The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-07-29
WHO is MARTIN A. BROWN
Democratic Umpire Score by Rutland
Attorney

4 AilC iIuilOl vi liit DOSlOu trlOD0.
| Under a Montpelier date line there re-
Gently appeared an article in the
| Globe descriptive of Vermont politics.
The part referring to the democratic
end reads very much as If the author
| had been in close touch with Martin
| A. Brown, the absentee dispenser OF
| federal patronage, who is very accur-
/ ately described as Spending more of
his time in the Boston board of trade
! looking after his extensive Vermont
| business connections than he daes in
the Green Mountain State.
That statement comedies exactly
with the information the rank and
file OF Vermont democrats received
| during the past few months, "Who is
this mysterious Martin A. Brown, any
way? as the only thing they have
been able to obtain concerning him
or his alleged activities in connection
with the Democratic party in Yer
mont has been located in and around
the lumber camps of Windham coun-
~.
Yet We are assured by the article
that Mr. Brown has been given power
as umpire by Colonel House of Texas
and Dudley Field Malone OF New
York to say just what democrats in
Vermont shall obtain federal favors
from the administration, so we may
safely conclude that the statement is
official and that Mr.. Brown assumes
the responsibility, for he is quoted as
saying. 81 want to see the party in,
Vermont grow. want to see the adj
ministration in Vermont in good
hands. | never ask man his race
and religion, | want to see the young
men coming into the party. ! want
to see the party put up a rafting
good campaign fight this fall. etc
Since the assumption OF power al
ways invites criticism let us see how
his acts as umpire harmonic with
his words, for long ago il was said,
by their fruits YOU shall know
them"
One of the principal federal officers
in Vermont is the United States mar
shalship. There were several appli-
cants for this position who have
done splendid work for democracy
when the way was dark and the la
DO .ers few, but the Office was given
to an unknown lawyer from Brattle-
boro, in Windham county where Mr.
Browns lumber camps are located
The first official act OF the new
marshal was To reappont three re-
publicans as deputy marshals who
have held this office for years. and
will continue to hold il while men
who have labored in the Democratic
party 30 unrecognized and unreward.
ed.
The deputy collectorship of inter
nal revenue in Vermont is another
desirable federal office, but an I'M
known man from Brattleboro, in the
same county of Windham. who has
resided in the State OF Vermont
about one year and who is as little
known TO the democrats OF the State
of Vermont as the Akoond of Swat
received the appointment
Then Nj. Brown bestowed the col.
lec.orship Of the port of Burlington
on gentleman rich in this worlds
goods. who desired the Office wholly
for the honor. while honorable and
worthy men who have spent years of
toll anA frf.s ,f
means to promote the interests and
advancement of the party were ignor-
ed and set aside
From Mr.. Browns viewpoint this
may be splendid politics and placing
the party in good hands, but just
how it will make it grow other than
small is beyond understanding.
The public in Vermont will be- very
glad TO note that Mr.. Brown states
that he never asks "a man his race or
religion" because a dim suspicion is
developing with each appointment in
to common rumor. has rapidly c-ys-
tallized into q general belief that men
of certain racial descent and religious
AAAiAAF hAAANNrA AAA'N AtHiiil l'f Nffi ~ 4
percent of the Democratic party in
the state OF Vermont, are seriously
handicapped when they seek federal
patronage in the State under the pres
ent administration.
They feel that they are looked up
on as valuable asset in furnishing the
voting strength. and are admirable as
"howers OF wood and drawers of
waters but are supposed 10 be as
silent and quiet as the tombs OF the
Caesars when the big federal posi-
tons are given out. and must go un-
recognized by the democratic admins
tration except when a few petty post |
Offices are distributed. although as
citizens they have beea elected and
reelected to the highest offices in the
larger cities and many of the towns of
the State. and are al the forefront In
business and professional life.
Several OF them have a Statewide
and national reputation and we're
high in the councils of their party
before Mr. Brown and his appointees
had emerged from obscurity
This method OF distributing federal
patronage and the general feeling Of