The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-08-25
WHAT BOLTING MEANS.

Two weeks from tomorrow the he
publicans of Vermont will elect State
and county officers, two Congressman
and a new Legislature. 1t is as GER
tain as any future political result
may be called certain, that the Re-
publicans will elect all the State Of
icers. the congressman, an over
whelming majority of the Legislature,
and, probably, all the county Off
GERS. The only uncertainty deals
with the size of majorities.
Some of the State newspapers are
the party candidate for Governor, and
advising Republicans not to vote for
some members of the party seem dis
posed to follow such a course. With
out questioning the honesty of their
motives, the Journal cannot agree
with them, that such course is wise.
No sensible man will claim that Re
publican disaffection is sufficiently
serious to endanger the election OF
Doctor Mead as Governor. The ques-
ton really at issue, then, deals with
the advantage or the disadvantage OF
giving a largely decreased majority
for the head of the ticket 1t must
be remembered that Doctor Mead will
be Just as much Governor of Vermont
with 10000 as with 10000 majority
All the powers and honors of the Of
| fee will be his. 1t is hardly to be
expected that be will seek further
political honors so that a reduced
majority will not injure his future
career. In all human probability the
next Legislature will enact a law pro-
viding for the publication of campaign
expenditures by candidates for i'm
portant offices. The party is pledged
to it by it's platform, and Doctor
Mead stands squarely on the plat
form, SO, that there is no reason to
believe that his influence will be
against such legislation. With such
law the excessive use Of money is
mot likely to occur. Therefore there
is no need of cutting down the major
| ty in order to ensure better condi-
tons governing the use of money in
future political campaigns.
There is another phase Of the sit
uation to be considered, and that is
the effect of a reduced Republican
majority outside the State. The fig
ures sent out the night of Sept. s
throughout the length and breadth
of the land will not be the vote for
Lieutenant Governor or Congressman,
but for the head of the ticket. The
vote cast for other candidates will
not be known for several days after
the election and will not be heard or
commented upon extensively outside
Vermont The Republicans of YER
mont are not Insurgents as the term
is understood in the West. They be-
lieve in the progressive Republican
ism of leaders like President Taft and
Governor Hughes. The people out
side the State will not understand
that decreased Vermont majority is
due to local conditions. They will
ascribe the cause to national condi-
lions and such a result will be greeted
with JOY by the enemies of the admin
istration and by Democrats every
where.
1t is useless to deny that the Re-
publican party is in dangerous pre-
dicament just now as a result OF the
spread Of the Insurgent movement
and the Roosevelt-Taft misunder-
standing. The conditions have not
been so threatening since the Gar
field-Conkling feud of 1881, and unless
the difficulty is removed the schism
in the party easily may exceed that of
thirty years ago. Coming at this
critical time cutting in two of the
Republican majority in Vermont
would be hailed from the Atlantic to
the Pacific as sure sign of over
whelming Republican disaster, and
it would tend seriously to weaken the
administration in the desperate fight
that must be waged between now and