Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-08-16
is THIS A SQUARE DEAL ?

Some of our friends who are allied to
the so-called Progressive movement are
disturbed at the editorial in The Phoe-
nix of last week relating to the county
nominat tions for senator Mr.. Gibson in
a letter excuses his own conduct He
admits to having participated in the
county convention and its unanimous
action in nominating Mr.. Babbitt and
Mr. Barber. He says that at a meeting
of Progressives he opposed any other
nominations, but was over-ruled by the
majority. 1t amounts to this, then: In
a Republican convention the unanimous
vote does not bind him; in a run-to-
gether of Progressive politicians, a ma
jorty controls him. 1t is difficult to ex-
plain his logic.
The reason for these boiling nominal
tions is apparent when the story of re-
cent politics in this county is told
When Mr.. Gibson was making his cam
paign against Mr.. Plumley for Congress-
he found things not to his sa atisfa ction
in the northerly portion of this county
particularly in Rockingham, and he
warned Rockingham Republicans that
If they did not support him for men,
ber of Congress Mr.. Babbitt would be
cut for state senator. The friends of
Mr.. Babbitt in Bratteboro replied by
demanding endorsement of Mr.. Bah
bitt in the Brattleboro caucus, else a
ticket for MIR. Babbitt would be pre-
sented in the caucus and a battle made
The Gibson leaders here agreed that
Babbtt should be endorsed and the res
olution was adopted una nimously in the
Republican caucus in Brattleboro re-
questing the Brattleboro delegates to
support Mr.. Babbitt. Mr.. Gibson was
elected county delegate at that caucus.
Several of the other signers to the bolt
ing nomination papers We're also chosen
as either delegates or alternates at that
caucus. Now, after that promise to
support Mr.. Babbitt and after being
elected delegates with that understand
ing squarely, they go back on it and
undertake to defeat Mr.. Babbitt by put
ting in a boiling nomination. We re-
peat, at is not a square DEAL"
In 1908 Mr. Gibson was a candidate
for state senator. Opposed to him was
Mr.. Vinton of Brattleboro. The friends
of Mr., Melendy of Londonderry asked
support for him for sheriff and Mr.. Pi-
per of Jamaica asked that he be sup
ported for states attorney. Mr.. Gibson
and those associated with him promised
to support Mr.. Melendy and Mr.. Piper
and the Brattleboro delegation was elect
ed with that understanding. Mr. Glib
son carried Brattleboro and Mr.. Vnton
carried large portion of the county
towns, and Mr.. Gibson's nomination
seemed in danger in the county conven-
tion. The Bellows Falls delegation held
the balance of power. The Brattleboro |
delegates We're gotten together at Mr. |
Gibsons request and were made to
pledge themselves, man by man, to vote |
against Mr.. Piper for states attorney |
in favor of the Bellows Falls candidate |
and to vote against Mr.. Melendy for |
sheriff, in favor of the Bellows Falls |
candidate in order to secure the vote |
of the Bellows Falls delegation for Mr.. |
Gibson. 1t was pure and simple trade |
of the Brattleboro delegation, going |
back on the promise to both Mr.. Piper |
and Mr., Melendy. 1t was a regrettable |
bit of politics.
Windham county has had enough of |
that sort of trading. Isn't this pres |
ent attempt to run Mr.. Stafford and DR.. |
Blodgett against Mr.. Barber and Mr.. |
Babbitt an effort to punish somebody |
for not trading? Does it look like a |
square deal?
There are a number of signers to |
these nomination papers who are en-
tirely innocent of dickering and who are |
entirely sincere in their advocacy OF the |
third party cause. We are sure these |
men do not know what has prompted |
the move and that they would not |
knowingly be a party to such a plan. |
We hope to see them repudiate II open |
ly before election.