Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-02-25
TALKING UP CLEMENT.
Comment Of Various Newspapers on
His Possible Reappearanee.

ernorin 1910? 1t sounds like joke, but
there is q meagre possibility OF his return
to Vermont after two unsuccessful and
rather expensive campaigns for the office.
Perhaps a good deal of the unfair criti-
cism OF the present legislature is inspired 4
by those who are laying low waiting for /
an opportunity. Perhaps the time has
arrived because the legislature neglected /
to enact certain laws. No need to worry, /
time will tell the story in the same old /
way. The campaign of education in 1906
was great benefit to the state and the
best man was elected to the governor
ship ergennes Enterprise.
Because few of the newspapers Of the
state have candidly called attention to the
fact that the political fields Of Vermont
are awaiting the sickle of some thorough
lv independent leader, other and less can
did journals have begun to sing Justify:
"Percy Clements Body Lies a-Moulder-
ing in the Grave, or words to that effect.
1t isn't so much that they fear the politi-
cal resurrection Of Mr.. Clement as that
they look with distrust upon any move
ment tending to disturb the tranquility
Of the powers that be. Ergo, they eslcu-
late that the most effectual way to de-
stroy independent political sentiment is
to attribute it to Mr.. Clement. The only
trouble with this scheme is that it de-
ponds altogether too much on the ereduli-
ty of the public. And the public, fortu-
nstely for itself, is beginning TO develop
spirit akin to the man from Missourii il
has to be shown in matters OF this kind.
1t has already been shown how easy it is
/ for thoughtless legislature, unchecked
( by the hand OF a strong administration,
! -. -, - aNnN. -
riotous appropriations. 1t has already
seen state and court expenses jump so
high as to become an issue as paramount
as was local option seven years ago. Yer
mont is just spelling for another political
upheaval, and no one knows it any better
than the papers that are trying to prevent
the revolution by calling it a Clement
raid. Let there arise one able, iorceful
man who can demonstrate that ne is
wholly independent from the politicians
at present in power; let him take as his
slogan retrenchment in state and court
expenses; let him campaign the state on
the strength OF what evidence he can find
on this issue alone. aud see what will
Experimentation Reformer.
The Bennington Banner, one OF Mr..
Clemsnt's former supporters, makes the
truthful diagnosis OF the Clement case:-
/, Clementism is dead beyond resurrec-
tion, not because OF the weakness OF the
movement, but because OF the weakness
OF the leader. While Clement has some
good qualities he would never have stood
seven spot high, but for the local option
issue, because on the other issues he is
weaker than almost anybody else in the
state. When the rank aud file of the vot
ers of the state want q champion they
! will not knowingly choose mere mil
lionaire who made his fortune by grind
. ing down honest labor and in railroad
bank and stock manipulation and tina
seems to be the sum total OF Clement
record. The only time he was ever fo
! The people was when he wanted thei
, votes.
Even during the recent session OF tn
legislature note the issue and the sid
taken by Clements personal organ
First and foremost the Clement HeraI,
e has devoted itself to q strenuous effort Il
+ discredit former Governor Proctor ant
= all those associated with him. Next th
Herald made a violent attempt to proven
the passage Of the bill to prevent the sal
8 of adulterated paints, even after it hsr
e been shown that paints are being soil
q labeled 'pure" that are made up of sixty
nine per cent clay and water and othe
= adulterants. 1t was stated at Montpelie
e that the Clement family is interested il
e paint manufacturing concern, but as t
!. the truth OF this we are unable to state.
Another bill that Clements orgsl
> strenuously objected to was the bill to in
y crease the taxation Of railroads. Unde
our present system Of taxation OF raiIroa
] art in afa da fur
at the rate OF $500 on each thou
sand dollars of property, while th
'e average rate of taxation on other propert
II is S16.70 per thousand. The Hous
"a passed the bill but the Senate was NOR
friendly to railroads and killed it. Pei
y haps Clement and his paper will explai
le why railroads should be favored sbov
le other people. II is certainly interestin
n and instructive to have man taking tbs
position and at the same time trying
y pose as the champion OF the people.
II Again there was the bill to compel raj
roads doing business in Vermont to Sc
= mileage books good on all the railroad
in this state which have a uniform rate {
e two cents per mile. The Herald was s
De opposed to this bill that it waste
he columns Of valuable space in fighting i
a. though the people would be distinct
benefited by such a measure.
u II is our opinion that the Banner state
be the case correctly when it says "Clemen
it isn't is dead. We do not know, how
an ever, exactly what "Clementism'' NEAR
in the Banners lexicon. II it means TIL
40 Mr.. Clement will be unable in the futu
ey to lead an assault upon thu prohibition
OF law, state expenses and tax administr
al ton, we believe also that "Clementisn
is dead. The same old issues cam
~ again be resurrected and paraded befo
cd an astonished electorate. Mr.. Clement
al propaganda was not wholly without val
hv to the state, but that. need not mean tn
the people want more of it. The bul
US ness OF the commonwealth has been CO
'ly Quoted with greater care since Cleme
it than before him. Governor Proctor
re administration was a notable departu
from prior administrations and an equal
US notable success. 1t would have been ju
ng as secure in its conscientious condu
to however, il there were no Clement. The
he can be little doubt that Mr.. Clement h