The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-01-24
WEEK IN THE WORLD.
Great Events and Movements Which
Are Making History.

Governor Hughes made an earnest ap
peal last week at Albany to large gath
ering OF the farmers who are there to at
tend the annual meetings OF the county
and towns agricultural societies for sup
port in his effort to abolish raee.tracl
gambling in New York state. He pointed
out that while the constitution specifcall,
directs the legislature TO enact appro
pirate laws TO prevent gambling. so fai
as race tracks were concerned this plan
mandate OF the people in their fundamen
tai law had been ignored and betrayed.
The governor referred TO his message, and
said: I'VE cant afford in this country
and in this state, TO have constitutional
provision which is the fundamental law
of the land ignored, betrayed. ! may add
to that that We are dealing with a matter
which is serious menace to the morals
OF the community My mail is burdened
with letters from fathers and mothers,
from employers, from those who come in
close contact with the decentralization that
is spread through the encouragement of
the gambling instinct-not with reference
to matters that are beyond the public
ken. not susceptible of proof and impos-
sible of change, on account of human ma
ture, but because of things that are en-
couraged and made. possible by the direct
action of the state in contravention, of
the spirit of the constitutional provision. y
Gov. Charles 4. Hughes publicly de-
clared his attitude toward the movement
in favor of his nomination for the presi-
dency Tuesday, when in a letter To james
s. Lehmaier of New York he acknowl.
edged notification of the resolution of
endorsement recently passed by the re.
publican club OF that city and appointed
with the club. Governor Hughes restates
his assertion that he does not seek office
and will not attempt to influence the Sc
lection or vote of any delegate. He says
the state administration must be Impair
tial and not tributary to any candidacy.
THE matter is one for the party to de-
eide says the governor. land whatever
its decision | shall be content" Coming
as it does at time when resentment is
at white heat over the administration
abuse OF federal patronage in the inter
ests of Taft, Governor Hughess announce
ment is likely to change the entire aspect
of the political situation. At any event
it is likely to give strength to his cand-
dacy, and the conference to which the
governor refers in his letter will be await
ed with national interest.
Charles Emory Smith. editor of the
Philadelphia Press ex-mnister to Russia
and formerly postmaster general, died
suddenly Sunday at his home in Phlladel-
phia from a heart affection with which
he had been troubled for some time. He
Conn. and a graduate of Union college.
In 1870 he went to work for the Albany
Journal of which he became editor-in-
chief and 10 years later was given the
post of editor of the Philadelphia Press.
He was appointed minister to Russia in
1890 and in 1898 was given the portfolio OF
by President Mckin-
ey. serving in this capacity through the
period of the Spanish-American war and
through part of Roosevelt's administration.
rhe practical establishment of rural free
delivery and the creation of mail service
n Cuba marked his tenure, of office. Mr.
smith was an ardent republican and had |
erved that party faithfully both in his
EDITORIAL capacity and as stump speak |
r. He spoke in Brattleboro during the |
of 1900.
Edmund Clarence Stedman, IS, one of
he most representative men OF letters IN
Amerlca, died saturday evening at MS
ZONE in New York city after 10 years OF
health. Mr.. Stedman was a
member of the class of SO of Yale univer-
ity although he did not graduate. He
vas afterward engaged in newspaper
york in Norwich and Winsted, Conn. and
rom 1859 to 1861 was on the staff OF the
Jew York Tribune. During the war he
cted as correspondent for the New York
World. Later he became member of
he New York stock exchange in order to
arm living and at the same time gain
,isure to write, and won and lost several
Drtunes. He was a poet and literary !.
rite of note. Z.
Edward Smith, 20, a life prisoner in the
homaston, Me-, prison, where he had
rived nearly 20 years, was murderously
ssaulted and killed Sunday by Neal Dow .
rocks, %. who had served four years of
20-year sentence for rape. The assault
,curred while the men were filing up.
airs, Brooks clubbing Smith over the
cad with an iron bar which he. had Sc
lred from one of the bedsteads unbe-
1own to the keepers. Both men were
e Al