Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-03
THE OMAHA DAILY-BEE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1905.
VERMONT REPUBLICANS WIN
Prouty for Governor with Almost
Normal Plurality.
APATHY YET AMONG VOTERS
Legislature safely RepubIicHn-MR-
jOrIty Party Loses six and DEM
ocrats Three Per Cent
tOf Votes.

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT, Sept 2
Complete returns from yesterdays state
election on the vote for governor. received
this afternoon, shows the following result:
George n. .Prouty, republican, 45,2s1;
James e. Burke. democrat, 1898; Quimby
S. Backus, independence league, 1,22;
Eugene M. Campbell. prohibitionist, S26; ].
II. dunbar. socialist, 47e. The total vote of
all parties was sc. 7E7 and Prouty's plurality
over Burke 1915.
The returns show that the republicans
had II per cent, the democrats 25 per cent,
the independence leaguers ? per cent, the
prohibitionists rs per cent and the social
lists two-thirds Of / per cent Of the total
vote cast. The decrease in the repub-
lican vote amounted to per cent
and IN the democratic vote TO 8 per cent.
The decrease was surprising in view Of the
numerous local contests, at which the vot-
ing was quite heavy. Political leaders were
inclined TO look upon the returns today as
Indications that the voters we're somewhat
apathetic in regard to national Issues, but
not to a marked degree.
Complexion of Legislature.
The incoming legislature will have a!
least one democratic senator, about thirty
democratic representatives and at least
six members OF the independence league in
the lower house. -Four years ago the house
stood as republicans and thlrty-four demo-
Gratis. so that the republican majority the
coming year will be practically unchanged,
and will insure the election OF a republican
successor to the late Senator Redfield
Proctor, probably in the person Of his son.
Governor F. D. Proctor.
The election OF a democratic member
Of the state senate gives the democratic
party a representative IN that branch of
the legislature for the first time in several
years. At the last state election. in 1906, not
a single democrat was elected to the state
senate.
An unusually large number Of local con-
tests for members Of the legislature. al
though bringing out a heavy vote and re-
sulting In democratic gains in the lower
branch of the Legislature, apparently had
no bearing on the guoernatorial fight. As
Vermont IL the first state to vote during
the presidential campaign. there Is much
interest throughout the country In the size
of the republican plurality. The repub-
leans retained complete control of the
legislative and executive branches of the
state government.
Legislative and state Ticket,
They elected to congress from the First
district David ]. Foster of Burlington for
another term and for the Second district
Frank Plumley of Mortified for the first
time, and elected a majority of the state
Legislature, which will select a successor to
the late Redfield Proctor. The state ticket
elected follows:
Governor-George H. Prouty OF Newport.
Lieutenant Governor-Johh A Mead of
Rutland.
Secretary Of state-Guy w. Bailey of
Essex. .
Treasurer-David H.. Deavitt of Mont
pelier.
Auditor-Horace f. Graham of Craftsbury.
Attorney General-John G. Sergeant of
Ludlow. ,.
At 1O:45 returns had been received from
l57 towns and three cities, including Bur
lington. The returns gave for governor:
Prouty (rep.), So,176; Burke (dem.). 1851;
Backus Qnd.), 7e4; Campbell (pro.). $40; Dun
bar (soc.), 305.
Same cities and towns in 1904 gave: Bell
(rep.), S2.796; Porter tdem.). 1881. These
figures indicate a republican loss of s per
cent and a democratic loss of 2 per cent.
Prouty's plurality is estimated at rs, 000,
compared with Bells plurality of 1851 in
1904.
The voters were urged to support the
republican ticket by speakers of national
Importance who stumped the state during
the last two weeks. On the other hand,
the democrats fought the battle alone,
James E. Burke of Burlington, formerly
known as the blacksmith mayor" of that
city. who headed the ticket. having only
local talent in his support. The demo-
Gratis were anxious regarding the strength
Of the independence league movement, a
new factor in the state, but the returns
showed that a comparatively small num-
Der of voters supported Backus OF Bran
don, who headed that 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.
Late tonight Lieutenant Governor Prouty
expressed himself as pleased with the re-
suit. but reserved his statement until
more complete returns were available.
Although actual comparisons of this
years vote with the vote of four years ago
cannot be made until complete returns are
received, 1t is estimated that the falling off
In the republican vote was somewhat in
excess Of the reduction in the democratic
poll.