Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-09-04
VERMONT'S VERDICT.
a Republican Majority Of About
$1,000. Many Warm Local
ConteRts

| contests.
White River Junction, Vt, Sept. g.
The Republicans defeated the Demo
Gratis In the state election by about
2S,OOO. Lieutenant Governor George
Ii. Prouty, who led the former ticket,
received 41,432 votes, while James e,
Burke OF Burlington, his Democratic
opponent, had 1886 votes, with %
small towns missing. These towns In
19OA gave a Republican plurality of
11S9. The vote for the other candidates
1or governor with the same towns miss
ing was:
Quimby s. Backus, Independence
League, 1909; e. NJ. Campbell, Prohibit
| ton, 1888; j. X. Dunbar, Socialist, 45O.
The next legislature will stand as
follows; Senate-Republicans 20;
Democrats, 1; house-Republican
21O; Democrats, 30; Independence
League, 6.
The total vote for the three minor
parties was considerably larger than in
previous years, but the gain was wholly
by the Independence League, the Pro-
hibition and Socialist vote falling Off.
The plurality was the smallest on a
presidential year since 1892, when it
was 1886 and was followed by Dem
ocratic national victory, but 1t was
larger than in 1888 and slightly less
than in 1900. There was q falling off
In four years Of about percent in the
Republican vote. while the Democratic
vote fell off about percent The In
dependence League appeared for the
first time
An unusually large number OF local
contests for members of the legisla-
ture, although bringing out a heavy
vote and resulting in Democratic gains
In the lower branch Of the legislature,
apparently had no bearing on the GU
bernatorial fight.
The Republicans elected 10 congress
David ]. Foster OF Burlington for an
other term and Frank Plumley Of
Mortified for the first time, and chose
a majority OF the state legislature
which will select a successor to the late
Senator Redfield Proctor. The state
ticket elected was as follows:
Governor, George II. Prouty. New
port; lieutenant governor. John A
Mead. Rutland; secretary Of state, Guy
W. BAILEY, Essex; treasurer, Edward
Fl. Deavitt, Montpelier; auditor, Horace
+. Graham, Craftsbury; attorney gen.
eraL John G. Sargent. Ludlow.
In an unusually large number Of local
contests the Democrats were as a rule
successful. The Republican majority
in the next house, therefore, will be
considerably reduced. The voters were
urged TO support the Republican ticket
by speakers Of national importance
who stumped the state during the past
two weeks. discussing issues which will
be heard In other parts Of the country
this fall On the Othev hand. the Dem-d
ocrats fought the battle alone, James
f. Burke Of Burlington, known as the
blacksmith mayor of that city. who
headed the ticket, having only local
talent In his support. The Democrats
were also anxious regarding the
strength OF the Independence League
movement but the returns from a ma
jority of the cities and towns showed
that comparatively few voters sup
ported Quimby s. Backus Of Brandon,
who headed the new party ticket. The
Prohibition party ran a close race with
the Independence League, while the
Socialists We're a poor fifth In the con-
test among the leaders.
The voters were favored with excel
lent weather, and despite the fact that
the harvest was at hand they came to
the polls IN large numbers.
The local contests proved the feature
Of the election as far as the people were
concerned, but the results seemed to
have little effect upon the state as
whole as was expected. Burke ran ex-
ceedingly well in his own city, Bur
lington. reducing the Republican mar
gin Of 200 four YEARS ago to "a votes
He also ran we'll In Barre, but he fell
behind in st. Albans and in several OF
the large towns.
On the other hand, the little towns up
in the Businesses Of the Green noun
tains stood Loyalty by the Republican
party as Of old. rolling up majorities
for Prouty that nearly counteracted
the losses In the cities.