Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-09-06
ROOSEVELT SPOKE
TO $500 PEOPLE
I'VE Are Going to Win Anyway
He Said at Island Park
But He Urged Support for the Pro-
aresslves' state Ticket-Rev. Mr.. Metz
DER Also Addressed the Throng.

Col. Theodore Roosevelt, third-term
candidate for the presidency at the head
of the Progressive ticket, closed his
whirlwnd campaign of three days in
Vermont in Brattleboro Saturday night,
when he was greeted by a crowd of $500
people at Island park
Col. Roosevelt entered the state Thurs
day at Bennington and travelling both
by train and automobile, made a circuit
which included all of the large towns on
the west side from Bennington to st.
Adams. He then crossed the state to
Barton, from there went to st. Johns
bury, and next to Barre, Randolph and
Bellows Falls. He made addresses in
all of the large towns, spoke briefly in
the small ones, and vislteu fairs in
Middlebury and Morrisville.
Col. Roosevelt Col. E. w. Gibson of
this town and others left Bellows Falls
by automobiles between and o'clock
and on arrival here Col Roosevelt was
guest at dinner in the home of Col. Gibson
on Oak street. While here he was guarded
by police and on his trip by automobile
to the park and back Chief of-Polce
George Wilson was a passenger After
his address Col. Roosevet's car was
blocked by a long freight train at the
railroad crossing, and a throng of per-
sons and many automobiles and teams
came together in a compact mass. Ten
ing was clear. The ex-president went
to the home of E. G.. Chace, where he
remained until nearly time for the de-
parture of his special train for oyster
Bay.
The speakers platform at Island park,
which usually is attached to the front
of the grandstand, was moved back up
on the ball field and was decorated with
a large flag On the south side were
seats occupied by Grand Army men and
on the north side prominent Progress
ives were seated. People began to ar
rive at the grandstand by o'clock and
by o'clock the stand was crowded.
Then the people began pouring on to
the ball field and by s o'clock crowd
had assembled that filed the space be-
tween the platform and grandstand, in
Guiding several hundred who came from
the West River valley towns. A line of
automobiles extended practically the en-
time length of the Connecticut river
bridge and for some distance past the
pavilion. Music was furnished by the
First Regiment band.
Rev. Fraser MetZger of Randolph, the
Progressive nominee for governor, was a
member of the visiting party and when
he alighted from an automobile and as
cended to the platform he was taken for
Col. Roosevelt and the crowd began to
applaud, but they soon realized that the
principal guest had not arrived. Later
DR.. John H. Blodgett of Bellows Falls
assembled the stairs and the crowd again
thought the presidential candidate had
arrived and there was more applause,
some of the more enthusiastic waving red
bandannas. E., H. Miller of Dummers-
ton sang a campaign song, Roosevelt
and Johnson Forever" and ]. C. Stat
ford introduced Mr.. Metzger.
Mr.. Metzger, who made a pleasing i'm
preston, spoke about 20 minutes. He
devoted his attention to several sub
jects in connection with the campaign
urging particularly the need of a pri-
mary elections law. He described al
some length the conditions of vice which
he had observed in New York state
and pointed out that these were made
possible through the rule of the bosses
He stated at one point that Vermont
was as clean politically as any state
in the Union, but insisted that there
were evils to be corrected here. In urg-
ing the publication of government he de-
clared that the woods were full Of
Bull Moose His remarks were inter-
rupted by the arrival of two automo-
bies, one containing Col. Roosevelt, and
when the crowd realized that the ex-
president had really arrived a big cheer
went up.
Col Roosevelt threw off his overcoat ant
without waiting for an introduction
stepped to the front of the platform anC
in his usual vigorous style began ad.
dressing the audience. He spoke fo
nearly an hour. The rule of the people
righteousness and decency in politics ant
social justice were among the subjects
to which he made reference. He scored
Penrose and Archbold, promised to Civ,
"Abyssinian" treatment to the trusts
when he returned to power and mad,
frequent reference to Abraham Lincoln
He spoke of the men today who wer,
proud of the fact that they voted TO-
Lincoln, while you could find no on,
who admitted that he voted against Lin
coin, predicting that in the years t.
come a similar attitude would be fel
toward the Progressive vote Of thi
year.
He spoke of the stand which Yer,
monters had taken in the early day!
under Ethal Allen and later in the Civil
war; and urged that Vermont nov
throw its strength to the Progressiv,