St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1907-03-13
PRESS COMMENT.
Local Option a Success.

The city and town elections in Yer
mont followed by a day those of Maine,
but showed a much less significant de
parture from the normal in the matter OF
votes. There was a conspicuous reduc-
ton in the number of places voting for
license. Only three of the cities, Ben
nington, Rutland and st. Adams
declared for it, and something over a
score of towns. This is healthy move
ment and a complete vindication of the
local option plan. 1t gives every place
opportunity to say what it wants and
that privilege carries with it the as
surance that the citizens will enforce
what they have declared for, great
deal better because it is their own YER
dict, than though they had to conform
to restrictions superimposed by an out
side authority When the local option
law was first established, the novelty
was so great after a half century of
prohibition that about a hundred towns
and cities awaited themselves of their
new privilege to test license, This year
the whole number is only about
quarter as large. An unexpected shift
to the license column was that of Nor
witch, which not only has college of its
own, where Admiral Dewey and Others
known to fame were formerly students,
but it stands Just across the river from
Dartmouth College, which for the last
fifteen years has boosted that no intOXi-
eating liquors were sold within thirty
miles of that institution. Still it is not
likely to close its doors or lose its reputa-
ton, because other colleges have stood
as close to the license zone and survived
without loss of prestige or noticeable
change in the conduct of their students
i Boston Transcript.
Senator SpoOner and Senator Edmunds.
Senator Spooner's resignation is far
and away the most notable in Senate
history Since that of Senator Edmunds
of Vermont in 1891. The distinguished
Vermont statesman at his retirement had
gained a position second to none as a
leader and constitutional lawyer, and he
withdrew for very much the same
reasons which Mr.. Spooner gives the
public. Mr. Edmunds could still have
been in the Senate had he wished to re-
main there, for he. is yet alive and
Younger than the two Alabama senators
Morgan and Pettus. Many have wished
most earnestly that the Vermonter could
have remained in public life at least a
decade longer. The late Senator Hoar
amented Mr.. Edmunds withdrawal to
the very last-[Springfeld Republican.
More Governor Gossip.
The recent announcement that Joseph
A. DeBoer of Montpelier would not be a
candidate for the Republican nomination
for governor in 1907 has had an impor-
tant bearing on the political situation in
this state.
Had Mr.. DeBoer permitted his name
to be used it is probable that he would
have been nominated without oppo
sition, and he is still considered as a mar
likely to be governor at some future
time.
Apparently the contest will be between
Lieut.-Gov. George H. Prouty of New
port a successful lumber dealer and 6
brother Of Charles A. Prouty, interstate
commerce commissioner, and Allen NJ
Fletcher of Cavendish one of the leading
members of the legislature of 1906.
Mr.. Fletcher is a wealthy man, who
came to Vermont not many years ago
There is some objection to his candidacy
on the ground that he has not been a
resident of the state very long.
Other names mentioned are those OF
H. N. Turner of St Johnsbury, who is at
the head of the Fairbanks Scale Works,
and DR., H. D. Holton of Brattleboro
secretary of the state board of health
i Richford Gazette.