Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1916-08-25
OBJECTS TO ADVERTISEMENTS.
H. S. Wardner Would Have Senatorial
Candidates Save Their Money.

Open letter to
The Hon. Carroll s. Page, United
States senator, Washington, ID. c., and
The Hon. Allen NJ. Fletcher, Proctors-
Vile, VT.
Gentlemen:
Vermontcrs are aghast at the spec
taclc you are exhibiting to them. |
say "spcctacle' adviscdlv and with the
knowledge of Il nativc-born son of Yer
mont that lavish expenditure of hard
earned money without tangible quid
pro quo in sight is regarded by the Yer
montcsc as nothing short of sensational
1t shocks the Vermont notions of thrift
and frugality. Therefore, ask you not
to disturb further the serenity of this
summer season, and | submit as an al
Tentative to your present course of
procedure the following:
Instead of the huge and costly broad
sides you are spreading before our eyes
ON the pages of the rustic press, insert
little notices (of about onc-twcnticth
the present dimensions) setting forth
your respective charms and projections.
At the foot of each little advertise
ment you can append this note: ''To
avoid all appearance of bidding for cdi-
torial support and to save money for
better uses | have decided to discon-
tinue political advertising on tlam-
boyant scale. This note would, to some
extent, smother any walls of disappoint-
mcnt in some of the newspaper Offices
where long, painful, intelligent and
finally successful work has been done
these many years to foist upon the state
of Vermont the direct primary humbug
The fruits or, as one Vermont editor
happily put it, the "fat picking' of
this labor the Vermont newspapers are
now enjoying while the average Yer
mont voter looks on with amazement
and chagrin.
| have worked constantly, rather hard
and almost single -handcdly for the past
eight years or more to avert from Yer
mont the disgrace of its being carried
away by the absurd direct primary
hallucination. | did not succeed. But,
while Vermont is the tailcndcr of the
states to bow to this piece of political
nonsense, ! live in hope that Vermont
may have the honor of being the first
state to confess having made the blund-
er and to repeal the law and thus show
that the state has awakened to the con-
tempt with which the direct primary
nOstrum is regarded by men whose iudg-
mcnt is Of value. Though neither of YOU
gentlemen raised finger in behalf of
Vermont to save the state from the cr-
ror and burden of Il direct primary
statute, | do not nurse resentment but
offer you gratuitously the above re-
cited plan for your financial and mental
relief.
Should you, in gratitude, having
adopted my suggestion, find that some
measure of reward is due me, you may
pay me, say two thousand dollars
($2,00O), which | figure as about ten
per cent of what my plan should save
you. Although | need the money, |
agree that when you have paid me the
above sum | will donate the same to
such really worthy Vermont imstitu-
tions as the Vermont Historical society.
the Old Constitution House associa
tion, or the Vermont state fair.
With sympathy (Which | admit is
diluted by amusement) and with as
surances of my distinguished considera-
ton, | am, dear sirs,
Your obcdicnt servant,
ii. $. WARDNER.
New York, Aug. 1G.