The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1912-03-14

NNftANF i&ff &H DIV ~ AAAAfhf@h sN
because I hase advised the selestion
a : eunEes candidate There are
sluags men who seek 20 dictate
what their nelEhbors shall believe
ana 40 and Who ueyer Learn that
ne party IS stronger and better for
having divergent opinions The small
mlnaed bose Who would regulate Az
according 10 bis own narrow vision
i The worst danger 70 which any
party u exposed Ny views on me
Initiative. referendum aud recall are
20 kecret.as have printed them re-
peaiedly. Vermont has the initiative
and referendum 10 town affairs and
has had them for 100 years, Yer
mont also has the referendum IN
constitutional changes and has used
il on other questions. notably In con
nection with the liquor laws. Every
advocate Of local option favored a
referendum 10 1909 and every adyo-
cate OF prohibition has favored one
since. 80 that Vermont Is pretty UNI
anlmously ON record In favor Of the
referendum The initiative and re-
ferondum are valuable adiuncts OF
popular control. but in my opinion
should never be used as substitutes
for representative government az
GONE western states have undertake
en- 20 make them serve. They are
useful on important questions OF
state interest, but should not be In
yoked on trivial questions, Their use
everywhere Is chiefly IN local aud
municipal affairs and after using
them IN our own town meetings for
100 years, ! cannot conceive of any
vermonter desiring 10 give them
up. am not inclined to favor the
recall Certainly not in Vermont,
where state and county officials
are elected for only two year terms.
In some states. where officials are
elected for terms OF from IL to lS
years. can see where recall
might sometimes be desirable TO get
a dishonest or incompetent man out
of office.
6. This question is intended as
a slur, but no one Will be deceived,
except those who prefer TO believe
untruth. Slightly more than a year
ago, was candidate for the speak
ership OF the Vermont House OF
Representatives. When the ballot
vas taken there were ls4 Republi-
can representatives present and yot-
ing and received 1874 votes. In
that canvass, | had the support oil
such men as former Governors Flet-
cher d. Proctor. Edward c. Smith,
Senator w p. Dillingham;, Congress
man Frank Plumley, Hon. Allen NJ,
Fletcher, Hon. Joseph A. DeBoer,
Hon. Frederick G. Fleetwood and
scores OF other Republicans of SINH
lar high standing. DO the Journal
and the instigator OF this attempt
20 put me In hole feel themselves
to be better qualified censors TO
pass upon my party standing?
Z. II is not true. ] have never
either openly or secretly endorsed
the Democratic scheme of tariff
revision nor the entire program -
the Democratic majority OF the low
er house of Congress. In this connec
ton, might add that ! have no
quarrel with a man because he Is a
Democrat, or a measure because II
Is introduced or supported by Demo-
Gratis. Issues can no longer be meas
ured or controlled by party lines.
The good Is not all in one party nor
Is the evil all In another. All patrio-
tic citizens are seeking the welfare
OF the nation and party lines nova
days merely represent general group
ings Of men OF similar, but not nee
essarily Identical ideas. The Demo
Gratis In Congress have presented
some good ideas, for which they de-
serve credit and they have also pro
duced some plans that believe dan
erous TO the welfare OF the country
The Republicans during recent
years have done much that was goot
and some that was evil. As a free
born citizen OF the United States
reserve the right TO commend goot
aud critieise evil az see them, with
out asking leave Of any party boss
or wop'd-be dictator of party policy
If the Journal and the gentleman
who aided and abetted II in prepar
Ing this list OF questions are permit
ted TO read out OF the Republican
party all who maintain tho right Il
think and act for themselves, ther
the DAYS of its honor and usefulnes,
I
are over.
s. No. never introduced So
cialist soap-box orator and endorsed
his views and ! have never com
mended the Socialist platform in thu
columns of my newspaper Possibly
though. II you had worded the ques
ton differently, leaving out the en-
dorsement part of II and the soap
box slur, you might have convicted
me after all for Il has fallen 10 M
lot TO introduce speakers on man!
and varied occasions. have intro
dueed Socialist speakers without be
ing a Socialist; have introduced
Democratic speakers without belni
Democrat; have introduced Pres
byterian speakers without being
Presbyterian. can even conceiy
OF being called upon 10 Introduce
Chinese speaker without becomini
a chinaman. presume ] may ais
have commended some things in tn
Socialist platform. for II contain
some things that no Christian ell
zen OF any country can refuse I
! ,enmmend thaugb n contains othe