Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-07-01
MONTPELIER. June 30.

didate for the nomination for the gov
ernorship since 1892. when Josiah Grout
of Derby defeated william w. Suckney
of Ludlow by two votes, DR.. John Abner
Mead of Rutland this afternoon carried
the Republican state convention, with
only three votes to spare. Two ballots
were required to turn the trick, both of
which were extremely close. DR.. Mead
| lacked but six votes on the first ballot and
| in the next round he gained FIVE, while
his nearest opponent, Frederick G. Fleet
| wood Of Morrisvile, gained only three,
| but there was a slump of 20 in the
strength Of James X. Batchelder of Ar
! lington, whom the delegates from Wind
| ham and Bennington counties had banked
| upon with much confidence.
| 1t was a hot finish of a dull campaign,
| the closing days of which the wheel
! horses outside the Mead camp had de-
voted to an effort not so much to pull
! their respective candidates through as to
beat Mead. The final vote showed MAJ
! terial falling of from the estimate Of
| the Mead political bureau, and the OPP
| ponents of DR.. Mead were in high spirits
up to the time the vote was taken. After
! the delegates had arrived here yesterday
afternoon and had taken an account of
! stock the atmosphere was surcharged
! with suppressed excitement. and the anti
! Mead forces winked at each other signi-
| hcantlY and said in subdued tones, al
| most a whisper: We've got him stop
ped" Even the Mead men seemed to be
wearing made faces, and in the Rutland
candidates headquarters at midnight a
| statement was given out in which the
| possibility of mo choice on the first bal
! lot was admitted. The Mead men proved
to be the better guessers, however, in
| sa wing that the doctor would run stronger
on the second ballot in the event of his
losing on the first. The lengths to which
the Opposition" went is indicated by the
fact that late last night a man more than
100 miles away was sent after especially
to labor with single delegate who show
ed a preference for DIT. Mead when IT
had been supposed that he would vote for
another candidate.
While DR.. Mead's strength was over
rated his pre-convention figures appear
to have been based upon information
much more reliable than that obtained by
Mr.. Fleetwood. The latter stated last
night that he had positive assurances
that he would poll largely in excess Of 325
votes, but in the convention he fell So
short of that number.
Marshall ]. Hapgood Of Peru was a dis
appointment all round. Not only did he
fail to gain any support whatever in ad-
J dition to the first caucus returns. but in
the convention he gave expression to his
personal animositY to such an extent
that he was Kissed, booted and jeered
Leighton p. Slack of St. Johnsbury was
nominated for lieutenant governor on the
second ballot, but Ernest w. Gibson OF
Brattleboro ran strongly in the contest,
when the fact is considered that he made
no canvass, merely announcing his can
didacy. He was nominated by Clarke c.
Fits. The vote on the first ballot was
Slack 255, Gibson ia. George F. Leland
of North Springfield 1877. on the second
ballot 1872 less votes were cast, many OF
the delegates having felt pangs of hun
ger and left the convention. The second
ballot was Slack 256. Gibson 100. Leland
! 80 1t was the understanding in some
= quarters that a deal was carried through
! between the Mead managers and the Cal
= edonia county delegation whereby some
Mead strength was thrown to Mr.. Slack
to the disadvantage Of Mr.. Gibson.
The crowd in the city was the largest
since the memorable Clement convention
4 of eight years ago. Practically all OF the
politicians were here whether delegate!
v or not, and a big crowd of Rutland en-
4 thusiasts came in their private capacities
, wore Mead blue ribbons and buttons anC
e mingled with the crowd in an effort tC
manufacture enthusiasm. A large ma
. jority of the visitors put up at the Pa
T vilion House, where all the candidates
n for governor established headquarters
5 also Mr.. Leland, one OF the candidates 70
o Lieutenant governor. The two other can
T didates for the second place on the tick
J. et Mr. Gibson and Mr.. Slack, had m
- headquarters, by mutual agreement. TIL
+ humanity until long past midnight, an
L it was nearly dawn when quiet took pos
: session Of the hotel.
h The committee on platform was in ses
T sion all last evening and two Brattebor
/, men, X-Congressman Kittredge Has
& kins and eX-Attorney General Clarke {
y Fits, appeared before it with suggestion
- for changes in the proposed platforr
4 published in The Phoenix of June ?
5, Col. Haskins urged that the platforr
: specifically and emphatcally endorse TN
: administration If President Taft and tn
10 work Of the 6lst Congress. Failure to d
: So he argued, would arouse criticisl
i throughout the country Mr.. Fits wa
p opposed to incorporating a plank favorin
" a primary elections law. He though
s. such a law was not adapted to Vernon
there being but a few large places in III
state.
But few changes were made in the orig
inal platform. The paragraph commend
ing the proposed creation by Congress
= a national department Of public healt
n was eliminated The plank relative
- | political primaries was amended to rea
p" as follows: 1--WE believe that the Legislf
ture should enact such a law as sha
nd surround the political party caucuses vii
et the same safeguards as now protect II
elections at the polls
The only other change OF important
no was with reference to the liquor law. !
III amened, that plank reads as follows:
ls 1.-THE manifold and widespread evils r.
u sulting from intemperance in the use
alcoholic liquors demand that the trati
in strong drink shall be restricted by Il
most salutary laws vigorously administe
ed Inasmuch as the present local Optic
.vv law was established by virtue of re
erendum to the voters Of the state, '
Ia believe that the principle Of local optic
~ should not be abandoned without re
40 erendum similar to that by which 1t WI
adopted"
en- Corruption was the slogan upon Will
en- the anti-Mead forces were relying
down John Abner, and no opportunity
ay give the Rutland candidate dig for Z
ks alleged use OF money in the campaign W
allowed to escape. No direct charge W
me made, but insinuations in the conVe
rs ton were frequent They were carried
ale such an extent that they were turned
IL good account by Hugh Henry OF Chest'
ain who threw the convention into an u
yill roarious state when, in seconding L
Mead's nomination, he said that in the
wears that he had attended conventio
he never saw candidates driven to su
straits as to base their campaigns up
vituperation. insinuation and sneers
rs another candidate. Joseph Battell
'pe Middlebury who has offered reward
out $1,000 for proof OF Illegal use OF money
the campaign, was expected to create
sensation when he arose to second
nomination OF Mr.. Fleetwood His
at, marks received scant applause and
wn force Of his statements that with