St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1913-09-24


party, in spite of the recent defeat
we have suffered in the state OF
Maine, 1 made the statement that
believe that Governor Fletcher, as
we'll as other men of his character,
would eventually have to come into
the Progressive party as natural
/ sequence of things.
Il made no statement that Gov
ernor Fletcher had left the Republi-
can party and | have no personal
knowledge that he intends so to do;
nor has any such statement been
made to the state committee of
the Progressive party in Vermont.
The Montpelier Argus, which, in
spite of the condemnation visited
upon it, appears to have been an m
nocent party to the misrepresenta-
tion-if it is such-sent an inquiry
to the Lewiston, Me-, Journal which
originally published the report of Mr..
Thompson's speech, and received the
following information:
Lewiston, Me-, Sept 1O.-Our
newspaper special, dated Winter Har-
Dor, Me-, Sept. 5, in which it was re-
ported that Hon. Charles H. Thomp-
son of Montpelier had announced In
speech in that town that Governor
Fletcher authorized him to say that
he was fast coming to the Progressive
belief that the Republican party can
not be reorganized from within its
own lines was given to the Lewiston
Journal over the telephone by IrV-
ing E. Vernon, chairman of the Pro-
gressive state committee of Maine,
and its publication was authorized
by him. 1t was published by US ex-
ls4+0 To cfn no nj h OF
by Chairman Vernon without COM
ment or amendation.
Lewiston Journal Co.,
''By A. G. Staples, Managing Editor"
The original story, referred to
above, is as follows:-
Winter Harbor, Me-, Sept. o.
Hon. Charles H. Thompson of Mont
pelier, VT, member of the Progress
Sive national executive committee
campaigning in Maine in the inter-
est of the Progressive candidate for
congress, addressed a large audience
in this town Friday night. Mr..
Thompson in the course of his re-
marks made the following announce
ment from Governor Fletcher of Yer
mont This announcement is made
as a result of many conferences be-
tween Governor Fletcher and Mr..
Thompson and has been made by
letter, with the governors permits
sion, to the Progressive state commit
tee of Vermont
Governor Fletcher, elected on the
Republican ticket in the state of Yer
mont in the fall of 1912, now states
that he is fast coming to the Progress
sive belief that the Republican party
cannot be reorganized from within its
own lines, and if continuing in this
belief, he will naturally become a
member of the Progressive party,
and he also does not hesitate to-
state that the reactionary wing of
the Republican party must be rele-
gated to the rear, and done away
with
This proceeding leaves several
things unexplained that are of prop
er interest to the Republicans of
Vermont who elected Allen M.
Fletcher governor.
1. Is it true, as stated by Chair
man Thompson-and not denied by
him-that Gas a result of many con-
ferences between Governor Fletcher"
and the Bull Moose chairman Gov
ernor Fletcher stated to Mr.. Thomp-
son that he is fast coming to the
Progressive belief that the Republi-
can party cannot be reorganized
from within?
2. Is it true that Governor Fletch-
er has been holding such conferences
with the Bull Moose chairman, with
the state of the Republican party as
the topic?
8. Is it true, as stated by Chair
man Thompson, if correctly reported |
in his Maine speech-and not denied |
by him-that Governor Fletcher au-
him (Thompson) to make |
any public statement concerning the !
ideas with regard to the |
prospect of Republican reorganiZa-
ton?
4. If Governor Fletcher holds |
such an opinion as that here accred-
tied to him, on what specific acts of |
or omission by the Re
publican party or it's representative
does he base it?
1t will be noted that the only
thing Mr.. Thompson actually denies
saying that Governor Fletcher had
eft the Republican party" and per-
sonal knowledge that he intends so
20 do. Other statements attributed
% Mr. Thompson in his Maine speech
scarcely less important as bearing
lpon the question, are not denied or
qualified in any way. The RepubJi-
AN party of Vermont has a right
% inquire how much truth there
'eally is to the matter 1t has
light to demand of its present titular
lead, Gov. Allen NJ. Fletcher, Il COM
)lete and unequivocating statement
If his political relations with Chair
nan Thompson of the Bull Moose
Herald and News.