The Washington herald., 1908-09-01

eyes are now on Vermont, watching for
the result OF the State election to-mor-
row, not because there IS national inter
est as to who shall be elected governor
Of the State by about $3.50 electors. but
because the point al which those votes
are divided between the two great par
ties is expected 10 be an index to the
outcome Of the national contest in No
vember
There has been a remarkable and per
sis;ent relation between the September
vote Of Vermont and the November vote
for Presidential electors.
Five In the Field.
With five State tickets in the field. the
Nermonter who cannot ind something to
his liking on the first day Of September
VIII be hard 10 please.
The Independence Party appears on the
official ballot for the first time
The Republicans assert that they viii
have a clear majority over all four Of
from 2o060 to 5000. Leslie n. Shaw. for
merly Secretary Of the Treasury, Seua-
tor W E BOrah. az Idaho. and Repre-
sentatives AIcKinlay, Of California; Foss.
OF Illinois. and Hiu of Connecticut. are
among the distinguished speakers from
other States now trying 10 create enthu-
siasm among Republicans.
George H PrOuty. Of Newport. man
ufacrurer. now the lieutenant governor
OF the State is the Republican candidate
I for governor. having defeated Zed 5
Stanton. a Roxbury lawyer and formerly
/ lieutenant governor. after a warm cam
/ paiEn-
The Democratic candidate is James <
I Burke. a Burlington blacksmith. who was
defeated by a newspaper man last March
I for ffth term as mayor of the city Al
though uneducated. Mt. Burke is a vol
/ ubIe taIker with a strong following. and
{ he is making an energetic campaiGn of
Z the state in an effort 20 cut down the
normal Republican majority. The caudi-
date Of the Prohibition party is Eugene
I N Campbell Of Lyndonville, but neither
I he nor any one interested in his party
/ IS conducting any campaign. and his vote
/ viii be very light J. H Lounbar OF
I HartIand- IS the Socialists standard bear
/ er The Independence party ticket is
| headed by Quiuby 5. BaCIlUs. a manu-
/ factursr, of Brandon
Campaign Quiet One.
/ While the Republicans are looking for
I a plurality OF S1Cl or more the Demo
/ Gratis are expecting that IL viii fall be-
/ low the 25.c15 mark Throughout the
/ campaign. which closes tonight. there
Z has been no remarkable enthusiasm on
{ either side Democrats are saying that
I the vote Of the Green Mountain State
I viii show a strong turning toward Nr.
Bryan, while the Republicans assert that
/ the policies Of MI Roosevelt will receive
I a strong Endorsement
From the days Of the Hayes-TldeH
] campaign IN 1s-s 20 the last Presidential
! campaign. 1894 lt has been the Uuvarying
r-lle that a Republican plurality Of more
I than 500 fn the ggbernstoriaI election In
I Vermont IN the Presidential year has been
/ followed by a Republican success in de-
cisive number Of the doubtful States in
/ November. The winning or retaining con
troll Of the House OF Representative. and
the election Of the Republican candidate
| FOR the P-esidencv-
In a similar manner a drop IN Vermont's
I Republican plurality in September below
the 5000 mark mas always been precursor
Of a swing Of the doubtful States TO the
/ Democracy and the consequent Choise OF
I a Democratic House Of Representative
I and a Democratic President Il is as
| sumed here that IN the Tuden-Hayes
campaign the country really went Demo
. cratic the result finally going on the
finding Of an electoral commission
The nearer the Republican plurality
4 has apprOximated the $500 mark in Yer
mont the closer. as a rule has been the
national election
Past Election Returns.
4 When Mr. Cleveland was first elected
4 IN 1854. the September plurality for the
Republican candidate for governor was
. Z210l. Again. in 1872 It fell 70 1900
. Even as far back as 1876. when the IA
tional result was 50 close as 10 require
an electoral commission TO decide, Yer
mont elected her Republican governor
. by 23.T0o
, But since M. CIeveIand's day, Yer.
mont in Presidential years has been ar
. unfafing barometer Of Republican sue
cess. In 1885, when Mckinley beat Bry-
an for the first time. the State gave q
Republican plurality OF 5000 at the early
election. followed by Presidential plu
rality OF 5000
In 1900 the early fall election showet
31.00o plurality Tor Republican gov
e-nor, and later 29,o05 for Mckinley OF
/ the national ticket
The election Of 1904 gave q 900 Repub
I Hcan plurality in the September Stat,
% election, and 5000 in November
While not an infaIlible rule, yet anon,
Democrats who watch the trend Of events
If Vermont should give a decreased Re
publican vote at tO-mOrOw-s election. /
Z would be taken as an indication tina
Bryan IS gaining strength in Eastern
: States
The normal Republican plurality in tn
State in Presidential years is 1900 Any
thing below that would be Democrats
gain. II Il is below 5000. II would indi