Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-03-26
iMALCAMAT|ON NOT POSSIBLE
Vermont Progressives Spurn
Any Coalition with Republicans.
Call on Governor TO Convene Legisia-
ture in Extra Session Preparatory
to Direct Nomination Of
All Officers.

The progressive State committee held |
large and harmonious meeting with every |
county represented Mt the Hotel Vermont |
yesterday afternoon and evening. Among |
those present were NJ. VI. Wilson and |
Fraser Metzger of Randolph. D. e. Mar |
tin of Rutland, w. II. Nichols of Benning- |
ton, Professor Raymond Mcfarland of |
Middlebury, +. l.. Kelley of Salisbury, f. |
H. Russell and Mrs. Guy Il. Horton of |
Burlington, w A. Soule Of AlburR. O. A. !
Rixford of Highgate, NJ. l.. Aseltine Of St |
Adams, c. e Skinner OF Orleans, w. j. |
Aldrich of St Johnsbury, II, A. Cook Of
Lyndonvile, B. a, Sumner Of Montpelier, |
Glenn Lathrope and Amos Eaton of South !
Royalton, DR., J. II. Blodgett of Bellows
Falls and +. w. Gibson of Brattleboro.
A resolution was unanimously passed
asking Governor Fletcher to call an ex-
ira session of tho Legislature to pass
law providing for the nomination OF CON
gresslonal, State and county officers by a
direct vote of the people.
An executive committee composed of
five members. consisting OF Or. II. Nelson
Jackson of this city, DR.. w. J. Aldrich of
St. Johnsbury, w. II. Nichols of Benning-
ton. r. w. Gibson of Brattleboro and
March NJ. Wilson of Randolph, was elect
ed to have full charge of the coming cam
paign The State campaign, including
matters of finance. will be entirely In the
hands of this committee. A legislative
committee, composed of T.. A. Cook OF
Lyndonville, Amos Eaton of Rovalton.
Arthur Vaughn and Fraser Metzger Of
Randolph and Colonel Fred 3. Thomas of
Montpelier. was elected.
The entire state situation was can
for
the most aggressive campaign in the his
tory of the State. The party will put a
complete ticket in the field. No thought
of amalgamaton of any kind enter
tanned. The committee adopted the fol-
lowing address to the voters OF the state:
The Progressive party sends greeting
to the people of Vermont This year it
will again be your duty to express your
preference as to State policies and your
choice of public officials
The Progressive party is fully organ
lied and united for the fulflment of it's
| mission to secure for all q fuller partiCi-
! patton in the affairs of government. and
laws for the moral and social uplift of
| the people. In due time we shall place
before YOU clearly defined policies and a
complete list of party candidates pledged
to the party platform Of progress The
party is only two years old. In that
| short time, il ha- been instrumental di
| rectly and indirectly in accomplishing
more for the good of all -he people than
any other party in decade. The move
ment which it crystalizes has quickened
the conscience of the nation.
Some men talk of amalgamation.
| These men style themselves progress
sive republicans Several have been
! elected to office. I'm every case they have
slipped back into the old stand-pat re-
publican fold as soon as elected. They
are "A decciving band of tight rope walk
! crs. No true progressive will for mo-
mcut entertain the proposition. To-day
| We are in as great revolution from an
| economic point of view as we were in
the Civil War from a military point of
| view. In that struggle there was only
| one thns to do. stand by the cause and
light it through. There is no more reason
for compromise now than compromise at
that time. We went into it with our
eyes wide open. We know the cause is
worthy and W. shall fight it out to a
| finish. When we adopted our platform
we pledged ourselves to put up straight
|
declared and every man who joined is In
| honor bound TO carry it out
We call the attention OF the people to
the hating business conditions of the
day, to the unrest and uncertainty as to
| the future. We remind you that the
Progressive party platform Is the only
one which proposes to handle business in
a sane and legitimate way Tho man
who would destroy. hinder or refuse to
| encourage honest business is a menace
| to society.
We call the attention of the people
to the constantly increasing State ex-
penses which are now beyond the
bounds of reason. We call attention
| &c the fact that our invisible govern
nent working through the dominant
party. has for many years. with chi
| cane and cunning, selected our officials
and shaped our legislation to suit sell
fish greed; increased court expenses
until now they have become source
of concern to every citizen; granted
reforms only when driven to do so.
| adopted policies which have diverted
| the labor, effort and energy of the
people of this State to the developm ent
of other sections of our nation; ignor-
ed our own needs shown by the
| sending out of the state of over two
| hundred million dollars at the expense
| Of Nermont's resources: kept in opera
! ton n system of taxation which has
| placed the burden of paying public eX-
penses upon the poor man: and at the
last session of the Legislature adopt
ed a policy increasing the burden by
| taxing the debts of the poor and eX-
| empting the credits of the rich; ele-
waited the exploiter and made the dol
brought about an intolerable condition
which permits men of wealth only to
| serve the people in the highest execu-
| tive Office; permitted a laxity in the
conduct of public business until the
existing conditions are subjects of
public scandal.
The dominant party has defied the
public will, Even last week we were
| presented with spectacle of the
remnant of a disorganized state COM
mittee, deliberately adopting a resolu-
| ton in defiance of the expressed will
| of the people In regard to direct pri-
maries. The people by a vote of three
to one went on record in favor of the
nomination Of state, congressional and
| county officers by "a direct vote. Yet
this committee favors the selection
only of State officials in thPt manner.
In this and many other ways have
the people suffered. We now call on
| them to Join with us and deliver Yer