Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-03-19
PROUTY CLUB PROGRESS.

Orleans, March 1S.-The non-partisan
Prouty idea goes on apace. The Prouty
club of Orleans never dared hope the
movement would make such Roadway
without more effort on its part. 1t
expected to and Is ready to send out club
organizers to any part of the State. 1t
has prepared hundreds of constitutions
and membership blanks for organization
purposes. During the week we have re-
ceived a letter from a prominent republi
can at Enosburg Falls stating that great
majority of the voters there are for
Mr.. Prouty and that if we do not send
someone quick he will organize a club
alone. We have sent him blanks. A
like report comes from a prominent pro-
gressive-republican at Vergennes and one
of Vermonts leading Bull Moosers at
Bethel in Windsor county writes that he
secured one hundred written agreements
to Join Proutv club in less than one
day Another prominent man on the
west side of the State writes that he
has been trying to get Mr.. Prouty to
become a candidate for several months.
He is now glad he did not succeed, be-
cause no thinks the non-partisan nominal
ton and election much better than the
direct candidacy.
One days work gave the club at west
more an enrolled membership of more
| than 60 per cent. of Its usual vote; a
few hours canvass in Albany gave the
| club a membership of more than thirty
per cent Of its vote, although the town
| IS so split by factions that no represent
tatve was elected at the last election.
| They are able to bury the Ratchet, how
| ever, and unite in support Of Mr.. Prouty.
A partial canvass of Newport gave an
enrolled membership of several hundred
and but two men refused to sign the by
laws a days work IN Glover gave 60 per
cent, of the voting strength and the town
OF Jay gave fifty per cent. in few hours.
| Greensboro gave . little over fifty per
cent. The club at i.yndonville is only
ten days old and now shows a member
ship of about ninety per cent. of the
voting strength Of the town. Sutton,
in Caledonia county. cast 118 votes for
governor in 1910 and has given its
Prouty club n membership of 1o7.
Burke has membership of 100 and
its cnnyassers report that no one re-
fused to sign Other small towns re-
port that they now have memberships
! rd''e'HS from 20 10 ~ per cont. WIN
no one refusing to sign. They start
out with blank and In a few hours
get forty or fifty members ard quit
because they find no opposition. We
think we are reliably informed that
other senatorial interests have made
somewhat of canvass in Windham
county and find that sentiment among
the rank and file Is much the same
as in Orleans and Caledonia counties
st Johnshury organized It's club
Friday evening with several hundred
members and its organization is proof
positive that these clubs are strictly
non partisan Its officers are as fol-
lows. President l. N. Smythe; vice
president, Robert MacI<innon; secre-
tary and treasurer, James Z. Camp
bell executive committee, Elisha May
X. f.. French and w. a. Tapln mem
bership committee, =. 4, Hazen, James
Impey, b. IT. Hall. Joseph Fairbanks
Il. o. French and w. T. Welch; finance
committee. w. A. Kicker. John Rick
ably and w b. Eastman. These men
are not political adventures. They
are responsible representatives of the
political thought of their locality
They are not three months men-they
have enlisted for the war be 1t long
, or short. The St Johnsbury club is
what all others must bo--strictly non.
partisan.
COLBY STODDARD,
, Corresponding Secretary