Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-10-05
VERMONT DEMOCRATS MEET
a Presidential Electors Named
at Fridays Convention.
Chairman Reardon Calls for More snap
and Vim in state CampaiHn-Plat-
form Demands Many Radical
Changes.

The first democratic convention in YER
mont under the new primary law was
, held at the city hall in this city FL
DAY afternoon. being called 10 orueV
! shortly after two o'clock by James f.
Kennedy of Willston, chairman or the
State committee Considering the eligi-
hilitv of delegates to vote in the conven-
zion under the new law, the attendance
At the convention was considered eo"i
and there were present about as mauE
! spectators as delegates.
The convention was opened with preNer
! bv the Rev. c. c. Adams Of this CITY
after which the call OF the meeting was
| read by J. f. Byrne of Bellows Fails sec
| rotary of the state committee. WlIi'am
( R Mayo, the democratic candidate i)r
| governor. Of Mortified. then presen,ed
/ the name of. the Rev j. d. Reardon OF
Barre as temporary chairman of the con-
| yention, Mr. Reardon receiving unifi-
| NOUS vote. as did George X StacRpole'
! who was nominated as temporary secre-
| tary by NJ. y. McMahon of this city'
! This organization was made permanent
! Mr. Reardon. upon being made the par
manent chairman Of the convention, de
! ivered the following address:
MR.. REARDONs ADDRESS.
Fellow Democrats: Congratulations are
IN order This year the Democratic parry
| comes before the people in an altoGe'her
| different atmosphere and different aspect
I than il has for many years. We we're
called a party of criticism. a party whfrh
| had nothing constructive to offer We
! now come before the American people 20
b., iustify ourselves, to tell them why things
are as they are. We accept with pleas
Nre and with pride the gauge of bait e
because We are proud of the way in which
ue have conducted the affairs of this ma
ton We proud of the men Whom
we placed at the front and who have
been faithful to the principles of genuire
democracy
The reasons why we are able to es-
tablish and maintain sound and eff-
Cient government are these: In the first
place. the Democratic party is and al
ways has been party of ideals aspira-
tions and ambitions. 1t has regarded pull
lie officials as something more than n
chance for personal distinction. We have
wanted honor and distinction only in 80
far as honora bic. honest and efficient ser
vice was concerned. If the Democratic
party had not been a party of high ideals
do YOU suppose that the democracy coul
have stood by definite principles as II
has done? If it went dowr to defeat one
year, it came back the next year to carry
on the battle, knowing that the truth IS
mighty and must finally prevail.
All through this campaign thus far Ne
have been asking Candidate Hughes, and
his followers what they would have done
jn the past three years that President
Wilson has not done? And what could
he or they have done that would have
helped to make the country more pros
porous than it is now? We have asked
these questions thus far in vain. NU.
that he declines to say what he WoU'd
have done that President Wilson did no.
do, had he been in the White House III:
past three years. We want to know wna
he will do supposing he becomes pres
dent of the United States, a violent sup
position but used for arguments sake
We naturally assume, from his antaGon
ism of the present administrations meas
ures that he will work for the repeal o
the Adamson eight hour law, the fedora
income and inheritance taxes, the fedorl
| reserve banking system? Do you inten'
20 support the New York banks and finau
ciers Mr. Hughes. who are now support
ing you. in their efforts to overthrow tht
federal reserve banking system? Wha
! will he your attitude, Mr.. Hughes. towar
the seamen's act and the new fedora
shipping board? Do YOU favor universe
compulsory military service VIII You d.
mand the repeal of the labor iniunCti ii
clauses of the Clayton act? You say III
present administrations Mexico policy
a disgrace, but what will you do, Mr.
Hughes. about Mexico? Is it your inter
tion to intervene, suhdue and annex Mex
leo TO the United States You say, in III
concluding sentence of Your Dayton. OH
speech There has been too much--an
there have been a great deal of it-in thi
administration of compromise phrases +
the statutes APPARENTLY intended to mea
one thing to one set Of men 70 get the
votes, and another thing to another So
Of men to allav their fears" Now he con
sistent. Mr.. Hughes. and answer thcs
questions plainly and frankly. that a
men may know your attitude towar
them. You have thus far in vour cam
pagn said nothing to show where yo
would stand on these questions if electe
president of the United States They AZ
vital questions for veal or woe to m
American people and they have rigi
to know where vow stand on them.
You admit Mr.. Hughes, that the countr
Is prosperous, hut you attribute all ou
prosperity to the European war, I
course. the war has affected prosperit
here vorably. hut if We had not a pre-
ident of the patience, Americansm an
humanity of President Wilson, VIII;
might not have happenedo
If YOU were honest, Mr. Hughes. VI
would admit that the present ADMINISTERS
ton has brought steady prosperi
Through great many measures sue
as the federal reserve act These mea
= uree have done more than bring pros Do
fly. They have driven out powerful trus
and combines which have largely contr-
. led legislation in the past. and the Der
| ocratic party deserves the eVerlastil
gratitude of the American people
o.. AS to Presidents Wilson's foreign pc
A. ley, can picture fathers and mothers vi
would know only too we'll the awful he
ror of war if their sons marched for
TO battle. many of them never to
turn. Think Of the responsibility res
Ing upon the ruler of 10 million peor
lat a time like this. America has n
wanted war and the people of this coli
; try should thank God that there has lie
In the White House man of the Anne
canism and loyalty to principle of Pre-
dent Wilson, May the guns Of our ma
never fre one shot except for the u
- tons defense and may they go to I
scrap heap rather than fire shots in
way of aggression.
In Candidate Hughes 5000 word spec
of acceptance the only definite sta
ment that can be found is ~ accep
and the 5000 speeches. more or less, Il
he and others have made since are equ
~ indefinite so far as any construct
program is concerned
The only trouble is the republicans ha
been out of Office too long and what
ravenous crowd of office seekers II
coll Inptt Of