The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-08-15

fusion movement in 1906 This is his |
third try for the governorship. Perhaps |
he has learned a lesson, and the charac
terization of independent movements
that he gives in his announcement may
be based upon his reflective judgment. /
We have had notion, however, that
Mr.. Clement never regretted his course
In 1902. He bolted the Republican con-
ventlon on the ground that it was I'M
duly Influenced by Mccullough S money
and because he doubted the sincerity
of the party upon which he had vir
tually forced a declaration in favor of
Hcense-local option. He made a nota-
BILE canvass. We believe it is generally
admitted that he threw such a scare in
to the party that it did not dare to 90
| back on its platform in spite of strenu-
Gus efforts when the Legislative test
came to swerve it. And since then
there has been much less of the money
| factor in Vermont politics. He did not
| win Office but he won his fight for prin-
| ciple.
The result is very complete answer
| to Mr.. Clement s present animadver-
sions on -partisanship. If man
cannot find a party that holds enough
of his own principles so that he can
afford to sink the minor ones in order
to promote the greater, it is his duty
as a citizen to take other means to pro-
| mote them.
At present Mr.. Clement is in close
sympathy with Republication, If by
that is meant the Aldrich Penrose-
Barnes-ForakerC Cannon type the
| standpat kind in its essence. He is not
in sympathy with the Cummins- Borah-
Hadley Hinman-P routy kind of Repub-
licanism. a big test between these two
brands is coming shortly and until it
is past it is not altogether safe to desig-
nate as political privateers - those
! whose conscience leads them to cut
loose from party association. Privateers
sometimes accomplish things. They
= swept British commerce from the seas
in the war of 1912 and gave our nation
a merchant marine that led the world
until the privateers of 186l-65 took ii
away from us.
Straying to a moment 5 consideration
] of Mr.. Clement s candidacy, we venture
the opinion that it will appeal strongly
. to many old-hne Republicans who want
+ an able, and especially conservative
l. business man in the governor 5 chair
O Mr.. Clement is essentially of that order
= lie IL IL 9uOu ma uCleI anu HldHdStl. III
would watch carefully the items of ex
I penditure and the state might expec
S some real economies. The business as
T poets of Vermont would receive seriou
y attention at Mr.. Clement : hands
q | Whether the human element, not close
> ly related to the dollar sign, woul'
warm the cookies of his heart is NOR
10 doubtful. Where the two come int
clash, we should expect to see Nh
% Clement, if governor, lean toward tn
7, business end. His lifelong association
~ are that way. He is a financial magnat
-, who has seldom disclosed any real hear
sympathy with the masses. What cor
10 sideration would such a matter as work
4 men 5 compensation be likely to receiv
II at his hands? Would he favor ageneie
,e and institutions calculated to uplit
20 those who need such assistance to pu
them on plane with the more fort,
/ nate.l As rich man, what has been NJ
Clement 5 record for philanthropy an
in what real appeal has he to public SUI
:, port, other than as a highly successfI
business man, with ample, if varie'
u experience in civil affairs2 Will our PEI
ne pie be satisfied with merely good bus
i. ness administration, or do they want
governor with a sympathetic attituC
toward things that mean human bette
ment!