The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-04-04
REPLIES TO WILLIAMS
Roosevelt Committeeman 5atchelder
Answers His Statement


of the three members of the New
England Roosevelt committee ana
chairman of the Vermont Roosevelt
committee, said: "On receipt of con-
firmatory returns from Vermont IN
Washington, Senator Joseph NJ. Dix
on of Montana, chairman OF the Nat
iona Roosevelt committee, lett tor
New York. | was called TO be there
at noon Tuesday. Monday evening
my orders were revoked and by DIR
ection of Col Roosevelt / was tod
to stay right on the firing line. Hold
your position at all hazards. stay
at Bethel We will go to you.
"At ten o'clock Monday evening
Senator Dixon telegraphed me that
he would arrive in Bethel Tuesday
afternoon at 2:41 with Judge Balm
bridge Colby, a leading member of
the New York City bar, and Col.
Henry Q. Stoddard, editor of the New
York Evening Mail The senator re-
ouested that such Roosevelt support
ers as could be reached in time be
asked to a conference to be held In
Bethel to meet the senator and the
two other gentlemen. They came as
arranged on Tuesday afternoon on
the mail. Fifty-two men from differ
ent parts of the state had been reach
ed by wire and were present Tuesday
afternoon and evening An informal
dinner was held at the Bethel Inn at
7.l5. The New York visitors left at
2:10 Wednesday morning; others
went by the night train north and
south.
ut developed that the only pur-
pose of Senator Dixon and his COM
paniohs in coming to Vermont was
to make plain to Roosevelt support
ers that they are militia against reg
ulars and to give such suggestions
as they could to the Vermont Roose-
welt committee, TO assist in prevent
ing the machine from snatching the
victory from Roosevelt supporters at
the state and district conventions
next week by the continued giving
out by the Taft machine OF claims
that are wholly untrue that Taft has
carried the state and thereby hoping
to influence uninstructed delegates to
pledge themselves to support TAFT
in the district and state conventions.
Senator Dixon expressly stated
that he and the national committee
were determined not to do anything
to dictate TO the voters OF Vermont
or even to the Vermont Roosevelt
committee, but to make sure that
everything possible is done in Yer
mont for those who prefer that Theo-
dore Roosevelt and not William II.
Taft be nominated at the Chicago
convention and that these voters be
not defeated of their rights to be
heard in that convention.
"The claim of the Taft machine
that Mr.. Taft has carried the state
Of Vermont in the canvasses has
about as much foundation in fact, as
the unqualified statement of Frank
c. Williams, chairman OF the State
Republican committee which he
made less than a week before the
canvass and caused to be published
in the state and metropolitan papers
that. while there was a little Roose
welt sentiment in his own county of
Orleans, and in Lamoille and Caledo-
mia, the rest Of the state was solid
for Taft
'ln this connection II is entirely
fair to call attention to the fact that
at the caucuses in Chairman VIII
liams' own town OF Newport, his Taft
ticket was defeated and a straight
Roosevelt ticket to the state and dis
trict convention was elected by a
vote OF l37 for Roosevelt to 80 for
Taft and il is but fair TO the voters
OF Vermont to call attention to the
fact that In ST. Johnsbury, Lieutenant
Governor Slack. who was one Of the
men who had repeatedly claimed that
Vermont was solid for Taft. headed
the Taft ticket and made a hot fight
and was defeated by straightout
Roosevelt ticket to both district and
state conventions by a majority Of
"a.
"The statement put mp by Chair
man Williams of the state committee
Is most interesting to one who knows
something OF the game OF politics as
IL is played in Vermont.
Let me tell you one of the tricks
of a trained politician when the votes
are running against him. As last
resort he discovers that the other
side has insulted the voter or the
delegate and he forthwith feels hurt
for that delegate or voter all for the
purpose OF appearing to his preju-
dice and not to his good judgment.
That is exactly what Chairman VIII.
liams is doing He has not the right
to make claims for either side. When
he ooes so he is serving a faction. In
this contest he is apparently fighting
as loyal faction Of the Republican
party as ever followed II in victory
and defeat Loyal. because II desir.
es to adhere to the principles which
inspired It's formation and It's great
achievements. lie opposed the fac.
ton which desires the nomination
OF man who can win In November.
Senator Dixon did not insult the
delegates. That was discovered by
the Taft men for the effect II Is hop.
cd Il will have. It illustrates the
statement that every effort will be
made and every influence used which
n lot OF trained politicians can com.
, mand to defeat the expressed will OF
the people The Indiana delegates
were bought and Roosevelt conven.
ton was made Taft convention
What the Taft machine at Washing
ton did in Indiana, II will attempt ia
do elsewhere. This Is directed at
the machine, not at the delegates
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