The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-07-24
eovernorshlp in the Abstract

Governorship in the Abstract
There is a tendency in discussing a
question like that OF the governor
ship to become entangled in maze
of personal likes and dislikes without
having from first to last any clear no.
ton Of what the exgencies of the
situation demand in a candidate and
what the duties of the office demand
in a governor. Too often this kind
of political conside alton falls too
much under the head of gossip and
too little under the head of discus
sion. Let us then for the moment
consider in an entirely abstract way
the qualities demanded by the office
at this time. and, to be practical in
our thinking, let us go farther and
make some estimate of the qualities
demanded of a successful candidate
To make the question still more
pointed let us go one step father
still and consider what should be the
attributes of the candidate of the Re-
publican party.
The qualities which the governor
ship of Vermont demands at this
time are not hard to summarize in a
general way. Anyone who was in
Montpelier du.ing the session OF 1912
must realize that a. this time the
conflict over the expression in legis-
lation Of many new ideas and new
conception OF the functions OF State
government give the executive rare
opportunities to act as mediator and
leader. lie must have clear cut
ideas of what is right and the tact
and decision TO make his own ideas
count. 1t is almost commonplace to
say that this leadership must be ex-
erted in the right direction. There
are inevitable tendencies OF the times
which every man of liberal reading
and thought recognizes. For TO -ce-
ful man TO set influence of the high
os. Office of the State unyieldingly
against these would be unfortunate
in tho extreme
TO define the prerequisites of the
candidate OF the Republican party is
more a question of detail. The man
muse, of course. have Il ness in point
Of ability for the Office Furthe more
he must be man of these times and
not OF times past. AT this time il
will be polite for any party to run 4
man who AT least does not bear the
faint of public service company meth
eds Gnd corporation methods in gem
eral as they were unde stood ten or
fifteen years ago Times have chang
cd and the purpose and function of
tho public service company is very
different in these later days. The
public be damned" attitude is no
longer tolerable and the men who
grew up under il are not popula in
public life. II is a sane instinct on
the rart of celebrates today which
is demanding for office men whose
temper and training VIII at least
make them charitable toward new
ideas and new ideals.
He must be republican. The di-
vision Of 1912 grew out OF what one
wing of the party regarded az Presi
dent Tafts departure from repnhli.
can principles IN the reciprocity
measures. Timidlty is not necessary
or desirable in a candidate. lie must
be able to raise the standard OF plrty
loynlty with a clean past record "a
show and courage for the demand.
OF the present.
But above all he must not be rich
This is nm exceptional time. All thai
is most Objectionable in Vermont
Politics grows out Of the unusual cir
cumstances OF an almost unbroker
series Of rich governors whose nomi
nations in most instances have come
high The men themselves are not
necessarily to be criticised The
! act that mans abilities have beer
such as to secure for him financial
success should ordina lily count rath.
er for than against him. But the
present time in Vermont is the ex
coption. Everyone candid enough to
speak his mind will admit that We
have in Vermont a crop of lccches
who rely on the holding up OF rich
candidates for pa [ Of their income
and make IL their business to dis
courage candidates whose pockets
are too lean TO pick II is the con
Vict.on of the people OF Vermont to-
day that the leeches must be Starved
out \ succession of poor men as
candidates for the eovernorship will
accomplish this il anything will
And there a-e enough men Of moder,
ate means in Vermont to G1 the
Office. The candidate mus. not be