Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-05-07
/ REMARKABLE DEMONSTRATION.

which nominated Charles T.. Hughes
for the governorship dream that their
cry against "bossism" as represented
by former Governor Odell would be-
come a\two edged sword. cutting both
ways. This, however. is the predica-
ment Of Boss Barnes OF Albany who
was tho first to cry boss" at Odell IN
his efforts to dethrone the latter from
| the chairman ship of the state commit
| tee. When Barnes insisted that his
senator" should vote against the race
| track gambling bills recommended by
| Governor Hughes In order to put the
Empire States laws in line with its
constitution, he placed IN the Cover
nors hands most powerful weapon
tutional issue, and these are now sup
plemented by the tremendous question
| whether legislators shall reflect the
| popular will or that of a political boss.
The New York Post we'll says:
Governor Hughes is attended, in his
| nti-gambling campaign, by every
| sign Of popular favor. The sort of
| people who make up the strength of
parties are rising all over the State
to applaud his course and to hold up
his hands. Only the party bosses are
aloof and sulking. But what n light
| this casts upon their sincerity! They
profess to be eager to interpret the
peoples wa. and serve it. 1t is also
! one of their cardinal principles to seek
| out and support candidates for ONCE
who have the great political gift of
popularity. Yet here they are antag-
onizing a man who is demonstrating
that he Is, in the best sense of the
word, the most popular man in the
| state. The inference is clear. What
| the bosses want Is not a really stronS
and popular Governor, but man whom
they can use Governor Hughes was
elected without their help and has run
| his office without taking orders from
them. That Is enough for them. They
have no patience with such n Cover
nor, and will do their best to thwart
| and undermine him. But Mr. hughes
| himself, in his successive speeches, is
| showing a clearer and stronger grasp
of this fact and is plainly depicting
the situation to his audiences. The
! issue OF boss-rule versus the desires
of the people is coming out sharper
every day; and the evidence is grow
ing that it is not Governor Hughes or
the people who will be whipped in this
fight.
AS the crusade started by Cover
nor Hughes grows, however, it is
taking on larger proportions. The
Governor is now asking for political
primaries that will enable the people
to make their influence felt more
certainly than is possible at the pres
ent time in connection with nomina-
dent of the bosses.
On the other hand Governor Hughes
has extended his campaign against
gambling and has recommended a
thorough investigation Of Wall Street
methods.
Disclosures from the Mcintyre and
Coster failures prove that big Wall
street firms are not above bucketing
their customers orders and gamblins
themselves. AS between the failure
of bucket shop and that of a stock
exchange firm the bucket-shop Gus
toners are better off, because the
most they can lose is the cash they
have put up. No bucket shop steals
its customers stocks under the pre-.
tense of transfer and safekeeping.
The New York World in discussing
this phase of the problem says that
to find out the extent to which stock
exchange houses are bucket shops
and pure gambling concerns is a con-
elusive reason for the Legislature to
accept the Governors recommended
tons. 1t shows that in Germany
such speculations as are conducted on
the New York produce exchange and
the Chicago board of trade are en-
tirely prohibited by law. The only
future selling Of agricultural prod.
ucts which Is permitted in a farmers
contracting for the sale Of his cror
| in advance and miller's for the sale
Of his -four German stock specula
ton is restricted to the men whose
names are entered on an official reg.
lister. AS to the mass OF the German
public. a stockbroker takes their &C
counts at his own risk. like a book
maker or other professional gambler
and similar restrictions are enforced
in other European countries.
On the whole 1t is evident tina,
Governor Hughes has instituted gen.
uine and much needed reform which
Is spreading to other States as wei
and no one can safely predict wher,
it will all end.