St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-06-03
An UnwiSe Appeal to Prejudice.

All UHWlSC Appear W AiSJuulSS'
A letter bearing the signature of John
L. Barstow of Shelburne an ex-governor
of Vermont, commencing the candidacy
of led Stanton for the governorshp
nomination, has been quite generally
published in the state papers. In that
letter the venerable ex-governor makes
emphatic a part taken by Mr.. Stanton
when the latter was state senator, IN
support of bill designed to increase
corporation taxes. 1t seems that the
Hon. p. w. Clement was member of
the senate the same year and assumed
leadership in that body in opposition
to the bill and, with the support that
came to him, succeeded in defeating it.
In reference to Stantons attitude to-
ward the bill, Ex-Governor Barstow con-
cludes his letter with this paragraph:
1T seems to be good logic to say that
now we should vote for the man who
faced Mr.. Clement and did his best to
secure the passage of the bill.
If there is one point in this utterance
upon which the entire argument hangs,
it is that which declares that Stanton
faced Mr.. Clement" Whether the bill
had sufficient merit to make its passage
wise legislation or not, or whether
Stanton's support of it was justified by
its merits or not, ex-Gov. Barstow does
not say. The alleged fact that the Rox-
bury man, chronic, persistent and peren-
NAL sitter beneath the political apple
tree that he is, faced Mr.. Clement"
seems to have been enough for the pur-
poses of the letter writer.
Logically, of course, if there was any
facing, as Stanton favored the bill and
Clement opposed it, Clement faced"
Stanton and its other supporters,
Clements part being defensive rather
than offensive. If the act was in any
sense an example of heroism, then the
credit for heroic accomplishment rather
belongs to Clement than to Stanton.
That is, so far as ex-Gov. Barstow treats
the case.
That Mr. Clements name should be
brought into the present contest, even
through the medium above noted is
peculiar strategic movement. But any
attempt to trade upon the prejudice that
may still exist among Vermont Republi-
cans against the Hon. P w. Clement,
cannot be looked upon otherwise than
as ill-timed and not directed toward the
complete party harmony that should
characterize presidential election year.
Mr.. Clement is not factor in this year s
campaigning but his friends are still
numerous and they properly may take
exception to the laudaton of Stanton as
having faced" Mr.. Clement If that
assertion becomes responsible for some
measure of detection on the part Of
Clement sympathizers from a possible
support of Stanton's candidacy, it will
not be surprising.
In this connection it is pleasing to
note that Lieutenant Governor Prouty
in his campaign for the governorshiE
nomination is making no appeal to any
prejudice within the party that has
become history and which should b.
allowed to remain unmolested history il
this presidential year. A united, pro
gressive and aggressive Republicanisn
is what he stands for and what he is &
part of and whoever others have faced,
he faces directly ahead and invites every
element of the party to look with him il
that same direction.