Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-08-20
THE VERMONT GOvERNORSHIP.

THE VERMONT CONTROVERSIES.
Never before was the political situation
in Vermont so mixed as at the present
time. The overshadowing fact Is that a
nomination for office no longer noces-
| sarily means an election in cases where
the one was equivalent to the other, and
the republican leaders are beginning evil
IDENTIFY to realize this fact Only a few
days ago the Brattleboro Reformer threw
this bombshcll into the political camp:
acknowledging Mr.. Clement per-
sonnl fitness to hold the office of gov
ernor, the Bellows Falls Times maNes
the pertinent inquiry whether it would
be good policy for the Republican party
to place at the head Of It's ticket a man
Of great wealth whose entire life has
been bound up with big business and the
kind of big business that many suppose
has in the rast Influenced legislation in
its own behalf
"Assuminr that the leaders of the Re-
publican party in Vermont are anxious
TO rchahilitatc the G. o. p, it would be
we'll for them to give this question ser
ious thought Senator Dillingham;, who
seems reasonably sure of getting the
republicans to rcnominate him, belongs
to the same wing of the party as Mr..
Clement Even his admirers admit that
he isn't in any sense a radical.
80 the question naturally arises Can
the party march to victory under a
IClomcnt-Dnlingham banner? Having In
mind the way the State vote was shot
to pieces two years ago we confess the
situation is somewhat of a problem"
The fact that the Rutland Herald
jumped into the political arena as long
ago as the first week in June, 1913, in
support of Diinsham for the United
States Senate led the Clipper to state
that Mr.. Clement would be a candidate
for governor and that the two would be
found pulling together
1t must be admitted that for some
time the men who were for the one
seemed to a marked degree to be for the
other, but tho feeling reflected by the
Reformer that ticket combining the
two might be a handicap has plainly been
making its influence felt in WASHINGTON
county. The Barre Times, which is in
close touch with the political situation
In that part of Vermont, may not have
been Inspired, but 1t plainly voices a prev
aent sentiment IN an editorial headed,
"Why Not Gates" as follows:
Three good citizens of the State have
announced themselves as willing to be
the republican candidate for governor
this fall and although the caucuses to
elect delegates 70 the convention that
will select a candidate are less than two
weeks away, no one of the three has as
yet created any enthusiasm among the
voters. Two, four and six years ago
the Times advocated getting out of this
rut of always selecting the candidate
who put himself most prominently for
ward but the custom prevailed with the
result that each succeeding election
brought a smaller republican vote. WIN
the party continue to practice this year,
or has 1t learned by experience that
there must he n change In methods if the
party is to continue in power in the
State?
If ever the party should make the
selection, it is this year
IF republicans who strayed away from,
the party two and four years ago are
to be brought back to the fold, a candi-
date must be selected whose very name
Will be an assurance that If he is elected
governor the State will be guaranteed a
wise progressive and economical admin
istration. He must be a man whose per-
eonality VIII lend great strength to the
ticket.
THE party has such men. and the
Times has in mind one In particular, who
by his able public services in the past
eight years, has won for himself high
place in the esteem of all our citizens,
and has shown "A capacity for even
greater duties
This man Is Charles w Gates
although he refuses to become an ao-
tive candidate for governor while hold
ing his present office as State highway
commissioner, he will not refuse the
nomination. The Times has assurances
to this effect
why not, then, nominate hm?"
AS we understand the situation Mr.
Gates is regarded by many republicans
as possible compromise candidate in
the event of the development of a siren
uous struggle between Clement repre-
eenting the reactionary republicans, and
Fleetwood and Howe, representing the
more progressive wing of the party Re
publicans have told us they had repeat
edly urged Mr.. Gates to become a candi-
date but he took the stand that he could
not consistently become candidate for
tho office while holding his present posi-.
ton, maintaining that the road organiza-
ton should not be made a political ma
chine. and that he would not accept the
nomination in any event unless he could
be free to stand for what he regards as
the Hughes brand of progressive republi-
cantsm; that he stood fora political house
cleaning rather than burning up the
house itself so far party Is concerned
The statement is now made that In the
event of the nomination of Mr. Clement
; by the republicans, indicating a reaction
airy stand, former Collector Oln Merrill
would become an independent candidate
with the assurance of the endorsement
Of progressves, and color for this report