The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-03-02
Party Honesty

Party Honesty
There were sos delegates sent to
the republican state convention In
Montpelier last June. They were sell
ected from the various towns OF the
state and supposedly represented the
best views of their respective COM
munities. The official representa-
ives of the party took occasion to APP
point a carefully selected committee
of loyal and intelligent republicans
to prepare platform. This COM
mittee was chosen some time before
the convention met that 1t might
have ample time to prepare declar-
alton of principles that should be
free from the criticism Of hasty &C
ton.
The committee thus officially dele
gated to act, devoted considerable
time and thought to the work and
promulgated a platform that was
widely published in the newspapers
of the state and literally discussed.
The document, prepared by the
committee was amended in some res
poets by members of the state COM
mittee and other prominent republi-
cans, who considered it carefully, on
the eve OF the convention. When the
convention, made up of nearly 700
delegates, was ready for business the
first matter taken up was the plat
form. 1t was carefully and distinct
ly read by member of the commit
tee who was familiar with its recon-
mendations and who brought out It's
salient points so that II was thor
oughly understood by every man in
the convention.
Some of the provisions were dis
and it was finally adopted pretty
much as it had been written by the
committee. 1t represented the par
tvs principles to a larger degree than
any platform ever adopted by the par
ty in Vermont. 1t was entirely rea-
sonable to suppose that the party in
tended to select candidates for the
legis AZURE who wol lphod ns d..
clared principles. 1t was entirely
reasonable to suppose that any man
who presented himself as candid
ate for senator or representative from
any part of the state had familiarized
himself with the platform. adopted
by the party under whose banner he
asked for honor and preferment and
that his views we're in unison with
those of his party,
Ii certainly was reasonable to sup
pose that any man who took issue
with the tenets of his party. as laid
down in its platform, solemnly adopt
ed in convention, would give his con-
stituents whose support he asked, in
formation as to what his objections
were and allow them to take the res
possibility of sending him to Mont
pelier or not, as they saw At.
So far as we have heard no can
didate for senator or representative
made any public statement showing
his opposition to the platform as
adopted. 1t was reasonable to sup
pose then that the party had elected
representatives who would go to
Montpelier to carry out the views OF
the party. What the men who were
elected did do is history. The repub-
lican members of the legislature,
whose number was less than half the
membership of the convention which
adopted the platform, practically as
sumed to say that they were bound
by those provisions of the platform
which conceded with their personal
views and were unbound by any
others.
In other words they said the plat
form didn't amount TO a hill OF beans
These republicans took upon them
selves a graver responsibility than
they appreciated, perhaps, at the
time. Their attitude, however. is
bound to plague the party in the fu-
ture, as sure as fate. II is true that
party platforms have been considered
more or less of joke in the past but
times are changing, This particular
platform was different. 1t was diff
ferently adopted and II was different
ly regarded by the majority OF repub-
leans OF the state at least. Public
sentiment demands more OF parties
today than IL ever did before In this
country. 1t asks for honesty and
square dealing and the results In
i Maine and Massachusetts indicate
that when they do not get Il they
know how TO act.
Should Vermont follow Maine and
turn the republican party out of pow.
er who can say that the seeds from
which the movement gained its start.
were not sown in the legislative halls
at Montpelier In 1910?
1t Is not time for men or parties
to become careless OF responsibilities
Indifferent to solemnly made prom.
ises.-Burlington Clipper.