The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-03-13
SENTIMENT
INVENTED
Plan for Special Session
Of Legislature
is POLITICIANS TALK
Plan to Garry Through This Expensive
Scheme Being Agitated by Friends
OF Governor Who Want to See Him
Made Senator Immediately.

Made Senator Immediately.
Events OF the past - hour, make
apparent that therr is concerted moy,
among the republican politicians of th
state 10 induce Governor Proctor to cal
slccial session Of the legislature fo
the purpose Of choosing successor (,
his father, the late Redhcld Proctor
In the Interest Of wise legislation mex
fall aud 10 avoid strife within the party,
shout these .publicspirited gentlemen
can the legislature IN special session
Tor the purpose OF electing unitec
States senator. Which being inter
prted means take the question entirely
out OF the hands OF the people OF the
state aud allow ii 10 be settled by a
group Of men who We're chosen for an en-
tiply different purpose and whose assem-
bly, will cost the state fully S0O00."
The men who are behind this move
ment are unquestionably friends OF Gov,
efnor Proctor who are anxious 10 see
HIM elected to the position made vacant
by the death Of his father. To what
extent they have the governors sane.
ton IN carrying out the plan at which
they are so industriously working is not
known, but then are many believers in
the governor who sincerely hope that he
Is not a party 10 such a scheme IF
Governor Proctor really wants TO be SEN
ator at once said a prominent fepubli.
can last night. let him resign. and in.
struct his henchman, who would then
he Governor Prouty, to make the ap.
pointment. This would be rather bald.
faced move 10 he sure but il would save
the state a lot OF money and accomplish
the same purpose for which this extra
session idea is intended
The extra session movement made its
appearance yesterday in special dis.
patch from Montpelier to the Burlington
Free Press, saying that several promi.
nent citizens of Montpelier and Barre"
were in favor Of the idea. The Burling
ton Clipper OF yesterday contained a spe.
cal article advocating the plan, but the
Clipper must have seen the light all OF
sudden. for on its editorial page is
a paragraph deploring "the unseemly
haste TO boom successor TO Nermonts
grand old man" and urging people to
wait until the proper time"
In Brattleboro the movement took on
active proportions yesterday. Frank l..
Fish, who was in town ostensibly on ma.
tional bank matters, broached the sub
ject to number of well known repub.
licans and held long consultation with
JuuSc w. biDsun, WHO II siln 10 De
one OF the leading extra session boomers
in this part of the state. 1t is not un-
likely that today's Burlington Free Press
will contain Brattleboro dispatch sim
liar in tone to that which appeared un.
der a Montpelier date line yesterday. The
fact that other well known political work
ers have been in Brattleboro during the
past few days, gives ground for the be-
lief that strenuous attempt at creating
public sentiment in. favor OF an extra ses-
sion is being made.
While there are many people who
would be glad to see Governor Proctor
succeed his father, it is safe to say that
a majority of them are opposed to the
idea of calling special session of the
legislature to settle the matter In the
first place it is too obvious a pro-Proc-
tor scheme, since there is little doubt
how the legislature would vote. Second.
ly, the idea savors altogether too much
of machine domination, doing away as it |
does with all opportunity for the people |
of the state to express themselves on the
subject. The argument that the plan
would RESTRAIN the untimely activity OF
ovec-zealous politicians is laughable, be.
canse the over-zeaous ones are already |
busy. The question of cost is also one
that should be taken into consideration.
The Montpelier Journal in discussing the
extra session idea points out the follow.
ing facts:
mo election for senator can be held
until the second Tuesday after meeting
and organization.
Election is first made by viva voce
vote in the house and senate.
Next day, at noon, the election is an
and ratified, if each house has
given a majority for the same person.
IF there is no choice, the joint assem-
bly, will proceed to elect
"lf the joint assembly fails to cast a
majority of its votes for any one can
lidate, another joint assembly will be
held on the day following at noon
ut may take several days after that to
arrive at a choice.
at will undoubtedly cost the state sl5,-
700 to $4,000.
"The cost of the legislature is $1,000 a
lay in round numbers. Seven days ses
'ion, the minimum, would cost $1,000. The
asst mileage bill was $7792.9O.
Query: Does the state of Vermont
lesire to incur an expense of $4,000
merely to promote party harmony, when
he governor can appoint some proper
,erson at this time and make the SEN
ltorship a direct issue with the people?
A washington dlspatcn TO tne spring
ield Republican this morning says that
he program expected at the capital is
he appointment of Ex-Governor John w.
stewart of Middlebury and the election
# Governor Proctor by the new legisla-
ure which will convene this fall. This
would meet with no opposi-
ion; in fact it would meet with the ap-
'roval of the majority of people in this
ection of the state because it would
lace Governor Proctor's name before a
ody of men representing the peoples
vishes on the senatorial question. But
he extra session plan. entailing, as it
rould an expense of $2O,OOO is decided.
' unpopular, and if put through would
end to lower the governor in the es-
aem of the nennle