St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1910-08-31

est voter to not only refuse to vote
for Dr. Mead but to vote for some
body else.
Republican Arguments Answered.
= Notwithstanding the weakened
position it has been forced to assume
the republican party managers still
appeal to the voters to support its
candidate for governor. Their first
and most famiIlar cry is that the
rest of the country is waiting to hear
Vermont's verdict. We cannot ac-
cept this as a valid claim. In the
first place the only national ques-
ton before the voters of Vermont
is the election of two representatives
to congress. To vote against them
would repudiate the position of the
national republican party on the
tariff and other national issues. To
vote for them is an endorsement of
these national questions and the
people of Vermont will vote for them
So there need be no claim that
vote against a man as governor of
this state because he has violated
the law, because he has paid more
than he dares tell his friends even
for the people votes, will be any
reflection on President Taft or his
policies. This claim by the adher-
ents of DR.. Mead is simply saying 10
the people of Vermont that they
never can approve. or reject state
policies in a state election because
it will hazard the supremacy of the
party in the nation. 1t seems ridicul-
Gus to claim that we have the nation
On our hands to such an extent we
cannot vote for decency at home.
Let us by our vote next Tuesday show
that we do not propose to be gagged
on state issues in every election but
will express our sentiment on state
matters at least one i'll four years.
Another argument that is made
with considerable force is that all
republicans should vote for the re
publican candidate for governor in
order to. maintain or increase their
towns representation in all the re-
publican conventions two years
from date. This claim comes mighty
near proving that we have d system
that will not allow the people to
purify their political methods 1T
says in effect that no matter how
many legal voters there are in your
town it's voice in the, selection of the
mil hn lot
by the number of votes you cast for
the present candidate without regard
to his honesty or efficiency. If you
vote as you honestly believe on state
issues it will curtail your power in
the next convention. While this
may be correct party policy it can
not be denied that it is an effective
gag on the voice of the people on
local issues. 1t also means that the
republican party does not propose to
remedy this situation by giving the
people a direct primary where every
legal voter will have an opportunity
to express his choice for governor
and all other public officials or else
LACy oAO II Ing ~ oO1A z IAO pOOP1O
by false threat. If the people desire
and demand a change in the method
of nominating candidates for state
offices so they can express their
choice directly and without fail the
threat that their representation in
republican convention will be re-
duced will have no effect. So we
say stand up as men and vote for
your rights and not be scared by the
crack of the party whip
\ Vote the Rest of the Ticket.-To
our mind the strongest argument
against any attempt to rebuke the
methods of DR.. Mead is that many
voters in their desire to censure Mead
will vote the entire democratic ticket.
This should not be done because the
other members of the republican
state ticket are not responsible for
the unfortunate position of their
party. They were named by the
same convention that nominated DR..
| Mead and so must stand with him or
repudiate their own nomination.
They have not adopted the corrupt
| ible methods of DR.. Mead. They
have proven by actual experience
| that they are honest and efficient
and they should not be made to suffer
| for another's wrong doing. Every
republican voter should give these
men his endorsement at the polls.
| We regret that it has been neces-
sary to say some of the things men
| toned above about the position of
| the republican leaders but the argu-
ments put forth allow no other an
swer by man of honest convictions.
| We believe that the members of the
| republican state committee would
be nleased to have stronger are1l-