News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-04-01
VERMONT POLITICS
AS Viewed By a Correspondent
of the New York Times.

I
Sunday Times of March 22nd, is interest
ing if not entirely correct, The city
papers have way of making interest
| ing reading concerning rural affairs out
of matters that haven't very much of a
foundation for correotness:-
The political situation in Vermont is
one of the most puzziling in many years
The two great underlying conflicts are
| between the Progressive and Republican
parties and between the ultra-conserva-
tive and the progressive wings of the
| Republican party.
The Progressive party was launched
in Vermont with great enthusiasm, and
| Col. Roosevelt himself took an active
part in outlining it's politics. 1t was
| through his orders that state ticket
| was placed in the field at the late cleo
ton, and the new party polled nearly as
many votes as did the Republican party
| long dominant in the state. Since the
| colonel's departure for South America,
| however, strife has arisen in the Pro-
gressive ranks.
! There is war between the national
organization, of which O. H. Thompson
of Montpelier, the national committee
| man, is the head, and the state organ
ization, of which M. l.. Aseltine of
Montpelier, ex-candidate for lieutenant
governor on the Progressive ticket, is
| the leader. Thompson has been solicit
ing funds for campaign purposes, and,
asserting that he did not turn these over
| to the state organization, Aseltine has
| issued orders that no more subscriptions
| be paid to him, but to the state organ
ization. As a result of the controversy
the Advance, the Progressive paper Is
suffering, and Editor Stone and Business
Manager Townsend have resigned. The
party will continue to issue the paper,
but greatly reduced in size.
Further signs of dissension are mail
! Tested over the matter of party policy III
| the next election. One wing is in favor
| of indorsing F. G. Fleetwood of Morris
| vile for governor on the Republican
ticket and O. A. Prouty, ex-inter. state
commerce commissioner, for United
States senator. The other wing would
| indorse the Democratic nominee tor
governor and place Rev. Fraser Metzger
| in nomination for senator Mr. Metzger
was the Progressive candidate for
governor in the last election.
Ia the congressional fight in the seco~d
district there are many candidates to
succeed Frank Plumiey, who has declined
| to serve another term. The Progress
siyes who have entered the race are
Judge E w Gibson of Brattleboro ana e.
| A. Cook OF Lyndonville. The latter was
| Progressive leader of the House in last
legislature For the Republicans. Porter
| III. Dale of Island Pond and John W.
| Gordon of Barre have announced their
candidacy, Horace H. Graham of
Oraftsbury, state auditor, is also promi-
| nently mentioned.
In the first district there does not
seem to be any likelihood of serious OPP
position to the incumbept, Col. Frank
| L. Green, although the Progressives hint
| that they have a strong man whom they
may run.
The Republican organization in the
state is completely demoralized. Sew
| eral papers, including the st. Albans
Messenger, owned by L. Q Smith, pIos-
| ident of the Central Vermont railway,
have called for the resignation of the
members of the state committee. Chair
man F. O Williams of Newport and
H. W. Baldwin of Orange county have
complied, and about half the Others have
announced their intention of dong so.
The other half, however, absolutely re-
fuse.
The most serious problem confront
ing the Republican party is regarding
who it will have for Governor. High
way Commissioner Charles w. Gates of
Franklin is prominently mentioned, but
large number of Progressives say they
would like to support f. q. eetwood.
He was candidate for the nomination
for governor on the Republican Bicket
in 1910, and was barely defeated. He
was shown more or less sympathy with
the Progressive movement, aud voted
for Roosevelt in 1912. He has also
good Republican backing.
Others who are being consid cred are
Lieut.. Gov. +. E Howe and Secretary
of State Guy w. Bailey. The Progress
sives will not support them, ON the
ground that these candidates led the
Progressives to believe they were with
them and then deserted them. Howe is
aggressive, and champions all the progress.
slye Republican measures, such as the
development OF W tter power, provisions
for rural credits, and other plans for the
prosperity of the farmers. He is easily
the most radical of the aspirants, and
would be the most obJeetional to the
railroad interests. Bailey would IKE
the office, but also cherishes a desire TO
go to Congress.
The Democrats have a strong posi-
bility for governor in Harlan b. Howe
of St. Johnsb ury, who was candidate
in 1912. His arraignment of the rail- I
roads forced the Republican party to
adopt many reforms in that direction. /
@. ID. Watson of St. Albans is also men, .
toned.
At present there is lull in the SEN
atorship race, excepting for the work Of
Prouty's supporters, who declare that
they have now names enough to assure I
the placing of his name on the ticket I,
next November. w. P. Dillingham;, |
the incumbent, has elements of strength
and his friends are not idle. 1t is
thought, however, that events may so
shape themselves that he will decide not