El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-08-31
VERMONT IS NOW
DISPUTED GROUND
The Progressives Expect to
Make the Fight a Close
One For Taft.

darlington, vt, Aug. 31.-If a man
we're TO take three cards, each card
bearing the name Of Republican,
Progressive and Democratic candidate
in The gubernatorial race which is
10 be decided at the polls here on
Tuesday. and if he were to submit
these cards to the first small boy he
met on the streets of Burlington for
the selection Of a winner, the wisest
political sharper in the state would not
wager any great sum that the name
chosen by the youngSter would not be
that Of the next governor Of Yer
mont
mont today. Progressives, Democrats
and Republicans profess equal conf
dence in the election of their man,
while those in the Know are wagering
even money that the election will be so
close that it will De thrown into the
legislature, where the honorable Allen
NJ. Fletcher. vf Cavendish, Republi-
can, will be elected chief executive Of
the White mountain state.
Through il long established position
as prediction barometer of the ma
tional strU ggle that takes place every
four years in November, particularly
wide attention has been given the
chaotic state Of Vermont politics, both
local and national political wiseacres
tacitly admitting or secretly believing
that this state of affairs reflects the
uncertainty that Will enshroud ma
tionaI issues in the coming struggle
between the great parties.
Not So smooth as of Old.
In years gone by the Republican or
ganization OF Vermont, well oiled and
smoothly running, rolled up major
ity that reflected with minute &C
curacy the opinion of the national cleo
torate at the polls in November. Two
years ago, however, trouble arose over
campaign expenditures and the pub
Ill of
large sums of money in gubernatorial
contests threw a horde OF political
leaders into a panic. This agitation
was further increased by the death
last year of former governor Fletcher
D. Proctor, son Of the late senator
Redfield Proctor.
With Proctor's hand no longer steer
ing the Republican ship of state dis
indignation rapidly followed
The dissension among the Repubh-
cans was heightened by the injection
of Rooseveltism and the action Of c.
f Smith, of Morrisville, master OF
10000 state grangers, who IN emula-
ton of the siege Of Sycamore Hill
threw his farmers hat into the ring
and declared himself a gubernatorial
candidate on the Prohibition ticket
This action has alienated no small fac
ton Of the Changers from hidebound
Republican rule Many of them have
decided to follow Smith in his war
upon the liquor interests, and many
others have fused themselves with the
Progressives-
Progressives Expect Good Vote
This war among the Republicans
gives color to the confident assertion
of the Progressives that their poll in
Vermont on Tuesday will far exceed
10000 ballots. and il this prediction
proves true, the election will undOubt-
edly prove so close that il will be
given to the state legislature to de-
eide an action which means the vir-
tual election of Fletcher, the Repub-
lcan nominee.
Against Republican chaos however,
is arrayed unbroken strength of a
Democracy hungering for the spoils of
office and headed by Harland B. Howe,
of St Johnsbury- Two years ago the