Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-02-25

governors are usually quite harmless,
no, they are not. Their very Inertia
means loss Of opportunity in the direc-
tlon OF progress. As result. Vermont
stag mates. But to return to your remark
that all rich candidates are not corrun-
uonists. Al i Is true, as the Good Rook
asserts, that 1T is easier for a camel 10
pass through the eye of needle than for
rich man to enter the kingdom ~
heaven it is equally true that no man az
wealth who has set his heart ON heino
governor, and who encounters Opposition
IN his path, can refrain from using his
money to promote his chances. Exneri-
ence, as we'll as the insistent WHISPERS Of
his so-called friends brings it home To him
constantly. Gaines, you know there are
lot of political vultures in Vermont
who swarm about such candidates. eosx
them into the canvass and then fatten of
them"
Il cannot deny that this is largely SO.
l have noted it repeatedly"
Yes. And not satisfied with getting
one into it, they covertly incite opposi-
ton so that their prey will disgorge more
abundantly. Just what suits them is two
or more millionaires lined up against
each other, with their fortunes on
draught"
Gaines responded with smile.
"The poor candidates may be honest
men, with no real intent at the start Of
buying their way in. But as the matter
progresses calls come constantly for
money. II they question, they are told
that It will be used 'legitimately'-a very
elastic word, by the way"
'But it does take a good deal to meet
paign, as you will find, Roll, if you go
Doubtless. but not the tens and hun
dreds OF thousands that have been spent
in some of our campaigns. The rich can
didate is a mark. He is in, and he wants
to win. He is told that the other side is
using money, and he matches them, dol
lar for enthusiastically raises the bid
Why, it is well-known fact that quite
often, il not generally, the prize goes to
him who bids the highest"
''You put that pretty strong"
II do not exaggerate. Such a contest
becomes chiefly struggle of dollars.
The money is put into the hands OF lieu
tenants. These take toll of it and pass
the balance out to scores of subordinates
all over the state. These pay themselves
literally for their services, but enough is
left to filter out among the common
voters, thousands OF whom are Influenced
by It in one way OF another. Sometimes
the process is partly reversed. The man
ager tells his subordinates to use what
they find necessary in order to win and
to render bills for sums expended and for
their own services. In the long rum this
is worse than the other way, for it leads
to unlimited OUTLAWS. 1t means carte
blanche to every worker. Their bills are
settled without question and nobody
knows the amount. After giving such
orders, a candidates mouth Is closed
he cannot welch-he must settle, whether
he wins or loses. The poor fellow often
sees moments when he would like to put
on the brake, but he cannot"
Occasionally one quits" observed
Gaines.
"But seldom. One did quit a few
years ago when, though many times a
millionaire, he found the raid on his
fortune promised to drain him dry. He
stepped out Disguised, and has not been
heard OF since. But that is an exception.
You will not deny, Gaines, that this
wholesale use Of money is demoralizing
in its effects on the public. 1t means
n electorate"
"would you forbid men Of wealth from
running, them" asked Gaines.
"No. but think the time has come
" hen the people themselves should awake
to their danger and rebuke it. Here is
Granger, at this time, a defunct railroad
magnate, without policy or program OF
auy kind for the betterment OF the state,
seeking the governorship as others have,
simply and solely for the honor. II be
can win it on his merit, we'll and good,
but everybody in Vermont knows he will
not win it that way, il he wins it at all.
He will just buy 1t outright. His money
is even now in general circulation, and
on that he banks to succeed"
"But what are The other evils you COM
plain OF ?" Gaines preferred another phase
of the subject
zone is the rule Of the machine in
Vermont. You need not smile. 1t does
exist, and many a man has felt its crush
ing power. The machine grinds some.
Others make terms with it, fall into line
and later command its support. 1t en-
braces practically all who have held
office, those who are holding Office and
those who hope to hold Office. Ordinari-
ly, these classes work together in so con-
certed and systematic way rs to defy
opposition. They do not always agree
among themselves, but are a unit against
an outside enemy. The people are nysti-
fed. They do not see the machine. They
do not understand its hidden mechanism.
But they see results and reason back to
the cause"
"They are very compIacent," Gaines
remarked.
"They have been, usually, but left to
themselves and properly enlightened,