The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-03-12
BENNINGTON, VT. MARCH 10. 1914
HINDsle4T OR FORESIGHT

mas DeeH SHONH repeatedly. WnelH-
err the people of Vermont have grown
tired of waiting for chance TO en-
JOY direct nominations at the hands
Of the Republican party and have
found new way to nominate can
didate for high Office remains to be
demonstrated, although that possibil-
ity is indicated by current events in
the political field.
We are among those who believe
the Republican party still has grand
opportunities before it, however, in
Vermont as elsewhere. The party
of Lincoln and Seward and Chase, OF
Sumner and Hay and our own veneer
ated Morrill, still lives, and will again
prove its right to live and do servica
Some Of its leaders of today may
have followed after strange political
gods and worshipped over much in
the temple of Mammon, but many Of
them are now doing works mete for
repentance, while the rank and file
both in Vermont and out of it have
remained true to the faith and tradi-
tions of the republican fathers.
This republican trait was never
better shown than in the referendum
which resulted in an overwhelming
popular verdict in favor of direct
nominations in Vermont Every po-
litical party in the State had been
constrained to incorporate in its
declaration OF principles OF 1912 a
plank favoring direct nominations.
and yet the factors in control of the
Legislature had been able to thwart
the popular will and upon one ex-
cuse and another prevent the passage
of direct primary law until refer
endum was the only loophole of es-
cape from total defeat.
Now that the rank and file have
shown their will beyond the POSSIBLE
ity OF question or doubt, the supreme
question for the Republican party in
this connection is whether 1t will
still continue to permit some of its
dominant factors to try to block the
progress of genuine direct nominal
ions by substituting a dummy af .er
the manner OF New York, or whether
it will exert every effort to spread
upon our statutes a measure embody.
ing the best features of present day
primary elections.
We believe the Republican part..-
in Vermont will be found ready to re-
spond to the popular demand with a
measure that shall provide genuine
direct nominations, including the
right of nomination for all aspirants
on the primary ballot by petition;
and to this end we shall hope to join
with our contemporaries in discuss
ing the most approved direct pri-
mary laws of other States in order
that careful elaboration may enable
Vermont to adopt the best possible
system Burlington Free Press.
Net to be unkind to our good
friend the Free Press we wish It
were as active in its foresight as it
is Industrious in its hindsight.
During three sessions of the legis-
lature a struggle has been waged in
behalf OF the direct primary. A lit
tie band Of advocates. some OF them
Republicans, some of them Demo
Gratis aad TAT the session OF 1922
some Progressives. have labored ear
nestly to secure the enactment of q
direct primary law.
While these legislative battles
wcro in progress the friends Of the
primary at first few in number but
increasing as the years passed. look
ed around for help and particularly
for aid in letting the people know
the truth about the issue. The Free
Press was called the leading Repubii.
can newspaper in the state and these
friends OF the direct primary looked
to the Free Press.
Did they get any help? No. line.
Time Observation-Disclosures
finally it became clear that II was
only a question of time and that the
primary was sure to win anyway.
Then none so vociferous in its favor
as the Free Press and now this talk
about the public will" Had the
Free Press-and others-foresiehi
been equal to its hindsight the party
to which IL claims allegiance would
not be in the fix that IL is today.
Consider for a moment this same
II
Republican party. The Free Press
for months has printed columns oi
wise advice about the Republican.
and P-cs-cssives getting together
nc seeming to realize that the Frei
Press itself. has been one Of the oh
stacles to such union.
Let the Free Press bark back tw,
years to the spring OF 1912 when IL
intolerant attitude toward Theodor'
Roosevelt was part OF the Bourbon
chorus that pulled up the party lead
ers to the pride that goeth before dc
struction.
Then the editor OF the Free Pres
was elected one OF the delegates {
the Chicago convention and his vot
vas In due time recorded with III
grcu7 thai succeeded in eiienatin