Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-05-25
MerrlfleId's Candidacy.
Montpelier Journal

Politics is in the air. Everywhere work
Is being done by candidates for state and
county Offices While many candidates
are sending out letters asking for support
and are hobnobbing around and pulling
wires to get votes in their favor, there is
one man so quiet and modest in his meth
DDS that you would not know he was in a
race at all. 1t is the man who has never
asked a man to vote for him in his life.
Hon. John H. Merrifeld of Newfane, who
is candidate for the lieutenant governor
ship.
Mr.. Merrifield announced a long time
ago, when queried upon the question of
his candidacy for the Office he seeks. that
he would consider 1t a great honor If the
people saw fit to elect him but that he
would not make a canvass in his own be-
half nor ask any one to vote for him.
This is a peculiar method of politics and
is becoming nearly eXtant although other
candidates for other offices, in other
places and at other times, have made the
same announcement. Sometimes the word
has been kept, generally it has been
broken. Mr. Merrileld stands today
candidate for lieutenant governor and
stands upon the same ground that he did
then. He is a candidate and intends to
stay in the race but he is not sending out
any letters asking for his support neither
is he, nor has he BEEN working personally
in his own behalf. He was recently asked
why he did not do something and send
out letters as others are doing to help
along his candidacy. He replied that he
had said in the first place that he would
not do 1t and he intended to keep his
word. He said that he never had asked
for votes and that he could not do it
any way.
Really if John Merrifeld did start in
any campaign of that kind he would be
acting unnaturally. He is of a modest
disposition by nature and thus far has
been consistent. He has not made him
self obnoxious to the public in any way.
He served his apprenticeship in the mi
nor appointive offices of the House and
did his work so we'll and faithfully that
his town honored him with an election
as representative so that the House
might confer upon him the leadership of
that body. In that capacity he did his
work with care ever anxious to give a
square deal to everyone and to do 1t with
consideration For second time he was
chosen to the Office on the merits of his
past judgment and efficiency.
Now, in the announcement or his can
didacy for the lieutenant governorship,
he simply places himself before the peo-
pie on his past record. He is just the
same John Merrifeld whom you knew as
clerk. as speaker, as county clerk. He
does not want to be anything else fol-
any Office or personal ambition. He
would consider II an honor If the people
saw fit to elect him their lieutenant gov
ernor. At any rate he would be nothing
more than his natural self. Defeat oil
victory will be accepted gracefully fol
he has entered the race as himself EN-,
ploying his own natural methods anc
feels honorable in that he has. not at
tempted to do anything which betray'
his nature Without the slightest insin
uation of dishonesty or anything against
any other candidates for this office Of
any other as some papers have seen n
to interpret the continued use OF the nam'
the people have thrust upon him, he II
the same Honest John" Merriheld.
Mr. Merrifield is a candidate. Do no
think that because you have not re
ceived any letters asking support ina
your vote for him will be useless. Hi
campaign must be waged by the people
themselves, who love him and think tina
he would make a good lieutenant govern
or yes, a good governor In case OF TN
death of the chief executive. HIS can
didacy is without organization or persona
appeal He stands by himself