The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-03-14

port whoever was nominated. have
further stated that it appears to me
more important that the party princi-
plies succeed than for any particular
man to win. am willing to let the
party voters select their candidate and
one thing that have little patience
with is the efforts of party posses and
agents of selfish interests to control
the choice of candidates. The Banner
was the first newspaper in Vermont
to support Taft for the presidency
and It is interesting to note that the
very men who were criticising me
four years ago for supporting Taft
are now criticising me because have
advised the selection Of a stronger
candidate. There are always men
who seek to dictate what their neigh
Dor shall believe and do, and who
never learn that the party is stronger
and better for having divergent opin-
ions. The small minded boss, who
would regulate all according to his
own narrow vision is the worst dan
ger to which any party is exposed
My views on the initiative, referen-
dunn and recall are no secret, as /
have printed them repeatedly. Yer
mont has the initiative and referen-
dun in town affairs and has had them
for $50 years. Vermont also has the
the referendum in constitutional chan
ges and has used 1t on other ques-
tions, notably in connection with the
liquor laws. Every advocate of local
option favored a referendum in 1902
and every advocate OF prohibition has
favored one since, so that Vermont
is pretty unanimously OH record in
favor of the referendum. The initia-
tive and referendum are valuable adj
juncts of popular control, but in my
opinion. should never be used as sub
stitutes for representative govern
ment. as some western states have
undertaken to make them serve. They
are useful on important questions OF
state interest, but should not be in
voked on trivial questions. Their
use everywhere is chiefly in local and
municipal affairs and after using
them in our town meetings for 100
years, cannot conceive of any Yer
monter desiring to 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 IS years, l can see
where recall might sometimes be
desirable to get a dishonest or in
competent man out OF office.
i6) This question is intended as
slur, but no one will be deceived
except those who prefer to believe
untruth. Slightly more than year
ago, was a candidate for the speak
ership of the Vermont House of Rep
resentatives. When the ballot was
taken there were 1914 Republican rep
resentatives present and voting and
/ received 1874 votes. In that can
vass, had the support of such men
as Former Governors Fletcher d
Proctor, Edward c. Smith, Senator
w. p. Dillingham;, Congressman
Frank Plumley, Hon. Allen NJ. Flet
cher, Hon. Joseph A. DeBoer, Hon
Frederick G. Fleetwood and scores OIL
other Republicans of similar high
standing. Do the Journal and the in
stiga;or OF this attempt to put me in
a hole feel themselves to be better
qualified censors to pass upon my
party standing?
ca II is not true have never
either openly or secretly endorsed thC
Democratic scheme of tariff revision
nor the entire program OF the Demo
cratic majority OF the lower house O.
Congress. In this connection, ! NIGH
add that have no quarrel with mar
because he is a Democrat, or a meas
ure because II is introduced or sup
ported by Democrats. Issues can nc
longer be measured or controlled ~
party lines. The good is not all II
one party nor is the evil all In an
other. All patriotic citizens are seek
lng the welfare of the nation and par
~ lines nowadays merely represent
general groupings Of men OF similar
hut not necessarily identical ideas
The Democrats IL Congress have pre-
scented some good ideas, for whicl
they deserve credit and they have al
so produced some plans that | belisv,
dangerous TO the welfare of the coun
try. The Republicans during recen
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 goo
and critlcise evil as ! see them, with
out asking leave of any party boss o
would-be dictator or party policy
the Journal and the gentleman VIII
aided and abetted II In preparing thi
list OF questions are permitted /
read out of the Republican party al
who maintain the right to think an
act for themselves, then the days O
It's honor and usefulness are over.
(S) No, never introduced a Soc