Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-01-23
VERMONT IN THE NATIONAL con-
NENTION,

The position taken by the Free Press
with reference to the sending of an
unpledged delegation to the republican
national convention in Chicago Is SIM
liar to that of practically all Of the
newspapers in the State, and of the
leading men who have given the sub
tect serious consideration. It is rec
cognizcd that when our State is tagged
support him, even though developments
at the national convention may dem
onstratc the absolute impossbility Of
his election. we are heavily handicap
ped. Moreover the names of the State
are called alphabetically and in case OF
contest an instructed delegation from
Vermont is in a position to materially
increase the States prestige in connec-
tion with the choice of a candidate for
the presidency
Two men Of experience in connection
with national conventions in the person
of former Governors John G. McCul
Tough and John w. Stewart were in the
city Monday, and both OF these vet
cran campaigners were outspoken in
favor of tho selection of an unin
structed delegation to the Chicago con-
vention. Govcrnor Stewart told of his
experience in connection with the ma
mt ion Of IN
his contention in favor of an I'M tagged
delegation from Vermont He was
member of the Vermont delegation and
when it left the state. the great mass
OF the republicans as we'll as the mem
bers Of the delegation favored William
H. Seward for the presidency. When
Of the situation very soon demon
strated that Seward could not be elect
ed, if nominated, and accordingly the
Vermont delegation, which was not
hampered by instructions or pledges.
voted for Lincoln after giving Cola
mer a comp imentary vote.
Governor Stewart was emphatic in
his expression OF the idea that it would
be of marked advantage for the Yer
mont delegation to have at its head
Senators Proctor and Dillingham;, ow-
ing to the fact that their views would
lions of other States and their
opinions would have weight in the
councils which always precede the
open convention and go so far to clear
the situation, If possible,
Governor Mccullough thought by
the time the convention assembled
in Chicago next June it might be fairly
clear which one of the gentlemen
now considered in connection with the
republican nomination could command
the most strength at the polls. In
any event he thought the wise thing
for Vermont republicans would be to
select Il delegation of lcvel-headed
men who could take a calm survey of
the situation when they reached Chi
cago and act for the best interest OF
the party in both state and nation.
The feeling is becoming pronounced
that factional fights now in progress
in New York, largely for the control
of the state and local organizations,
and the bitter struggle in Ohio be-
tween the advocates Of Taft and For
aker Will tend to endanger both Ct
those States for the republicans IN
the national election, and strong de-
sire is being expressed in various di-
rectlons that those fights should be
compromised so as not to endanger
republican control of those States and
through them the presidency Of the
United States itself.
In view of all these developments we
are more convinced than ever that 1t
would be foolish in the extreme for
Vermont republicans to engage In any
contest over the question of preslden-
ual preferences at this time. We have
so many strong men who would make
good president that we can afford to
select the man who bids fair when the
convention meets. to be tho strongest
candidate at the polls.