St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-02-17
Two .CaucuSeS.
Two Tickets in the Field for the March
Meeting.


caucuses Friday afternoon and with two
tickets in the field there will be plenty of
politics and large vote at the March |
meeting on Tuesday, March 2.
The caucus at the Town Hall, called |
by the republican town committee,
organized by choosing Charles A. Cal
derwood chairman, and Gilbert E.
Woods clerk
Harry H. Carr read the new law on
the election of town officers which pro-
vides that beginning with this year
towns shall elect at the March meeting
selectmen and listers-three or fve-and
if three are chosen one shall be elected for
one year, one for two years, and one for
three years.
The following ticket was placed in the
field:
Moderator, c. A. Calderwood.
Clerk, H. W. Blodgett.
Treasurer, H. W. Blodgett.
Selectmen, for one year, Luman A.
11aSAb lOl INO Nolo $hcllSo NSOhSJ AOl
three years, George H. Morrill,.
Overseer, W. H. Il. Robie
First Constable, W. H. Worthen.
Listers, for one year, Delos M. Bacon;
for two years, o. S. Abbott for three
years, Charles Ross.
Auditors, Harry H. Carr, John F.
Pufer, Preston E. May.
Trustee of Public Money, H. w Blod-
gett.
Town Grand Jurors, Leighton P.
Slack, Charles A. Sylvester.
School Directors, for one year, A. !.
Higgins; for three years, Charles W.
Steele.
Town Agent, Leighton P. Slack.
Road Commissioner, Horace Jackson.
The balloting commenced with the can
didate for first selectman Fred Gil
man named Luman A. Ladd and this
nomination was ably seconded by W. A.
Kicker. Rev. E. E. Grant told a story,
and nominated Nj. ]. Hovey. The ballot
resulted as follows:
Whole number cast, 236.
Necessary for choice, 119.
Luman A. Ladd, 1876.
M. ]. Hovey, 101.
Rev. E. E. Grant again placed Mr..
\ Hovey's name in the list for second
selectman, but Mr.. Hovey withdrew his
name. w. A. Kicker then nominated
Charles Weeks, and some one else NOM
mated George H. Morrill,. The ballot
resulted as follows:
Whole number cast, 237
Necessary for choice, 119.
Charles Weeks, 1913.
Geo. H. Morrill,, ia.
For third selectman Mr.. Morrill, was
nominated without opposition.
The only other ballot was upon school
director. David E. Porter said Mr..
Higgins had been appointed to succeed
Rev. A. F. Walch resigned, and he
thought it was proper he should fill out
Mr.. Walch's term. Mr.. Higgins was
then nominated without opposition.
For school director for three years
| there were three nominations: Mrs E.
A. S. May, Charles w. Steele and We'll
come B. Eastman. The ballot resulted
as follows:
Whole number cast, 232.
Necessary for choice, III.
Charles w. Steele. ITO.
w. B. Eastman. Sc.
Mrs E. A. S. May 6.
On the matter of nominating a tree
warden, on motion of Harry H. Carr, it
was voted not to nominate for this
office. Mr.. Carr explained that the
selectmen had authority whenever it
seemed desirable to employ an expert,
and so the selectmen will have this de
partment in charge.
About $50 voters responded to the call
to citizens caucus in Stanley Opera
House Friday afternoon and full ticket
for town officers was placed in nomina-
ton. The call was read by Walter c.
Rodliff and by nomination of A. H.
Gleason Mr.. Rodliff was chosen chair
man of the meeting. w B. Eastman
was chosen Secretary. The chairman
calledlupon Elisha May to explain the
nature of the caucus and to tell why it
had been called.
Mr.. May briefly outlined the causes
which led up to the calling of citizens
caucus, claiming that under the present
caucus law it was a necessity. A dem
ocrat or a prohibitionist had no bus
mess i'll the caucus which had been called
said, and their vote in such a meeting
was liable to be challenged. He charac-
terized this caucus as the "gravel
train" where the common people had
chance and where politics and political
parties were unknown. Mr.. May de-
plored the fact that St. Johnsbury was
continually running in debt, claiming
that the rate of $23.5O on a thousand |
that stared the would-be out-of town in
vestor in the face, not only ham,
pered the healthy growth of the
place but placed the town in bad light.
He said he was also sick of having the
town clerk draw larger salary than a
bank cashier. He welcomed all those
present and promised them fair play.
Representative Howe followed Mr..
May. He was surprised to find that the
office of town clerk and treasurer was
paying the incumbent upward of $500
per year and compared it with the
$1700 paid to the treasurer of the state
and the $25O0 which the state auditor
draws as a reward for faithful and com
petent work. Mr.. Howe continued with
a scathing arraignment of the laxity of
business methods and the unheard- of
extravaganza noted in the aforesaid
office, citing as examples of the latter,
the new system of indexing accounts, the
adding machines and last but not least
those STUFFED leather chairs" which he
said 'were more suited to the Wall street
F. a 4