The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-10-28
September Elections.
{ st. Adams Messenger


"Senator William p. Dillingham;
spoke wisely when he said that Yer
mont was wiped off the map political
ly when she voted to have her cleo
tions in November. This statement
by Vermont s grand old man raises the
question of the ACCESSIBILITY of restor-
ing the old system. Is it not a legiti-
mate method of advertising to be able
to focus the attention of the public on
our activities! Would it not. on the
whole, be advisable to restore the old
order of things? Vermont needs atten-
ton which she is not getting. If politi-
eally important a good many more
legitimate advantages would come our
way. Burlington News.
In view of the suggestion that Yer
mont return to the September election
1t is interesting to note that the mem
bers OF the committee which suggested
the change to November, which was
subsequently ratified in the legisla-
ture and by the people, dismissed this
subject almost in a word in their re-
port.
They said: cit has been suggested
that the result of our September cleo
tion in presidential years was some
thing of an index to the tendency
throughout the country of the presi-
Dental election to follow. Possibly
holding our state election thus in ad-
vance of other states gives us some
political Importance; but it hardly
could be said that such a considera-
ton, whether imaginary or real, should
materially affect matter Of state con
venience and economy
Commenting on the practical bene-
fits obtained by holding the election in
November, as contraSted with the sup
posed benefits of the September date,
the report says. cit would save the
expense and trouble of two elections
III presidential years to follow the prac-
tlee of almost every other state and
hold our freeman S meeting on the first
Tuesday after the first Monday of No
vember.'
If that was a piece of logical rea-
soning in 1910 it is of added worth
now, for with the addition of the di.
rect primary we have still another
election, with its expense and trouble.
If we We're to go back to the Septem-
Der election we would have to hold our
primaries in July, probably, our state
election in September, and the cleo.
tion of presidential electors in Novem-
Der, so that we would be fairly busy
every four years.
This, of course, would represent con
siderable expense. And for what pur-
pose? Honestly speaking, for the pur-
pose of giving the Republican party
III its national aspect, encouragement
Reduced to its exact terms, Vermont
would 90 to this extra expense to be.
come an advertising poster, of doubt,
full value, for the national Republican
party.
Now it is a good thing to give the
Republican party advertising, because
1t is good thing for the Republican
party to be in control of national af
fairs, yet, it might properly be asked
by the Vermont Democrats. who have
to pay their share of the expense of
this advertising, whether it is fair tc
tax them for such purpose, whether
1t is fair to use the money they paw
IN taxes to boost the party with which
| they are not in sympathy.
For, one may rest assured. if Yer.
mont were not so solidly a Republican
state, there would be no suggestion
that we return to the September elec.
ton. And it ought not to be forgotten
that there is a Democratic minority in
the state that is entitled to considera
ton, and which ought not to be ex
plotted in favor of the Republican
party.
Vermont is state, not party. This
IS sometimes lost sight of. and the
losing sight of it figures prominently
IN the demand for return to the Sep
tember freeman s meeting. There adj
nlttedly arc sentimental arguments on
ne side of making a change, but cold,
logical reasoning is opposed to any
such step.
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