The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-09-18
Republicans at Montpelier.

The recent State campaign was
fought out on well-defined lines, and
any methods employed that were not
above-b board were thoroughly exposed
in advance by the press and their eff
fects well discounted. The election
results were a good deal of sur
prise to many Republicans and far
from being as satisfactory as had
been hoped But they by no means
show breakup of the Republican
party in Vermont, as has been so per
sistently declared in some quarters.
The entire State ticket was endorsed
by liberal plurality on the popular
vote, and the popular will, no doubt,
will be endorsed by the Legislature,
even though the many tickets in the
field prevented a majority vote at
the polls. We have accomplished
what We were so earnestly fighting
for as to the State administration of
the next two years. which without
question, will be thoroughly business
like and progressive. With Governor
Fletcher and Lieutenant Governor
Howe, than whom no others of the
candidates were so we'll equipped for
those officers, and the other able and
efficient executives chosen, most of
them long experienced in the ad-
ministrative work of their respective
offices, and with large Republican
majority in the Legislature, what
more can Vermonters desire as to con
ditions favorable for advanced legis-
lation and administration for the two
years to come?
In our opinion, too, apart from the
effect strategically and otherwise on
the National political situation, the
recent election results may have
very salutary effect-as they GER
tainly should have-on the Republi-
can party in Vermont. We would re-
iterate the previously expressed SEN
timent that politics in Vermont has
been altogether too one.sded for
these many, many years. Politics in
this State is now cleaner than in
most of the States; but it is newt
able that abuses will creep into local
and State politics and administration
when one party Is long overwhelm.
ingly in control. The lesson of the
to heart by every loyal Republican,
and should bring about higher type
OF responsible citizenship, a greater
determination and more energetic eff.
fort in the interest of progressive leg
islation, a clearer and broader vision
of the needs of all the people and
more practical methods of attaining
desired ends of governmental reform
Looked at from this point of view.
which We believe to be the only logi-
cal one, the recent shake-up is to be
regarded as a necessary tonic and
aperient for the reinvigoration and
publication of the Republican party
in Vermont
But almost everything as to the
government of this State for the next
two years will depend on the attitude
and the sense of responsibility as
delegated governing factors of the
newly elected members OF the Legis.
lature. We believe they are to be
trusted, and that they viii. to a man.
at once repudiate and resent the in.
situations as to their political faith
and integrity thrown out by a small
minority of the State press. The
claim that men elected as Repubr-
cans will fail to vote for the memb.
ers OF the Republican State ticket
seems preposterously absurd, yet GER
tain of the newspapers of Vermont
are calmly assuring their readers that
many Of these Republicans are so
much in sympathy with the Progress
sives that they will vote with them
and the Democrats to the defeat of
the Republican ticket This is wholly
unbelievable by any candid person
who is familiar with the character of
Nermonters-their staunchness. their
integrity, their high sense of honor.
where, too, would there be any DO
tency In the much mooted referen-
aum, were such a thing possibleY
The viii Of the people has been en-
phaucally expressed in the pluralit-
les given the members OF the State
republican ticket, and precisely in
the same way as by a formal referep-
DUN However. some people NAV be
misled by this sort of editorial vapor-
izing and there may be a few waver.
ing members-elect Of the legislature
whose sense Of civic honor and re-
sponsibility need stimulating. in view
OF this attempt to coerce them from
the right course by suggestive as
sumption II there are any such