The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1910-07-08
HAPoooD WAS CONSISTENT.
Reasons Why He wouldn't Make
Mead's Nomination Unanimous.

N, j. lIapg0od II Peru has issued ihl
following statement In explanation q
his course ai the republican state con
Venti0n last week.
Mr.. liapgood catered the canvass sole
" with tho aim 10 aid In purifying
| the situation, lie neither desired ol
expected the nomination himself. Afiel
having entered be took due care mol
Ia "show the white feather lii
only reliance for any support for him
self was Ia the adoption Of the Aus
iralian form of ballot, and when that
WAS rejected he gave out word that
he desired no support except from the
two delegates from his own town and
I.andgrove. Mr.. liapeood himself voted
for Fleetwood,
lie hoped that there would be good
sense enough not 20 move 10 make the
nomination unanimous but when The
motion came he did not finch. he,
lioying that Dr. Mead 5 canvass had
been "roiten. illegiiimnte and a dis
grace 10 the state" be acted as though
he was sincere In that belief and, with
out ilinching. in the face Of bowling
mob jumped upon the platform and de-
elared that the nomination should not
be made unanimous. because "unan'
imous' meant 'every one aud he,
ms delegate should object "beeause
he believed that DIR. Mead : canvass
had been rotten. illcgiiimate, aud n
disgrace 90 the state. ~ lie was In no
sense put down, ns some of the Mead
papers state, but spoke every word he
intended TO speak when be began.
lIc slept well the night after the
convention. sleeps well now. and de-
clares that he had much rather be In
his own shoes today than In those OF
DIR. Mead +. He believes that in many
respects DR.. Mead's canvass was more
rotten and detrimental TO the inter
ests Of the state than any Of its pre-
decessors; in fact, as he believes, Dr.
Mead was personally cognizant OF the
in methods used-knew fully what his
agents were about and was chief direc'
tor himself. the same as in his other
affairs.
He was directly in front Of DIR. Mead,
looking him squarely in the face when
the doctor read that part Of his dis
course wherein he declared his ad'
herence 10 the principle of compelling
by law every candidate for executive
Office to file an account of his ex'
penses, and whispered TO his seatmate
lsthat takes the cake. - He was also
much amused nj the doctor g reference
TO President Roosevelt as though they
were in accord in principles of action.
As to the remedy for the situation,
Mr. Hapgood believed that 1t mainly
lies in bold, determined. unfiinching
action upon the part of those who
really believe in clean politics. The
general public conscience must re-
ceive an uplift. He also believes
that il would be very healthful If we
had more democrats in the state, at
least three times as many, enough to
have controlling influence when Joined
TO those who consider party ties as
to public interests.
Mr.. Hapgood believes that this is
he last canvass when mercenary In
luences will control the situations. It
was only "by the skin Of the teeth"
that It succeeded this time as the
majority was only three upon the Sc
,ond ballot and several of the opposing
delegates were absent seeking n lunch,
we trust not by design.
The deliberate refusal to allow a
to be made unanimous is,
indeed. something which our state con-
,entions are not used to; but Mr.. Hap
,ood has already received warm words
If approval from some of the highest
Influences of the nation. The misses
lie received he considers an honor ana
hereby extends his thanks to those
Who gave them.
Peru. Vt, Independence day" July
4. 1910. NJ. J. Hapgood.