St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-07-24
Time for United Activity


The party nominations for state
tickets have been completed and
the Vermont campaign is definitely
outlined before the voters. The
main fight will be, as usual, be-
tween the republican and democratic
parties although there are prohib-
itionist and socialist tickets. The
democrats and republicans are each
planning for an. active campaign and
the employment of the most infiuen-
tial party orators possible to obtain
and we no doubt will see the voters
aroused to an unusual degree.
Before the storm breaks it is we'll
to look at the situation with candor.
First as to the two tickets named by
the democrats and republicans. The
democrats have named H. B. Howe
of st. Johnsbury for governor; H. G.
Comings of Richford, lieutenant
governor; J. c. Durick of Bellows
Falls, secretary of state; Martin A.
Brown of Wilmington, treasurer;
Lewis w. johnson OF Burlington,
auditor; and B. E. Bailey of Mont
pelier, attorney general. While
these nominees are all good citizens
and some of them very popular in
their home communities we fail to
recognize but two who have had
any experience in legislative or state
affairs. H. B. Howe has been a
member Of the house Of representa-
tives for one term. He succeeded in
killing some bills that came before
that body. He introduced large
number himself, some of them of
radical nature but we are unable to
recall any important act on our stat
ute books that was placed there
through Mr.. Howe's influence al
though he was recognized as an in
fiuential member of that house. Mr..
Comings has served in the legislature
and was recognized as a man Of good
judgment and a man of some influ-
ence with his fellow Lawmakers.
But there is no important act labeled
as a Comings measure. None OF the
Other nominees ha re been identified
with any Of the important legls alton
of the past decade. so while we ac-
nowledge the individual merit of the
different men we fail to see any
guaranty that their election would
mean safe and progressive legisla-
ton. If a man was to build barn
he would not turn to men without
experience for his builders and the
voters should be as careful in the
election of state officials as the build
er of barns.
The republicans have nominated
A. M. Fletcher of Cavendish for gov
ernor; F. E. Howe of Bennington,
acknowledgements G. w. Bailey Of
Essex Junction, secretary Of state;
2. H. Deavitt of Montpelier, treas
urer; H. F. Graham of Craftsbury,
auditor; and R. B. Brown of Bur
lington, attorney general. Every
man on this ticket has been promi-
nently identified with legislation and
state affairs for the past decade. Mr..
Fletcher has been in every legisla-
ture since 1900 and has been an in
fluential member thoroughly &C
quainted with every important act
placed on the statute books during
that time. No man nominated for
governor in the last twenty years has
had the thorough knowledge OF state |
affairs that Mr.. Fletcher has. Mr.. |
Howe has served two terms as a |
member OF the house, the last as it's
speaker, and has been prominent in |
his support of thoroughly progressive |
measures. Mr.. Bailey as secretary of
state IS in charge of the publicity |
work that has been so successfully
undertaken and has introduced many
improvements in the methods of |
conducting the business of his office.
Mr.. Deavitt has had several years
experience in his Office and knows
the things necessary for the safe and
expeditions handling Of the states
funds. AS for Mr.. Graham he is the
man who devised a system of real
auditing of the accounts of the state
and Vermont has never had it's ac-
counts so well and accurately
handled as under Mr.. Graham's di-
rection. Mr.. Brown is a man whose
ability iB recognized throughout the
fraternity Of which he is a member