paper will be glad to
give all publicity in its power to their
testimony. Certainly the advocacy of Mr..
Merriheld's candidacy for such high Of
flee must rest upon more substantial basis
than the mere claim that he is honest
Let us have bill of particulars.
The Messenger renews its expressions Of
cordial good will toward Mr.. Merrifield,
but suggests to his friends that the lieu
tenant-governorship of Vermont is too i'm
pOrtant an office to be disposed of through
mere good-natured countenancing of any
mans ambition. There should be some
good reason why man Is chosen to that
office. What are Mr.. Merri1eld's partic-
ular qualifications for t7 Would he make
a good man for governor II through any
mischance that office should be vacated
during his term? If we ourselves are to
be as honest" toward the state as Mr..
Merrifields friends claim he is toward
everybody, we must not dispose of this
office to any person that cannot respond
to this test.-[St. Adams Messenger.
One of the strong points to be urged in
favor of the candidacy of John H. Mer-
rifield for the lieutenant governorship is
that he is full governorship calibre. In
fact he is several sizes larger in all es-
canffa1 una1fdra fioue ",
than the men who have filed the exec
utive's chair in the past two decades, with
only two or three exceptions. The Mes
senger may not be anxious to acknowl-
edge that Mr. Merrifield stands far above
| the last governor who came out of Frank
lin county in the qualities required in a
states chief executive, but we have little
! question what the opinion Of the state at
large would be on this point. Mr.. Merri-
| fields trump card would not be his 'in-
itiative"-a term which is used to cover a
whole field of generalties. Initiative
! might mean advocating the sale of the
states good name for financial returns, a
sort of birthrlght and mess of pottage
transaction, of which p w. Clement is,
we believe, an exponent. Mr.. Merrifield
would be safe and sane in his action, a
man who could be depended upon, and
one possessing solid rather than pyrotech-
mic qualities.
Anyone who knows Mr. Merriheld rec
ognizes his keen, discriminating judg-
ment, alert grasp of the situation and
firm decision" A governor does not have
much opportunity to display his CON
| structive statesmanship" He is the ex-
ecutive. and his Constructive statesman
ship" cannot go beyond making recon-
mendations to the legislature or using the
right of veto. AS to courageous exec
utive control and independence Mr. Mer-
riheld viii rank with any man. He is in
dependent to the extent that nothing can
swerve him from what he believes to be
his duty.
Mr.. Merrifeld has never sought public
Office, but he has had the advantage Of
training in matters of legislation which
few men possess. Through long term of
years he has filled conscientiously and
ably such positions as assistant clerk of
the house, clerk, representative, sena-
tor, county clerk, and two terms as
speaker of the house. He is so unosten-
tatious that a person who does not know
him well does not realize the clarity and
strength OF his character. He is a man
of the people, who has always filed with
acceptance any trust that has come to
him. and he is worthy OF higher honors.
No public utterances that have been heard
in Vermont in years excel in fitness-com-
bining pointedness and felicity of express
sion-Mr. Merriheld's two acknowledge
! ments to the house on his elections to the
speakership The Messenger has done a
good service in pointing out the possibility
that lieutenant governor may become
, governor for none of the candidates men,
toned except Mr.. Merriheld would be
: likely to be considered for the higher Of
I fee.