The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1910-07-29
Opposition to Mead.
Bennington Banner

Banner accuse DR.. Mead or his managers
of dishonesty or crooked methods. We
watched his campaign i'll this county a.
closely as we could and investigated seN.
erai reports of wrong-doing, but found
no evidence OF bribery or corruption or
of the wrong use of MONEY strong enough
TO warrant actual charges. Consequently
the Banner never made any charges.
In accordance with its inyarlabe Gus
tom the Banner printed both sides oil the
controversy during the governorshp can
yass. Ii printed great deai that was
said against DIR. Mead and also a great
deal that was said in his favor that the
readers of the paper might be fully IN
formed as to the progress OF the canvass.
The Banner indorsed neither the com.
ment against DR.. Mead nor in favor OF
him. >, .
We opposed DR.. Mead's nomination,
not ON the ground of corruption and DIS
honesty but because we believed the state
could do better. We favored the noml'
nation of Mr.. Batchelder because we
thought him the best fitted of the several
men in the field. We should do the same
thing if called upon to 60 through lhe
oampaign again. 1t is only those who are
ashamed OF their cause that suffer from
vain regrets at being on the losing side
So much for the canvass up TO the
nomination. As to anything that could
be termed croweating since, we DO not
recoliect it. The Banner takes II Tor
Granted that DR.. Mead will be elected
Governor and we think he will try hard
10 make creditable record as governor.
So much we have said and We certainly
believe Il TO be true. The Banner may
or NAV not devote any considerable en9rt
in his support. 1t couldn't materially
change the result anyway II IT tired.
The Banner is not SO welded 10 party
regularities that it feels compelled 10
swallow every kind of bait that may be
bnna IN the party hook. We believe in
he principles of the republican party,
and when they are represented by honest
men who can be trusted ito work Tor the
good of the rank and file of the people
we cannot understand why anybody ana
esnecially any working man should vote
any other than the republican ticket;
We have the greatest esteem and re-
gard for many democrats personally
They are Just as honest, Just as sincere,
lust as patriotic as the republicans or the
members of any other party, but we can
not understand how anybody with tneir
ewes open can deliberately indorse free
trade or a, tariff for revenue only wnae aa
would inside two years reduce the wages
of workingmen. in this country by a
third; or how they can support a pro,
posa to do away with all federal control
of corporations on the silly ground,
worthy Of scared chicken that it inter
feres with state rights; how they can
even tacitly agree to bank guarantee
PROPOSAL that would surely take millions
Of dollars of the savings OF Worklngmen
and small businessmen and distribute, the
money among the patrons Of wildcat
banks. :,
These and other fallacies Of the Demo,
cratic party, as party, have stopped
and held it for quarter OF a century
and will continue to do SO, ana more
effectively if once tried. There are times
when it is right and proper to vote the
democratic ticket as q. protest when .ne
republicans name dishonest, untrust
worthy or incompetent men. just SO
there are times when under similar cir
cumstances all self-respecting democrats
should vote the republican ticket
The situation in this present campaign
in Vermont is this The democrats have
nominated the ADLER man OF the two
along general lines. He is the more pro-
cressive. up-todate, and is above reproach
IN every particular The question for
every voter to decide for himself is wheth-
or Mr.. Watson is enough superior to
DR.. Mead to warrant voting for HIM and
thereby giving aid and encouragement to
a party made up of dlscordant elemehts
and with a program that contains some
fine features but which are tied up Win
some indefinite impossible theories on the
one hand and some dangerous demagogle
schemes on the other. The Banner would
be glad to help its readers decide II II
could, but it doesn't know.