St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1916-11-29
Hold "Open House" In Town Hall
Tuesday Night In Honor of Pol
itical Victory Of Nov. 7---Large
Crowd Present
TOM BROWN, SPEAKER
Rutland Man Prominent in State and
National Democratic Politics In
tereSts Audience-Hon. Elisha
May Presides at the
Meeting

The Democrats Of st. Johnsbury
held open house" Tuesday evening in
celebration of the outcome of the cleo
ton of Nov. 7. The hall in the court
house was crowded by the time Hon.
Elisha May, who presided opened the
evenings festivities. Thomas H.
Brown of Rutland one of Vermonts
prominent Democrats for many years
was the speaker of the evening. The
address showed but very little poll
teal partizanship and held the inter
est of the men throughout, but the
mention of President Wilson or
touches upon the administration was
the signal for prolonged applause.
Frank o. French was certainly non
partiZan in the manner in which he
entertained the assemb His hu-
morous monologues, catchy songs,
many of which had a local flavor, be-
gan and ended a pleasant event. Mrs
Wilkes orchestra played during the
evening and while the excellent buff
fet luncheon was being served.
The committee in charge spared no
expense or labor to make the affair
a success, and on account of the abun-
dant and exceptional buffet lunch that
was served a remark was heard to
the effect that the Democratic COM
mittee were purchasing votes for an
other year by an appeal through the
stomach"
The committee who aided in max
ing the arrangements included: Geo.
Caldbeck, Elisha May, w. B. East
man. Harry Writer'S and A. H. Glea-
son.
After being introduced by the Hon.
Elisha May, Mr.. Brown opened his
remarks by speaking of the postpon-
ing of the celebration on account of
the decease of Mrs. Harland r. Howe,
and paid q beautiful tribute to her
memory, speaking of her interest in
the work of humanity and using it as
the key words of the address which
followed by saying, This meeting is
failure unless called for the pur-
pose of endorsing the work done in
the cause of humanity instead of for
any political partizanship." He then
went on to say it is but very seldom
that we realize the wonderful func-
ton that the men of American exer-
else on election day. We hardly real
ize that we are exercising the authori-
ty to govern ourselves. The wars of
the ages have grown out of the en-
deavors of men or classes of men to
govern other men or other classes of
men without their cOncentor apprOV-
al"
Mr.. Brown spoke of the administra-
ton as a failure, if it had not proved
itself as an exponent of humanity in
all it's legislation, and then he caused
the heaviest applause of the evening,
when he said, that Woodrow Wilson
was reelected "as the greatest eX-
ponent of the Fatherhood of God and
the Brotherhood of man."
He further said, that any man who
failed to exercise his right of suffrage
to it's fullest extent and to the ex-
tent to which he had pledged himself
as an American citizen unless he cast
his vote aside from all party pred
judice, and in accordance with the
dictates of his own conscience and
commen sense.
He also reviewed the laws enacted
during the last administration and
showed where many were passed in
the face of Democratic personal in
terests in the south, especially the
child labor BILL" and taking the po
liticaI plank of 1912 of the Democra-
tic party, showed how it's promises
had been fulfilled.