The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-03-24
A POLITICAL MIRACLE
Republicans Defeated by Eu enc \
FOss in nth Congressional Dis
trict.

| VI Iht lNtDuDllNdn SuOluo vi JIG
State, placed Eugene N. Foss of Bos-
ton, a Democrat, in the Congressional
| seat of the late William G. Lowering
of Taunton. Mr.. Foss accomplished
what is regarded as almost political
miracle, turning q Republican plural
| ity of 14,S25 into a Democratic VIC
tory of 5,640.
The vote today was:
Eugene N. Foss of Boston Demo-
craft 1880.
William r. Buchanan of Brocton,
Republican, 9,S4O.
1t was the most overwhelming de-
feat that the Republicans have met
in Massachusetts since Governor
Bates was overthrow by William l..
Dauglas six years ago.
The result is considered OF more
than State wide Importance, for Mr.
Foss stumped the entire fourteenth
district on national questions.
Where the two cities and every one
of the "A towns in the district gave
Republican majorities only four
months ago at the State election, a
scant dozen remained loyal to the Re-
publicans today.
1t was the first contest to be de-
cided by the voters since the Payne
| Aldrich tariff bill became operative
/ boI inf ko4
account. Mr. Foss, who has figured
in several campaigns, first as Re-
| publican and latterly as Democrat,
with moderate protectionist leanings,
Is well known in the northeastern
| States and in Canada as champion
of Canadian reciprocity, an issue
which led him to leave the Republican
| party last year and become the De-
| mocratic candidate for lieutenant
governor. He failed by only 5000
votes to carry the State at that time.
Another subject which was discuss
ed in the Congressional campaign was
the high cost of living. The Demo-
cratic campaigners charged the Payne
Aldrich tariff bill and the failure OF
the Republican party to regulate the
trusts with being mainly responsible
for the high cost of living. This at
tack was met by Senator Henry Cabot
Lodge, who delivered an address at
Brockton last Saturday night in which
he declared that increases had occur
red principally in articles upon which
the duty had been lowered when the
tariff was revised last year. Mr. Foss
in replying to Senator Lodge, present
ed list of comparative food prices
in Montreal, st. John, n. B., and in
Boston, which he used as an argu-
ment against the allegation that the
cost of provisions is due to world
wide upward price movement
The 18th district has been the most
consistently Republican district in
Massachusrtis having never before
elected Democrat to Congress-.
Congressman Lowering carried uhe
district in 1908 by the enormous plu-
rallty OF 14,2o0.
The remarkable shift of votes today
is difficult to analyze. The RepuDli-
can leaders admit that their party in
the district was divided, pan tly due
, to the failure of Judge Robert O.
Harris of Dridgewater, to win the
nomination in the primaries. Judge
) Harris took no part in lhe campaign
but many of his friends worked to
: defeat Mr.. Buchanan Mr. Buchanan
; had TO meet the attack that he was
| not strong party man, his oppon-
cts pointing to the fact that he was
formerly the secretary of Governor
William l.. Douglas, a Democrat. The
l'rockton man was further handicap.
ped by a theory that Mr.. Foss was as
good a Republican as himself And it
is true that Mr.. Foss' prominence in
the Republican party previous to
last year brought many supporters
to his standard
Congresslnan-elect Foss is prom
innnt manufacturer, banker and cap
italist of Boston. He had been twice
defeated for Congress in the nth dis
trict. He is a brother OF Congress
man Foss of Illinois. Mr.. Buchanan
is the publisher of the Drockton
Times. The Foss brothers arc natives
Of Vermont, being residents of st. Al
bans at onestime.
Mr.. Foss in a statement tonight de-
c'ared the result of the election
shows "a demand by the people that
the Republican party fulhll its
pledge for an honest reduction of the
tariff"
ut is demand for the immediate
repeal of section b, of the Payne
Aldrich act which substitutes retaIia-
ton for reciprocity and threatens
commercial warfare with our best
customers he continued.
Mr.. Buchanan, the defeated candi-
date said;
IF the result will serve to con-
vince the Republican leaders at Wash
ington that something must he speed
lily accomplished in the way of lower