The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-02-12
Emery A. Melendy of South
Londonderry Gives
Reasons
MORE FACTS WHERE
THESE CAME FROM
Shows Power of Larger TOWNSHIPS
He Does Not Believe Many Voters In
formed Themselves as to What Was
Best Policy for State

oSSI 1olACy IOI SIdLS.
Editor of The Reformer:
Having had numerous inquiries from
various sources for the data which L
used in opposition TO the primary bill
in the legislative session of 1915, sub
NIT few reasons for consideration:
First-That there were two PROPOSE
tions submitted to the people on a ref
erendum vote-the direct primary and
the preferential primary, which are op-
posite in their meaning. The direct
primary YOU all understand: the pref
erential primary is a law whereby the
voters instruct their delegates Cat the
eaueus) TO the various conventions and
the delegates are morally hound TO east
their votes in such conventions for the
candidates for whom they are in
structed.
There are about 10000 voters in the
state of Vermont. The direct primary
vote stood: Yes, % Gas; no, 6,O97; yes
majority, 16,54s. The total vote was
2s,742, which is less than one-third Of
the voters in the state. The per cent
was smaller than that in the small
towns. The preferential primary vote
stood: Yes, 1872; no, s,021; yes ma
Ijority, 1921 in a total vote of 1888,
both showing a majority. Which did
the people mean, and did they under
stand what they were voting for l did
not investigate fully and was not able
to say which was the best policy for
} the state of Vermont at that time, and
j do not believe that many of the voters
did inform themselves on the subject.
!. Where did the vote of the direct pri-
mary come from? / here give YOU a
few figures TO show you that they came
from the larger towns.
| In Chittenden county, majority vote
in Burlington for the direct primary,
SOB; combined vote of all other towns
: in the county, ,2S5.
Caledonia county, St. Johnsbury, with
one adjoining town, Danville, s23; com
bined vote of all other towns in the
comfy was s2l.
Rutland county, Rutland and adjoin-
ing town of Brandon, 1853; combined
vote of all other towns in this county
, was 1,642.
4 Washington county, Barre and Mont
$ pelier, 1927; combined vote of all 9TH
2 er towns, ] ,409.
Windham county, Brattleboro and
:. Rockingham, l,0e5; combined vote Of
e all other towns, 69S.
e You can see where the majority votes
/, for the direct primary came from.
Where would the power rest under
y the primary law? Take as a basis the
t. vote for governor at the last election
s tctal vote of the whole state. 50 .O95.
q BY counties which contain large towns
y the vote was:
t Bennington county, l. towns. total
u vote, 1874. The town of Bennington
t east 1,5l4 votes, more than one-third OF
the entire county.
= Caledonia county, Il towns. total
e vote, 5,00l. St. Johnsbury east 1920
votes, almost one-third of the entire
county.
Chittenden county, 16 towns, 6,3s2.
Burlington cast 2,901 votes, nearly one
D half of the entire vote. How much
y chance would candidate have OF an
election who was from small town
compared with a candidate from Bur
IL lington!
Franklin county, - towns, 4,904. St
Albans city east 1858.
Orleans county, is towns, 4,130
ID Three towns had a majority.
I'd Rutland county, % towns, $3.50. Rot
o. land city east 2,444 votes, more than
one-fourth the entire vote of this coun
le ty.
as Washington county. 30 towns. 6.sOe
&c Barre and Montpelier east 2,645 oi
At these, more than one-half Of the entir,
o. vote of this county.
~ Windsor county, "a towns, 5,9Tl. Fiv,
tn towns hold the majority.
= Windham county, % towns. 45in
Id Brattleboro and Rockingham east eos.
votes, almost one-half of the entir,
rs vote.
;. Eleven out of 246 towns in the stat,
ssl can control over one-fourth of the en-
r., tire state, namely: Bennington, I.5l4
ST. Johnsbury, 1920; Burlington, 2,eOl
n ST. Albans, 1858; Rutland, 2,444: Barre
ed 1,237; Montpelier, ,40s: Brattleboro. 4.
ad Is7: Rcckinphan. 900. Niadiebnrv ESQ
to Barton, 62s. Total, 1853.
There are still facts in this eonncc
tion to which L shall refer in late
communication.
EMERY A. MELENDY.
II South Londonderry, VT, Feb. 10, 1916.