The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-04-11
Republicans to Meet in Mont
pelier May 26 to Elect
Delegates
STATE COMMITTEE HAS
A COUNCIL MEETING
Presidential Candidates Must Ask
Secretary of State to Put Their
Names on Primary Ballot-vote in
1914 Basis of Representation

BURLINGTON, April II. - The ma
chinery of the Republican party Of
Vermont was put in motion here yester-
day for the presidential campaign at a
meeting of the state committee in the
Hotel Vermont when it was voted to
hold state convention in Montpelier
May 26 for the purpose of choosing four
delegates at large and four alternates
to the Republican national convention
in Chicago in June. The counties repre-
sented by committeeman at yesterday s
meeting We're as follows:
Essex, Harry p. Amey of Island
Pond; Franklin, William R. McFeeters
Of Enosburg Falls; Grand Isle, Juan
Robinson of South Hero; Lamoille.
Smith B. Waite of Hyde Park; Orange.
Stanley c. Wilson of Chelsea; Orleans.
Chauncey s. Skinner of Orleans:
Windham, J. E. Piddock of Bellows
Falls; Windsor, Alfred E. Watson of
Hartford.
It was decided to adopt as basis of
representation at the convention the
Republican vote for governor in the
election of 1911.
The matter OF temporary organiza-
tion of the convention, after discus
sion of available men, was referred to
the executive committee, with power
to act, as were the various details con-
nected with the convention. Nav Is,
the day of the primary election, was
designated as the day for holding eau
cuses at which delegates to the state
convention shall be elected and call
for election of town and citv commit
tees at the same time will be issued
later.
There was considerable discussion of
the questions presented by the new
primary law, and il was the unani-
nous opinion of the committee that
every aid to the obtaining of a full and
fair expression of the wishes OF
the Republican voters of Vermont as to
candidate for President should be
given by the party organization. Meth
DDS of effeeting this We're discussed
and statement viii be issued later by
Chairman Wilson, covering this ground.
The committee took no vote as to in
4 dividual preferences.
In the absence of J. &. Searles of St
IJohnsbury, secretary of the committee.
S. B. Waite of Hyde Park was elected
secretary, pro TEN. Stanley c. Wilson
of Chelsea presided at the meeting.
Earle S. Kinsley of Rutland, Republi-
can national committeeman from Yer
mont, and Guy w. Bailey of Essex
Junction, secretary of state, were called
into conference with regard to the
practical application of the primary
law. They stated their understanding
Of its operation and Mr. Bailey ex-
planned some of the problems that have
arisen with regard to the machinery
under the law and the Interpretation
that he and the attorney general put
upon them
Although Secretary of State Bailey
has interpreted the statute relative to
the preferential presidential primary as
+ha4 bo1l Ia +aI
on the ballots unless some candidate
gives his written assent, he obtained
the opinion of Attorney General H G.
Barber on the subject, which is cor
5 roborative of Secretary Bailey s views
{ Mr.. Barber s opinion follows:
, Replying to your inquiry [ beg to
{ state that under Section of said act
l you would not be justified in printing
: the name of a person on the presiden-
; tial primary ballot as candidate for
{ office Of president Il the United States
| unless such person has given his writ
: ten assent.
AS both Justice Hughes and Col.
: Roosevelt have refused to permit their
/ names to be placed on primary ballots
: in other states, and it is likely that
: Elihu Root will assume the same atti-
; tude with regard to becoming a candi-
n date for the presidency, it looks as
though the ballot to be used on Nav
10 in the Vermont primaries will re
semble racing card with the entries
omitted.
. Notwithstanding the apparently
: wasteful use of the state s money in
y conducting 4 primary to secure the
:, preferences of Vermont voters regard
ing presidential candidates Secretary
/. of State Bailey cannot do otherwise
: than send out blanks and instructions
= to nroner officers in each town