Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-09-05

Significance Of vermonts Verdict In Yesterdays Election.
AS result of the State election Tuesday Vermont will
peat experience 1902 when the election of
into the Legislature owing to the failure OF the people to
make choice at the polls.
Fletcher has plurality for governor but majority
all other candidates is necessary to an election
Owing the extent which tickets split returns
been very in in but it evident that Meger
close second Howe the democratic candidate for
nor who poled a smaller than expected
The show that the Legislature will be republican in
both branches that republican and other State
officers certain TO be elected.
Vermont Tuesday enjoyed the unique distinction which
results from the holding of its State election in September
The of the whole nation the Green Mountain
State to whether the public might catch in connection with
election of State and local officers hint of the trend
of public sentiment in connection with national issues and they
found ont what they already knew.
did not require Vermont election show that there
republican detection The question be determined whether
discomfort in the republican ranks could be overcome
TO thoroughly understand the significance of vermonts
tors in the situation.
In the first place. the discomfort prevailing republican
ranks in Vermont due much to local conditions
Probably no Vermont done more to create
dissatisfaction the rank and file the people Of all
parties the Of the passed by the Legislature
the last session providing for radical reform Of taxation
measure had law one the chief
of discomfort would have been eliminated and the Republican
party would not have had this additional burden
Right here desire issue a warning to the republicans.
elected to the Legislature this The paramount issue in
and if the Republican party fails again the demands
of the people in this particular will have another
factor of weakness the campaign, wholly
outside of national issues. the inclination the
part candidates let the head republican ticket
take of itself knowing that determined onslaught had
been made his record rich recently to Yer
mont
Still elementsof discomfort been growing
feeling that the young and young of Vermont
forced start out under unfair conditions The FREE PRESS
has been agatng this question for and urging the ado
ton of measures to remedy the situation.
In the light of these elements of local discomfort would
be than idle ascrbe the result in Vermont Tuesday
wholly national Influences particularly of the OF
campaign that conducted.
Realizing that the people dissatisfied
of the of the reform passed at the
and the other influences named the State repub
can committee started emphasize determination Of
the party pledge every member of Legislature possible
that could stand the next session and declare
has been done in the past that he was not bound by the
Mr. Fletcher the republican candidate for governor.
stared out win TINS idea IN view ohs neore IL was known
for the presidency and from the date of the of
time he has confined his attention almost entirely to State
issues
With the idea of changing all this and attaching more
significance the result Mr. Roosevelt his speak
the State the close of the campaign and during
the last week made tour of the State himself The re-
pubcans met this onslaught by replying to the arguments
made. On national issues, and to the extent to which the
jc successful the verdict of Vermont has national sgnf
When we discuss verdict of index of
tional sentiment bear in mind that party lines rest
Mccullough campaign and the bolt of P W. Clement with
sssns % ns RsG 1884, 0 and the ''P''s"
glance the maorites since the contest will to
show this In 1904 Bells majority for 23543
In 1906 when Clement endorsed by the democrats against
Proctor the laer's majority 14164 In 1908 Prouys
majority SSH. and in 1910 Meads majority 1919
In the light of these developments it would be correct
hold that Vermont much Of index for the nation
before the Republican party became divided to degree
would easy divide on local we'll national
issues but that this affected by influences that
operate be gansad and Vermont
whatever advantage the of publicity results from it's
being bieially the first the sistcrhood of
States a the whole country how If feels
II TO