Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-06-28
SECRETARY OF STATE.

% Spedks
f. SECRETARY OF STATE.
The announcement of Secretary of State
Bailey Of his intention to withdraw from
his present position in the fall to assume
I the duties Of the new position Of comp
tfoiler of the State university to which
he was elected by the trustees. will make
u necessary for Governor Graham to I'LL
/ the vacancy. when created, by the APP
pointment of a secretary Of the common
, wealth to serve until the people elect a
successor in November. 1918. The new
appointee will therefore have about a
SAr to serve.
Two courses are open to Governor Gra-
ham. He can appoint the available man
whom he thinks would best fill the posi-
ton. or he can make temporary appoint
ment. leaving the field open to all possible
candidates. Both Of these courses have
advantages.
II the Governor were to appoint a Sec
rotary Of State. looking to the welfare
! Of the commonwealth and the interests
| Of his constituents alone. he would nat
urally select a man thoroughly qualified
: by native ability and unquestioned 10y
atty to the interests Of the people as OPP
posed to any private interest whatsoever.
f, II man generally known to be such
! were appointed by Governor Graham It
goes without saying that the great mass
Of the voters would endorse the selection
by nominating him in the primaries in
, September. 1913 for that office.
If Governor Graham. on the other hand,
makes temporary appointment Of a man
J Who does not desire to hold the Office be-
| yond the period for which he would be
appointed, all candidates might be pleas
ed. because they would feel that the po-
sition had not been preempted by the
Governor through the advantage which
would come to any one Of their number
appointed to the vacancy at this time.
At the same time this might not mean the
best possible service for the State such
a. a man ambitious to succeed himself
next year would naturally try to give
the people.
The question for Governor Graham nat
urally arises in this connection whether
It is his duty to appoint the best man he
can secure for the position and let the
future take care Of itself. or to consider
the attitude Of the candidates for the
place. We can readily understand how
the Governor would be drawn in both
directions and how it might be difficult
under certain circumstances for him to
decide between the two courses. How
lever. Governor Graham is known to have
viii exercise his backbone in this partic-
ular connection.
The man who is best qualified by ex-
lp4fience for this vacancy is undoubtedly
FWalter H. Crockett, who has been Sec
lrstary Bailey's right-hand man in the
department Of publicity and who has a
wide acquaintance with both State af-
fairs and the people Of Vermont gained
lin that capacity as we'll as in his service
a. q newspaper man for many years and
Tin his legislative work as one Of the House
Importers. We understand that Mr..
Crockett has been disinclined to become
. candidate for the office of secretary of
State on account Of other work he has
In mind. and personal considerations.
AL Av hn bo
position temporarily is to US unknown.
II this course is to be adopted, certainly
Il would be difficult for the Governor to
secure a man who would more readily
adjust himself to the work. aided as he
would be by helpful suggestions from
Secretary Bailey. with whom he will re-
main in close touch.
n Governor Graham. on the other hand,
q. 20 make an appointment with the idea
that the incumbent may remain perma-
nsntly through election by the people later
on. then he will need especially to exer-
0ise great care in making a selection, in
view of the fact that an incumbent who
u a candidate for reelection at the
hands of the voters will have a marked
Advantage over rivals amounting prac-
tically to certainty of popular endorse.
rasnt. II he has the right sort Of stun in
him. and his service is efficient and gen.
lsraily satisfactory to the people. 1t fol.
4ows that an unsatisfactory man would
4