The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-04-12
TAFT AND 1912.

Montpelier Journal has seen fit to dis
sent in a most strenuous way from
our view that President Taft. will not
be candidate with whom the Repub.
lican party can win success in 1912.
1t says Vermont will be found with
Taft delegation in 1912" An old
darby, grievously over-worked and
summoned to an extremely late din
ner, said, "Massa makes the forenoon,
but the Lawd makes the afternoon.
Politicians name candidates in con
vention, but the people do the voting.
Harrison in 1892 was unanimously
nominated by the convention, but was
almost as unanimously beaten by the
electors.
The Journal should know that never
in our history as a nation, have party
obligations rested so lightly as now.
People are voting for their own inter
ests and do not blindly follow leaders.
This is a condition, as we said before,
that party leaders, looking for sue
cess, must consider
II reciprocity be passed, President
Taft must stand or fall by 1t. Now
there is only single way in which 1t
can benefit consumers, and that Is by
a considerable reduction in the prices
of all farming products. This must
mean corresponding fall in prices TO
the American grower Of those pro
ducts and we must consider the effect
of this reduction in income on the
farmer and his probable attitude tow
ais the man who caused his loss of
income, and who now asks him for
his vote. Will the farmer give him
his vote in 1912?
If we answer yes" we must attri-
butte to the farmer one of two things.
Either he possesses a forgiving spirit
above his fellows or else he is fool.
We assent to neither of these state
ments and therefore cannot see how
the Republican party can hope for
success in 1912, If its candidate
forces on the country policy that
will ALLEVIATE its strongest supporters.
Glance at the situation in 1912 as
sensible men. The farmer finds him
self by a measure forced on the coun.
try by President Taft, obliged to sell
all his products on the basis of free
trade, with country that is the most
competitor in his products
OF any on EARTH one that is capable
of producing more for export than
any other. This farmer, with his
money earned in this free trade mar
ket, wishes to buy a mower, reaper
or other implement. He must pur-
chase them of protected trust. He
wants fertilizers, and here In Yer
mont the trust charges him 81 per
ton more than for the same goods in
New York state. Does he want meat,
coal, clothing, -four, sugar. or coffee,
he must buy them from trusts, that
are protected" to the limit Does he
seek comfort by reading his Bible,
choosing such passages as, Thou
shalt not steal, or do unto others as
he would that they should do unto
YOU. he must burn the midnight oil
sought only from the Oil Trust. The
only free trade Except his products)
is the petition he puts up, Father,
dost thou not say in Thy Word, AS
We mete unto others it shall be meas
ured to you again?"
Now therefore, there is not
an article given above but
what is made by pro
trust. What will the farmer say to
an administration that says to them,
God bless you, go on, and to him,
Stand and deliver" Now in 1912
there will be waged such a political
conflict as has rarely been seen. The
Democratic party will probably pre-
sent as its candidate Woodrow Will
son, of New Jersey; with a Western
man as vice-president; probably one
from Indiana. Now this will mean
that both states will quite likely vote
for the Democratic candidates If a
candidate cannot carry Vermont by
about $4,000, and Maine by $1,000 to
$4,000, he cannot hope to win in
November. A majority of $1,000 or
more likely 10000 in Vermont with
like reduction or probably worse the
loss Of Maine, will prove disastrous
to the Republican party
With what grace can the Republi-
can party go to the farmers of Yer
mont in 1912 with Mr. Taft as the
candidate? They have protested
against reciprocity but have been
spurned from the foot of the throne
Every vestige of protection has been
taken from all they sell, while they
still are compelled to purchase all
they buy of interests and trusts pro-
tected to the doors. VIII they like
it? Hardly! If the Democrats throw
into the state a corps of fine orators;
If they, by means OF platform and
newspapers, offer to compensate the
farmers by making what they pur-
chase free, will party loyalty hold
them to vote for Mr. Taft, against a
policy that offers them a possible re-
lief? Well perhaps (?) In our view
the nomination of Mr.. Taft In 1912
will be political suicide for the party
for we think that to Mr.. Taft, recipro-
city will prove Frankensteln, and to
the Republican party Waterloo
Poultney Journal
The Journal appears to have work
ed itself into quite a state of mind
over this matter and sincerely be.
lieves that it is right The argument
is about over as far as Vermont is
concerned and our senators and rep
resentatives in congress undoubtedly
now know in their hearts how they in
tend to vote. Two and perhaps more
of them have stated publicly that in
their opinion, reciprocity would be
agreed to regardless of the way the
Vermonters vote.
This being the case we should like
to have the Poultney Journal agree
that in case reciprocity does go into